The $1,000,000 GI FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic tops 39 stakes over 31 days, a record-tying stakes schedule worth $8,275,000 for Del Mar's 84th season, beginning Friday, July 21.
The Pacific Classic Day card, set for Sept. 2, will feature five graded stakes, including the GII Del Mar H. and GII Del Mar Mile.
Del Mar has slated six Grade I races over the course of an eight-week summer stand, as well as six Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” tests that each guarantee a spot in the starting gate for their major counterparts during the two-day, $28 million end-of-season championship spectacular that will be held this year at Santa Anita.
The “Win & You're In” races are the GI Bing Crosby ($2-million Breeders' Cup Sprint); GI Clement L. Hirsch ($2-million Breeders' Cup Distaff); GII Pat O'Brien S. at seven furlongs Aug. 26 ($1-million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile); GI FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic ($6-million Breeders' Cup Classic); GII Del Mar H. at 11 furlongs on turf ($4-million Breeders' Cup Turf); GIII Green Flash H. at five furlongs on turf Sept. 2 ($1-million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint).
“We've got a stakes schedule that mirrors our record program of last year,” said Del Mar vice president and racing secretary David Jerkens. “We made a couple of very minor tweaks, but otherwise it's the same offerings at the same value that our horsemen and women found especially pleasing last year.”
The seaside oval will kick off its season with a three-day weekend (July 21-23), then have five four-day weeks (Thursday through Sunday), a five-day week (including Labor Day Monday, Sept. 4), then finish with a Friday through Sunday weekend (Sept. 8-10).
For Del Mar's complete 2023 stakes schedule, click here.
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