Del Mar dates set for 2014 meetings

Del Mar confirmed the racing dates for its summer and autumn meetings this year in a statement released on Wednesday.

The summer meeting will run for 36 days, from Thursday, July 17 to Wednesday, Sept. 3. The meeting will open a day later than normal to give the track an additional day to prepare the racing surface and grandstand for racing following the conclusion of the San Diego County Fair on July 6. The racetrack is situated on the property of the fair grounds.

The meeting could be expanded to a 37th day. In late December, track president Joe Harper said an additional day could be added to the summer meeting to make up for the absence, of a Wednesday opening day.

The fall meeting will run 15 days, from Friday, Nov. 7 to Sunday, Nov. 30. The meeting will have a three-day opening weekend, followed by four weeks of racing on a Thursday-through-Sunday basis. Racing will begin at noon on most days of that meeting.

The autumn meeting partially replaces Southern California racing dates lost by the closure of Hollywood Park for development.
In a statement, the track said that the autumn meeting will have a Hollywood theme, drawing on the entertainment roots of track founder Bing Crosby.

The 2015 Del Mar meetings will be longer. The summer meeting will run 41 days, from July 15 to Sept. 7, Labor Day. In most years, the meeting has ended on the Wednesday following Labor Day. The autumn meeting is scheduled from Oct. 28 to Dec. 2. In the past, track officials have indicated a desire to host the 2015 Breeders’ Cup during the fall meeting.