Del Mar Opens Oct. 31 for 15-Day Fall Meet

Following a Santa Anita Park autumn meeting that was free of on-track equine fatalities, California racing shifts to Del Mar Oct. 31 for the seaside track's 15-day fall meeting.

Saturday's opening-day program drew 73 standard entries in nine races, an average of 8.1 horses per race. Three more horses are listed as also-eligibles. Seventy-seven horses are entered in nine races Nov. 1 for an average of just over 8.5 horses per race Sunday.

Last fall, Del Mar averaged just over 7.4 starters a race before increasing to nearly 8.4 horses a race this summer. The track had one fatality from racing and two from training during this summer's two-month meet, according to California Horse Racing Board records.

The focus for much of the fall at Del Mar is on grass racing, and that is also true Saturday. The feature is the $75,000 Kathryn Crosby Stakes, a mile grass race restricted to fillies and mares.

A field of eight is entered, led by oddsmaker Jon White's 7-2 morning-line favorite, Cordiality, a two-time stakes winner in restricted company in 2020 for owner Donnie Crevier and trainer Tim Yakteen. Drayden Van Dyke rides.

Of Del Mar's 16 stakes, the graded action is concentrated during the second half of next month. The track will stage seven of its nine graded races during its closing week, all on turf, from Nov. 26-29. The most prestigious races are the Hollywood Derby (G1T) and Matriarch Stakes (G1T).

Those races regularly lure trainers from other parts of the country, and track officials are hopeful the trend continues. TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) runner-up Got Stormy traveled west last fall for trainer Mark Casse to win the Matriarch for owner Gary Barber.

"Even in this (COVID-19) era, when people aren't shipping to the extent they used to, we've received quite a bit of interest from back east," racing secretary David Jerkens said. "And I know some local trainers have been acquiring horses (for turf stakes) as well."

Last fall, wet weather forced cancellations of two race programs, one of them a Thanksgiving card scheduled to start the final week, and the rescheduling of some graded stakes. 

As he did during the summer, Larry Collmus, the voice of the Triple Crown for NBC, will again serve as track announcer. He fills in for Trevor Denman, who opted to remain at his Minnesota home out of COVID-19 concerns.

Following a Saturday-Sunday opening this week, the meeting runs mostly on a Friday-through-Sunday basis before a Thursday afternoon of racing on the Thanksgiving holiday is added Nov 26.

Paid spectators are not currently allowed at Del Mar, though the Thoroughbred Owners of California announced this month that CHRB licensed owners will be permitted on track for morning workouts and afternoon races. Owners wishing to attend the races should contact the TOC. To attend morning workouts, no advanced reservation is required.