Del Mar releases Bing Crosby Meet stakes schedule

Fourteen

stakes races -- nine of them graded -- will serve as the touchstones for

Del Mar's new November race

meeting opening November 7 for a 15-day run through November 30. The total value

of the stakes package is $2,250,000.

The seaside track picked up a majority of the racing dates from the fall

meeting at the now-closed Hollywood Park and in the process transferred over

many of that track's major stakes events. The Hollywood session had an emphasis

on turf racing and Del Mar is carrying that forward with nine turf stakes on its

agenda, including its two top offerings -- the $300,000 Hollywood Derby and the

$300,000 Matriarch, both Grade 1 events that will be run on closing weekend,

which is part of the long Thanksgiving holiday.

Additionally, Del Mar will employ its grass course to present the $250,000

Hollywood Turf Cup on a special early Thanksgiving Day program and the $250,000

Seabiscuit Handicap the following afternoon. Both those races are Grade 2

events.

"We're going to have a strong emphasis on turf racing and two-year-olds,"

said David Jerkens, Del Mar's racing secretary. "We'll be reaching out to

European interests and out-of-state stables to add some special spice to the

meet. Our Thanksgiving weekend includes a half dozen major grass races which

should be well-received by our local horsemen as well as an incentive for any

outfits that are willing to ship runners."

In keeping with its fall "Bing Crosby Season" theme -- a throw-back salute to

its celebrity founder -- Del Mar has renamed several of its stakes to honor show

business stars from the past who had roots at the shore oval. Thus, for example,

what was the Cat's Cradle at Hollywood Park now has become the Betty Grable; the

Hollywood Prevue instead is the Bob Hope, and the Moccasin will be presented as

the Desi Arnaz.

Del Mar will open its fall session with an overnight stakes for fillies and

mares at a mile on the turf named the Kathryn Crosby. The track hopes to fete

the late entertainment icon's widow -- now 80 and living in Northern California

-- with a special in-person tribute that day.

The other overnight event -- the Let It Ride, named after the classic racing

movie -- will be contested on November 8 at a mile on turf for three-year-olds.

Both new overnight races will carry $75,000 purses.

The track's additional graded races are the $200,000 Native Diver on November

29; the $150,000 Jimmy Durante (formerly the Miesque) on November 29; the

$150,000 Cecil B. DeMille (formerly the Generous) on November 30; the $100,000

Red Carpet Handicap (formerly the Beverly Hills Handicap) on November 22; and

the $100,000 Bob Hope on November 15. All are Grade 3 presentations.

Two of the black-type affairs will be for California-bred runners, the

$100,000 Betty Grable on November 15 at seven furlongs for fillies and mares,

and the $100,000 Cary Grant (formerly the On Trust) on November 30 at seven

furlongs for three-year-olds and up.

The meet will end with a rush of seven stakes in its final four days,

starting with the special Thanksgiving Day card beginning at 11 a.m. (PST) and

climaxing with the Cecil B. DeMille and Matriarch doubleheader on closing

Sunday.

Del Mar will race Friday through Sunday in its first week, then Thursday

through Sunday for the remaining three. With the exception of Thanksgiving, post

time throughout the fall stand will be 12:30 p.m. during Thursday and Friday

cards, then noon on all Saturdays and Sundays.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com