The California Horse Racing Board ratified a 2024 racing calendar for the Southern California Thoroughbred circuit at its monthly meeting on Thursday, with the minor change of adding a week to the Del Mar autumn meeting to accommodate the running of the Breeders’ Cup. Del Mar has a four-week autumn meeting this year from Nov. 10-Dec. 3, but will have a five-week season in the autumn of 2024, from Oct. 31 to Dec. 1. The track will run a summer meeting from July 19 to Sept. 8 in 2024. Next year, Santa Anita will have a winter spring meeting from Dec. 26, 2023 to June 16, and a five-week fall meeting from Sept. 27 to Oct. 27. Los Alamitos will have three meetings from June 21 to July 7, Sept. 13-22 and Dec. 6-15. The racing board took no formal action on the Northern California calendar, pending discussions about whether Golden Gate Fields will run a winter-spring meeting from Dec. 26 this year until June 9, 2024, or close permanently this December as was announced on July 16 by the track’s parent company, 1/ST Racing. :: Visit the Del Mar Handicapping Store for Past Performances, Clocker Reports, Picks, Betting Strategies, and more. Track officials are expected to meet in coming weeks about a potential meeting at Golden Gate Fields in the first half of 2024. County fair officials have discussed expanding racing at those venues in 2024 to replace Golden Gate Fields, but have not made any formal proposals. Race meetings approved The racing board approved licenses for a two-week meeting at Los Alamitos from Sept. 8-17, and a six-week meeting at Santa Anita from Sept. 29 to Nov. 5. The Santa Anita meeting will include the Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 3-4. The track has changed its betting format, eliminating the 20-cent Rainbow pick six in favor of a $1 pick six with a carryover provision if there are no tickets with six winners. Los Alamitos will have four stakes at its September meeting. The purses of the three open stakes could be increased if the races draw six starters, according to track vice president Jack Liebau. The $75,000 Dark Mirage for fillies and mares at a mile on Sept. 17 will be worth $125,000 with six or more runners. Two other $75,000 races – the Los Alamitos Special at 1 1/16 miles on Sept. 23 and the Capote Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on Sept. 24 – will be worth $100,000 if they draw six or more runners. The additional monies will be provided by track owner Ed Allred, and not from purse funds, Liebau said. New apprentice rider rules The racing board adopted a rule change eliminating the 10-pound allowance for apprentice jockeys who have yet to win five races. Under the new rules, which may take effect later this year, jockeys will begin their careers with a seven-pound allowance until their 10th win, when the allowance is reduced to five pounds. Currently, riders have a 10-pound allowance until their fifth win, when the allowance is reduced to seven pounds until a 40th win is achieved. Riders then have five-pound allowance claims for the duration of their apprenticeship. :: DRF's 2023 Del Mar headquarters: Previews, past performances, picks, recaps, news, and more. Under the new rules, riders will retain a five-pound apprentice claim until their 40th win, or one year after the 10th win, whichever occurs later. Riders can have their apprentice terms extended if they have not reached 40 wins a year after their 10th win. The extensions will last up to a year, or until a rider’s 40th win, whichever comes first. Exemptions for additional time can be granted in the event of injuries, or in the event of the cancellation of racing, which occurred in 2020 because of the pandemic. The new rule is subject to a formal review from the state’s office of administrative law. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.