Del Mar Opens Fall Meet Nov. 10 With Let It Ride Stakes

Following the Autumn Meet at Santa Anita Park that concluded Nov. 5, racing in Southern California moves to Del Mar for its Bing Crosby Season that begins Nov. 10. The fall meet, the 10th in track history, continues through Dec. 3.

More than $2 million in stakes purses is available this fall, spread out over 13 major stakes and two overnight stakes. The schedule is highlighted by a pair of $300,000 top-level events—the Hollywood Derby (G1T) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf  Dec. 2 and the Matriarch Stakes (G1T) for older fillies and mares at a mile on grass Dec. 3.

Del Mar emphasizes grass racing in its fall stakes schedule, filling a void from the closures of turf courses in parts of the country impacted by cooler late-fall temperatures.

"Where we're laid out on the calendar is perfect," Del Mar racing secretary David Jerkens said. "There are just not that many graded opportunities at this time of the year, so it becomes attractive."

The first stakes comes on opening day with the $75,000 Let It Ride Stakes, a restricted overnight stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf. Great Friends Stables and Mark Davis' class-dropping Ah Jeez  is one of the leading contenders in the six-horse field. The Doug O'Neill trainee is a two-time winner over the Del Mar turf course.

Antonio Fresu rides. He finished third behind Juan Hernandez and Umberto Rispoli during the fall Santa Anita season.

One of the nation's leading riders, Flavien Prat, based in the East from spring through fall, is also back. He has six rides Friday, including Augustin Stables' Camilo  for trainer Jonathan Thomas in the Let It Ride.

The Let It Ride is among four races Friday with six entrants. Sixty-two horses and two also-eligibles were entered over the entire eight-race card.

Facts And Figures

• The track enjoyed deep fields during its summer meet, averaging 8.92 horses per race, but Del Mar's average daily handle dropped 6.2% from record wagering in the summer of 2022. Betting is down at numerous tracks this year.
• Last fall, Del Mar averaged 7.91 runners per race, up from the corresponding season in 2021. 
• Because the meet only lasts four weeks, many trainers stable their horses at Santa Anita and ship in to race. There are exceptions, such as trainer Bob Hess Jr. "I'd rather be where we're running," he said.
• Jerkens mentioned Mark Casse, Graham Motion, and Wesley Ward as trainers intending to run horses at the current meet.
• Racing takes place on a Friday-Sunday basis over 13 days, with the one deviation coming when Del Mar adds racing on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23. First post is 12:30 p.m. PT every day except for Thanksgiving, when the card begins at 11 a.m.
• This fall, a traditional Pick Six will return with a 70/30 split on the daily payout and with the elimination of the previous "single-ticket jackpot" portion of the wager.
• Larry Collmus will announce the fall season for the fourth such meet in a row.