Del Mar will again offer maiden-race bonuses

Del Mar this year will continue to offer a 25 percent purse bonus to the owners of runners who finish in the first five in certain maiden races on dirt, provided their trainers have fewer than 60 horses in training in Southern California.

The bonuses will be in effect for maiden special weight races, including races restricted to California-breds, and claiming races for maidens with values of $62,500 or higher. A similar program was launched in 2022. During the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the bonuses were available only in 2-year-old races.

The bonus system is designed to attract more starters in dirt races.

Del Mar’s 31-day meeting runs from July 21 to Sept. 10.

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