Del Mar execs 'very pleased' with opening-weekend field sizes

The weeks of preparation, capped by three intense days of final touches, ended Thursday for Del Mar Thoroughbred Club racing secretary David Jerkens and his staff with the completion, posting and distribution of Sunday’s racing card.

One (three-day) week in the books. Seven to go.

Friday’s 10-race program, with a total of 106 entries, not counting those on also-eligible lists, will be followed by an 11-race card Saturday with 109 runners and an 11-race menu Sunday with 97 designated to participate.

Before scratches, that calculates to 312 horses for 32 races, or 9.75 per race. Equibase statistics show the average field size at North American tracks ranging from 7.5 to 7.89 over the last nine years. Del Mar has consistently been at eight or above during that span, said Jerkens, who has held the racing secretary title since 2014.

“We’re very pleased with the early results,” Jerkens said. “The break of more than a week in racing (the Los Alamitos meeting ended July 4) was a significant factor, and we have a fresh pool of turf horses since Santa Anita ended (June 20).

“Owners and trainers have been very supportive of Del Mar over the years, and they have been once again.”

The Del Mar numbers have been enhanced, and Jerkens has been encouraged, by participation from trainers not headquartered in Southern California. The “Ship & Win” program, which pays bonuses to horses from outside California, has been a major contributing factor along with an enticing purse structure and the general lure of San Diego and one of the premier racing facilities in the country.

“We have more stables than we’ve had in a while,” Jerkens said. “The Ship & Win program has been successful and the fact that we’re hosting the Breeders’ Cup in the fall is another reason to come out and maybe stay through (Nov. 3-4).”

Trainers Mark Casse and Mike Maker, both highly regarded in national and even international circles, have expanded their summertime strings here for 2021. Casse has stalls for 20 horses and Maker 26 in the stable area. Maker-trained stakes winner Mo Mosa is entered in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 San Diego Handicap.

Dispatching smaller contingents are Ron Moquett, in from the Midwest; Todd Fincher, a top conditioner based in New Mexico, James Chapman, William Morey and Matt Shirer.

Horse vans continue to roll into the stable area and Jerkens expects the equine population there to be in the 1,850-1,900 range.

There are no illusions about maintaining the average field size of the opening weekend through the entire meeting. But Jerkens points to the 8.4 average in last year’s COVID-restricted summer meeting.

“That was very robust these days and under the circumstances the meeting went as well as you could ask for,” Jerkens said. “We make it a priority to put out the best racing product we can for the fans and the bettors every year.”

So far, so good.