Del Mar fall turf festival stakes to be split up over two weekends

A $100,000 stakes for turf sprinters will be run for the first time at the Del Mar autumn meeting that has an emphasis on grass stakes and runs from Nov. 11 to Dec. 4.

The track has scheduled 15 stakes for the four-week season, with 10 of those races on turf.

The $100,000 Stormy Liberal Stakes at five furlongs on turf will be run on Dec. 3, one of three stakes on the final Saturday of the season. The richest race on that program will be the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby, a $400,000 race at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-olds. The closing day program on Dec. 4 will have two stakes led by the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes, a $400,000 race at a mile on turf for fillies and mares.

In past years, Del Mar has held a turf festival on Thanksgiving weekend. Last year, seven turf stakes were run during the four-day weekend.

This year, the turf festival races are spread over the final two weekends. The richest races Thanksgiving weekend are two Grade 2 races worth $250,000 – the Hollywood Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles on Nov. 25, and the Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 26.

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The purses of two stakes have been increased by $50,000, to $150,000 – the Red Carpet Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 3/8 miles on turf on Nov. 24, and the Native Diver Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on the main track on Nov. 27. The Native Diver is the top race for older males on that surface of the season.

The purses of two restricted stakes at a mile on turf have been cut by $25,000 to 75,000 – the Let it Ride Stakes for 3-year-olds on Nov. 11, and the Kathyrn Crosby Stakes for fillies and mares on Nov. 12.