$1 Million Pacific Classic Tops Del Mar's 2024 Summer Meet

In conjunction with its partners from the Thoroughbred Owners of California, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club has scheduled a 31-day/39 stakes program topped by its premier offering – the 34th running of the $1-million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic slated for Saturday, August 31.

Del Mar is also projecting a total purse distribution of more than $26.6 million over the course of the eight-week season.

The shore oval’s 85th summer session staged alongside the blue Pacific opens on Saturday, July 20 and races ahead to Sunday, September 8.

The Grade 1 “Classic” will be the highlight of a rich afternoon of sport that will feature five graded stakes, including the Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Handicap and the Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Mile, both contested over the track’s popular Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

All told there will be $7,875,000 in stakes purses available, notable among them six Grade 1 presentations. Along with the Pacific Classic, the other Grade Is are the $400,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (July 27); the $400,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (August 3); the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (August 17); the $300,000 FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante (September 7), and the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (September 8).

Further, Del Mar once again will offer eight black type events strictly for California-breds carrying overall purses of $1-million. It also has a total of 19 stakes on its popular Jimmy Durante Turf Course, as well as five overnight stakes, each with a value of $100,000.

As it has for decades, the $100,000 Caesars Sportsbook Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds on the grass will kick off the proceedings on Opening Day. Then, also as part of a tradition, Closing Day will be highlighted by the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs on the main track, the championship test for 2-year-olds at the meeting.

Once again, Del Mar will offer the most lucrative purses in California and the west, with an average daily distribution to horsemen and women of $860,000. Maiden Special Weight races will be run for $75,000.

“We’re extremely pleased with the racing program we’re offering this summer,” said Del Mar vice president and racing secretary David Jerkens. “Our horsemen and horsewomen have been extremely supportive of our race meets and we look forward to working with them on another successful season.”

Del Mar will be the host track for this year’s renewal of the Breeders’ Cup on Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2 with its more than $33-million in purses and awards to go along with its 14 championship races. In conjunction with that, the shore track will host a half dozen “Win & You’re In” races as well as a trio of the “Dirt Dozen” offerings during its summer stand.

"Del Mar truly shines as the pinnacle of California racing,“ said Gary Fenton, chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. “The summer season is also paramount to our racing ecosystem, with its handle driving significant purse generation and other benefits to both the Northern and Southern zones that our members enjoy throughout the year."