Del Mar cancels Thursday card ahead of storm

DEL MAR, Calif. – Del Mar will not race next Thursday out of concern for a rainstorm that is expected to arrive in the area on Tuesday and last through Thursday, the track announced Friday.

Josh Rubinstein, the track’s president, said the Thursday cancellation was being done “out of an abundance of caution.”

“We looked at the forecast, talked to our guys,” Rubinstein said, referring to Dennis Moore, the director of track maintenance, and Leif Dickinson, the turf course superintendent. “We should be fine by Friday.”

Del Mar was to take entries on Saturday for Thursday’s card, but that now will be cancelled. The racing office, in a notice sent to horsemen Friday morning, said the Friday card – for which entries will be taken on Sunday – will be made up of races that are in the condition book for both Thursday and Friday, as well as the extras listed on the Sunday overnight.

“Friday’s program will be selected from all entries taken on Sunday morning,” the notice said.

Preservation of the turf course is paramount, because Del Mar’s biggest week is from Nov. 28 through Dec. 1, when the track hosts its annual turf festival, a series of seven graded stakes races culminating with two Grade 1 events, the Hollywood Derby on Nov. 30 and Matriarch Stakes on Dec. 1.

Del Mar has closed the main track for training on Tuesdays this meet, but the track will be open for training this Tuesday “weather permitting,” Rubinstein said. The hope is the storm arrives after training time on Tuesday, so that day’s training can be completed.