Del Mar hires David Jerkens as racing secretary

David Jerkens will leave his position as racing secretary at Golden Gate Fields in June to become the racing secretary at Del Mar, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club announced on Thursday.

Jerkens is being brought in because the track will run two meets this year – its regular summer meeting and an additional meeting in the fall – to pick up some of the dates left by the closure of Hollywood Park.

Jerkens, 35, is the son of trainer Steve Jerkens and the grandson of legendary Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens. His uncle Jimmy Jerkens is another notable trainer.

Jerkens began his racing office career in New York in 2000 before heading west in 2005 to serve as assistant at Golden Gate. Jerkens was promoted to racing secretary at Golden Gate in 2011.

“David is going to be a wonderful addition to our crew at Del Mar,” Del Mar Thoroughbred Club president and chief executive Joe Harper said in a statement released by the track. “He’s a bright young man with a great feel for the game. His family history and his experience both back east and in California will translate well to our racing office. I know our horsemen will find him a first-rate guy to work with.”

Del Mar’s racing department will continue to be overseen by Tom Robbins, the track’s vice president for racing and industry relations.

“With the shift in the racing scene in Southern California and the racing picture in general across the country, the racing product has become more important than ever before in our business,” Robbins said. “Bringing on an enthusiastic and multi-talented racing man like David Jerkens to make us even stronger on the horse side became just about a necessity.”