Delaware Park announces race dates for 2026
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On Friday, Delaware Park released a calendar for the 2026 season that will feature 75 days of live racing approved by the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission. The track will open on Wednesday, May 13, and conclude its season on Saturday, Oct. 17.
In its first week, Delaware will hold two days of racing before gradually expanding its schedule. Racing will typically be held on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday in May and June. A special Friday card will be added on May 29.
On Saturday, June 13, the track will run the second edition of the $300,000 Delaware Derby alongside the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks. The inaugural running of the Derby last year was a massive success, as Delaware set an all-time track handle record of nearly $6.5 million. In addition to the Derby and Oaks, this year’s card will feature four more stakes races, including the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial.
In July, the track will run from Thursday to Sunday and scale back in August, operating on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for the rest of the season. Special Wednesday cards will be added on Sept. 9 and Oct. 14.
The Grade 3, $500,000 Delaware Handicap will be run on Saturday, Sept. 26. The purse will be increased to $600,000 if the field includes a Grade 1 or Grade 2 winner since 2025.
In May, Delaware will try to bolster its field sizes by offering starter bonuses, split between the trainer and owner. Each bonus awards $200 to the owner, with the rest going to the trainer. The track considers horsemen “stabled” if they have at least 25 percent of their allotted stalls filled with approved horses intended to start.
In dirt races with at least eight starters and turf races with at least 10, horsemen stabled at Delaware by April 30 will receive a $1,200 bonus. Horsemen not stabled by that date will receive a $700 bonus. In fields that do not meet the threshold, horsemen will receive a $500 bonus.
Horsemen stabled at the track between December and March may also be entitled to additional non-seasonal bonuses of $300, with $200 going to the trainer and $100 to the owner.
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