$1-Million Pacific Classic Tops 31-Day / 39 Stakes Program for Summer 2024 at Del Mar

April 26, 2024

FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic Trophy

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. 

Horse Racing Rebates

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 I “Classic” will be the highlight of a rich afternoon of sport that will feature five graded stakes, including the Grade II, $300,000 Del Mar Handicap and the Grade II, $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 I 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 I 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." 

The complete list of stakes follows: 

DATE RACE / CONDITIONS PURSE / DISTANCE
Sat. Jul 20 CAESARS SPORTSBOOK OCEANSIDE STAKES
Three-year-olds, N/W S/S of $50,000 at 1 M o/o in 2024
$100,000 Guaranteed
1 Mile (T)
Sat. Jul 20 SAN CLEMENTE HANDICAP (Gr. II)
Fillies, Three-year-olds
$200,000 Guaranteed
1 Mile (T)
Sun. Jul 21 Osunitas Stakes*
Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up, N/W S/S $50,000 at 1 M o/o since October 1
$100,000 Guaranteed
1 Mile (T)
Sun. Jul 21 Wickerr Stakes*
Three-year-olds & up, N/W S/S of $50,000 at 1 M o/o since October 1
$100,000 Guaranteed
1 Mile (T)
Thu. Jul 25 COUGAR II STAKES (Gr. III)
Three-year-olds & up
$100,000 Guaranteed
1 1/2 Miles
Fri. Jul 26 FLEET TREAT STAKES
Fillies, Three-year-olds, Cal-Bred
$150,000 Guaranteed
7 Furlongs
Sat. Jul 27 BING CROSBY STAKES (Gr. I)
Three-year-olds & up
$400,000 Guaranteed
6 Furlongs
Sat. Jul 27 SAN DIEGO HANDICAP (Gr. II)
Three-year-olds & up
$300,000 Guaranteed
1 1/16 Miles
Sat. Jul 27 Daisycutter Handicap*
Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up
$100,000 Guaranteed
5 Furlongs (T)
Sun. Jul 28 EDDIE READ STAKES (Gr. II)
Three-year-olds & up
$250,000 Guaranteed
1 1/8 Miles (T)
Fri. Aug 02 REAL GOOD DEAL STAKES
Three-year-olds, Cal-Bred
$150,000 Guaranteed
7 Furlongs
Sat. Aug 03 CLEMENT L. HIRSCH STAKES (Gr. I) Presented by Oak Tree Racing Association
Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up
$400,000 Guaranteed
1 1/16 Miles
Sat. Aug 03 CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' STAKES
Three-year-olds & up, Cal-Bred
$150,000 Guaranteed
1 1/16 Miles (T)
Sun. Aug 04 LA JOLLA HANDICAP
Three-year-olds
$100,000 Guaranteed
1 1/16 Miles (T)
Sun. Aug 04 CTBA STAKES
Fillies, Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred
$100,000 Guaranteed
5 1/2 Furlongs
Fri. Aug 09 GRADUATION STAKES
Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred
$100,000 Guaranteed
5 1/2 Furlongs
Sat. Aug 10 YELLOW RIBBON HANDICAP (Gr. II)
Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up
$200,000 Guaranteed
1 1/16 Miles (T)
Sat. Aug 10 SORRENTO STAKES (GR. III)
Fillies, Two-year-olds
$150,000 Guaranteed
6 Furlongs
Sun. Aug 11 BEST PAL STAKES (Gr. III)
Two-year-olds
$150,000 Guaranteed
6 Furlongs
Fri. Aug 16 CTT & TOC Stakes*
Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up
$100,000 Guaranteed
1 3/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Aug 17 DEL MAR OAKS (Gr. I) Presented by Keeneland Sales
Fillies, Three-year-olds
$300,000 Guaranteed
1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sun. Aug 18 SOLANA BEACH STAKES
Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up, Cal-Bred
$150,000 Guaranteed
1 Mile (T)
Sat. Aug 24 PAT O'BRIEN STAKES (Gr. II)
Three-year-olds & up
$250,000 Guaranteed
7 Furlongs
Sun. Aug 25 RANCHO BERNARDO HANDICAP (Gr. III)
Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up
$100,000 Guaranteed
6 1/2 Furlongs
Sat. Aug 31 FANDUEL RACING PACIFIC CLASSIC (Gr. I)
Three-year-olds & up
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
1 1/4 Miles
Sat. Aug 31 DEL MAR HANDICAP (Gr. II) Presented by Japan Racing Association
Three-year-olds & up
$300,000 Guaranteed
1 3/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Aug 31 DEL MAR MILE (Gr. II)
Three-year-olds & up
$300,000 Guaranteed
1 Mile (T)
Sat. Aug 31 GREEN FLASH HANDICAP (Gr. III)
Three-year-olds & up
$150,000 Guaranteed
5 Furlongs (T)
Sat. Aug 31 TORREY PINES STAKES (Gr. III)
Fillies, Three-year-olds
$150,000 Guaranteed
1 Mile
Sun. Sep 01 CAESARS SPORTSBOOK DEL MAR DERBY (Gr. II)
Three-year-olds
$300,000 Guaranteed
1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sun. Sep 01 SHARED BELIEF STAKES
Three-year-olds
$125,000 Guaranteed
1 Mile
Mon. Sep 02 GENEROUS PORTION STAKES
Fillies, Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred
$100,000 Guaranteed
6 Furlongs
Mon. Sep 02 Tranquility Lake Stakes*
Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up, N/W S/S $50,000 at 1 M o/o since February 1
$100,000 Guaranteed
1 Mile
Fri. Sep 06 I'M SMOKIN STAKES
Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred
$100,000 Guaranteed
6 Furlongs
Sat. Sep 07 FANDUEL RACING DEL MAR DEBUTANTE (Gr. I)
Fillies, Two-year-olds
$300,000 Guaranteed
7 Furlongs
Sat. Sep 07 JOHN C. MABEE STAKES (Gr. II)
Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up
$250,000 Guaranteed
1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Sep 07 DEL MAR JUVENILE FILLIES TURF
Fillies, Two-year-olds
$100,000 Guaranteed
1 Mile (T)
Sun. Sep 08 DEL MAR FUTURITY (Gr. I)
Two-year-olds
$300,000 Guaranteed
7 Furlongs
Sun. Sep 08 DEL MAR JUVENILE TURF (Gr. III)
Two-year-olds
$100,000 Guaranteed
1 Mile (T)

* Indicates Overnight Stakes