Del Mar again offers ship-and-win, maiden bonus programs

Two of Del Mar's most popular programs for its horsemen and horsewomen are set for a return this summer. The highly successful ship-and-win and the relatively new maiden dirt bonus again will enhance the racing product of the shore oval as the track prepares to kick off its 85th summer stand.

Ship and win will enter its 14th consecutive season at Del Mar, serving as a strong incentive for horses from out of state to race locally and enhance the track’s reputation as one of the nation’s top facilities for field size. More than 2,600 horses have taken advantage of the ship-and-win bonuses since its inception in 2011, with a majority of those runners staying on to race at other locations in California.

The maiden dirt bonus is entering its third season at the shore and has helped to solidify field size in the track’s maiden special-weight dirt races, a key stepping stone on the racing ladder for runners beginning their careers.

The ship-and-win program provides a guaranteed $4,000 check for any qualified runner in their first start at Del Mar. Additionally, there is a 40 percent bonus applied to purse winnings for that initial start as well as any subsequent outings during the eight-week meet. As an example, the summer meet’s first-condition allowance purse of $76,000 is elevated to over $106,000 with the ship-and-win supplement.

Local owners and trainers continue to be strong supporters of the ship-and-win program. In the summer of 2023, 100 of the 184 ship-and-win horses who came on board were owned and trained by California connections. In 2022, 125 of 222 ship-and-win runners were locals.

The maiden dirt bonus provides a 20 percent purse bonus to horses of any age in maiden special-weight races on the dirt. That extra money applies to horses who run first through fifth in open straight maiden races, and it offers a similar reward to those who run second through fifth in California-bred dirt races. This supplement results in these maiden special weight races offering $90,000 purses.

The bonus is available only to trainers who have fewer than 85 horses on the Southern California circuit.

“These two programs have helped provide backbone to our daily racing cards,” said Del Mar vice president and racing secretary David Jerkens. “The inclusion of out-of-state horses adds to the depth of our racing product and the fact that the vast majority of them stay on and compete at other tracks in the state has a positive ripple effect for all of California racing.”

Basic rules for the ship-and-win program are available on the Del Mar website.

The Del Mar summer season opens Saturday, July 20, and concludes Sunday, Sept. 8.