Del Mar raises purses, adds to incentives for out-of-towners

Del Mar has raised overnight purses and has enhanced financial incentives for horses brought to California from other states or countries for its summer meeting, which runs from July 17 to Sept. 2.

Overnight purses will have moderate increases. A maiden special weight race will be worth $61,000, an increase of $1,000 from the summer meeting in 2018, while a $20,000 claimer for maidens will be worth $21,000 an increase of $1,000. The purse for a $25,000 claimer has been increased by $1,000, to $35,000.

Purses for overnight stakes have been increased $10,000, to $85,000. A first-condition allowance race has been raised $2,000, to $64,000.

Under the track’s ship and win promotion, a horse will earn an additional 40 percent if that horse is making its first start at Del Mar provided the horse is not a first-time starter or has not raced in California in the last 12 months. The promotion applies only to overnight races. At last summer’s meet, such horses earned a 30 percent purse bonus.

All horses, including stakes runners, will receive a $2,500 bonus for a first start at Del Mar, regardless of finishing position, if the horse is not a first-time starter or has not raced in California in the last 12 months. That bonus is $500 higher than at last summer’s meet.

“We wanted to make a statement on both forms of the ship and win – the appearance fee, which could pay for a horse’s shipping, and the 40 percent,” racing secretary David Jerkens said.

The promotion was launched in 2011 and has been credited with bringing horses to Southern California that remained on the circuit.