Del Mar trims stakes purses for fall meet

Del Mar has cut the purses of six graded stakes by $400,000 for its upcoming autumn meeting from Nov. 10 to Dec. 3.

The track, which announced its stakes program for the season on Tuesday, has scheduled 15 stakes worth $2.05 million, compared to 15 stakes worth $2.45 million in 2022.

The Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap for fillies and mares at 1 3/8 miles on turf, the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles, the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf, and the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on dirt were each reduced by $50,000.

Two Grade 1 turf races – the Matriarch Stakes at a mile for fillies and mares and the Hollywood Derby at 1 1/8 miles for 3-year-olds – will be run for $300,000, a decline of $100,000 from last year.

The races had $300,000 purses from their first runnings at Del Mar in 2014 through 2020. They were each worth $400,000 beginning in 2021.

The Matriarch Stakes and Hollywood Derby remain the richest races of the brief season, which will have 13 days of racing. Racing will be held on a Friday-through-Sunday basis and on Thanksgiving, Nov. 23.

There are nine graded stakes on the schedule, beginning with the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes, a $100,000 race for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs on Nov. 19. Ten stakes are scheduled for turf.

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