Headlined by a pair of grade 1 stakes offerings, Del Mar will present a $2.1 million stakes schedule during its 13th Bing Crosby Season Nov. 6-29.
The two prime offerings are the $300,000 Hollywood Derby (G1T) for 3-year-olds Nov. 28 and the $300,000 Matriarch Stakes (G1T) for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up Nov. 29. The former is run at 1 1/8 miles on Del Mar's Jimmy Durante Turf Course, while the latter also goes on the heralded turf layout at a flat mile.
Last year, trainer Chad Brown grabbed both stakes races with half siblings, as Salamis won the Hollywood Derby and Segesta was victorious in the Matriarch. Both horses also have recorded wins in 2026.
Race cards will be presented on a Friday through Sunday format throughout the month with the one addition of Thursday, Nov. 26, which is Thanksgiving Day. That special eight-race program will start at 11 a.m. local time and be concluded by approximately 2 p.m. to allow folks plenty of time to get home to that turkey and all the fixings.
Nine of the 15 stakes on the schedule will be on the lawn, a late-season emphasis at the seaside oval.
There are a pair of California-bred events on opening weekend in The Chosen Vron Stakes for 3-year-olds and up Nov. 7, then the Betty Grable Stakes for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up Nov. 8. Both are at 7 furlongs and each carries a $100,000 purse.
Also of note on the agenda is the $200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (G2T) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles on the green Nov. 27, as well as the $200,000 Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the grass Nov. 28.
The Thanksgiving Day headliner is the $120,000 Red Carpet Stakes for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up at 1 3/8 miles on the turf.
"We've got one of the best turf courses in the country," said Del Mar's senior vice president for racing and racing secretary David Jerkens, "and we put a real emphasis on it for our fall meet. Our lineup is the best in America during that period."
Harkening back to its show business founder Crosby, the meet will feature a Hollywood theme for most of its stakes, among them the Betty Grable, the Desi Arnaz, the Bob Hope, the Jimmy Durante and the Cecil B. DeMille, all of whom were part of the glamorous early days at the shore oval.
First post daily throughout the session will be at 12:30 p.m. local time. Friday cards will normally consist of eight races, while the weekend program will present nine.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
