Del Mar Cancels Thanksgiving Day Card Due to Weather

With inclement weather predicted to bring substantial rain Nov. 27-28 this week in Southern California, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club proactively canceled its scheduled Thanksgiving Day race card as part of its continuing emphasis on horse and rider safety.

Track officials plan to shift several races from Thursday's program—including the $100,000 Red Carpet Stakes (G3T)—to expanded race cards Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

The track intends to run its Friday program as scheduled but only on the main track. Friday's scheduled feature race on the turf, the $200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (G2T), will be run Sunday.

"The weatherman is making it tough, but safety always comes first," said Del Mar executive vice president for racing Tom Robbins. "We are appreciative of the cooperation from our horsemen. We're planning on putting on a good show Friday and following that with tremendous stakes-filled cards on both Saturday and Sunday. We've got horses and horsemen coming into town from back east for our big races, and we want them to know their races will be presented as planned under safe and proper conditions."

Del Mar worked with industry stakeholders—notably the Thoroughbred Owners of California—and its regulator, the California Horse Racing Board, in reshaping the conclusion of its fall racing season.

In the revised weekend slate, the track will move up first post both Saturday and Sunday to noon PT and run 10 races each day. There will be seven graded turf races over the two days, offering $1.3 million in purses.

The two-day turf stakes bonanza will consist of the Red Carpet for fillies and mares at 1 3/8 miles; the Hollywood Turf Cup for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles; the $100,000 Jimmy Durante (G3T) for 2-year-old fillies at a mile; the $200,000 Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles; the $300,000 Hollywood Derby (G1T) at 1 1/8 miles; the $100,000 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3T) for 2-year-olds at a mile; and the $300,000 Matriarch Stakes (G1T) for fillies and mares, age 3 and up, at a mile.

Though Del Mar's planned Thanksgiving race card will not happen, the facility will be open for Thanksgiving brunch—featuring turkey and all the trimmings—from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m PT. In addition, simulcast wagering will be presented along with traditional NFL games. Wagering will be held in its usual spot in the Mission Tower building starting at 9 a.m. and going forward to approximately 2:30 p.m., with races at Golden Gate Fields along with tracks from across the country.