Del Mar increases overnight bonus program for out-of-state runners

Del Mar has increased incentives paid to owners of horses sent to California from other states or countries for the track’s summer meeting from July 16 to Sept. 6 in an effort to boost field size.

Horses are eligible for a one-time participation fee of $4,000 and a 40 percent bonus for purses earned for top-five finishes in overnight turf races through the summer meeting, provided a horse has not raced in California in the last 12 months and is not a first-time starter. The bonus increases to 50 percent for purses earned in overnight dirt races. Bonuses are not paid for purses earned in stakes.

A new clause has been added to the program allowing horses from other circuits that are not first-time starters to have as many as two races at Santa Anita in May or June and remain eligible for overnight purse bonuses through the Del Mar summer meeting.

The provision does not apply to the Los Alamitos summer meeting.

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If an eligible horse is claimed during the Del Mar summer meeting, the owners who brought the horse to California will earn bonuses from purses through that season, and not the owner who claims the horse.

The Del Mar incentive program was first introduced in 2011 and has been enhanced through the years.

The enhancements come at a time when horse population and average field size are a concern in California. At the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, fields have averaged 7.6 runners per race since opening day on Dec. 26, compared to 7.5 runners throughout the 2019-20 meeting, which was disrupted for seven weeks from late March to mid-May because of the pandemic.

This year, Santa Anita has had an uninterrupted schedule but has eliminated racing on two Fridays in April to rest the turf course for the final months of the season through June 20 and because of a shortage of runners that race primarily on the main track.

Last summer, Del Mar averaged 8.36 runners per race during a 27-day season, compared to 7.99 runners per race at the 2019 summer meeting, which had 36 racing days.

This year, the track plans a 31-day meeting, with two three-day weekends beginning on July 16 and the addition of Thursday racing beginning on July 29.