2020 del mar meet | Horse Racing Free Tips

Grade 3 Red Carpet Draws Competitors From All Across The Country To Del Mar

Ten fillies and mares will test their lung and leg power over a mile and three eighths on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course Thanksgiving Day at Del Mar in the seventh edition of the $100,000 Red Carpet Handicap. Racing on Turkey Day traditionally starts early – 11:00 a.m. – with the thought of getting fans home in time to sit down for their big dinners. There will be no fans this year, but nonetheless the early racing holds, meaning the stakes – Race six on the eight-race program — should go off at approximately 1:30 p.m.

The Grade 3 Red Carpet has drawn a pair of east coast invaders from the potent barns of trainers H. Graham Motion and Chad Brown and they both appear to be serious contenders in the 11-panel testing. Motion's horse is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Cloonan and Thornton's Blame Debbie, a 3-year-old daughter of Blame currently working on a three-race win streak. Brown has sent out Dubb, Madaket Stables or Wonder Stables' Orglandes, a 4-year-old French-bred filly by the Irish stallion Le Harve who clicked on Oct. 9 at Belmont Park in her second stateside start. Also coming west to handle the riding assignments on those two are a pair of top New York reinsmen, Manny Franco for Blame Debbie and Irad Ortiz, Jr. for Orglandes.

There's a trio of local ladies who plan to lead the not-in-my-backyard contingent – Barber or Wachtel Stable's California Kook, Charles or Gordon's Never Be Enough and Bederian, Kamberian or Nakkashian, et al's Going to Vegas.

California Kook has been tackling tougher of late and has been competitive while doing so. The 3-year-old Boisterous filly was second in the G1 Del Mar Oaks on August 22, then a close-up fourth to colts in the G2 Del Mar Derby on September 6 and finally fifth, beaten only three lengths, in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Keeneland on October 10. Thursday she'll have the saddle services of another east coaster in Joel Rosario for trainer Peter Miller.

Never Be Enough, a 5-year-old British-bred mare by Sir Percy, tallied on opening day (Oct. 31) of the Bing Crosby Season in the Kathryn Crosby Stakes at a mile on the grass. The stretch runner has reeled off three victories in a row in the past three months, two of them against allowance horses at Golden Gate Fields. Tiago Pereira was aboard the chestnut for her Kathryn Crosby score and trainer Manuel Badilla will have him on once more on Thanksgiving.

Going to Vegas has turned in a series of sharp efforts of late while just missing finding the winner's circle. The 3-year-old by Goldencents most recently missed in a photo to the tough filly Warren's Showtime in the G3 Autumn Miss Stakes on the lawn Oct. 17 at Santa Anita. Trainer Richard Baltas sticks with her regular rider of late, Mario Gutierrez.

Here's the full field for the Red Carpet from the rail out with riders:

California Kook; Never Be Enough; Branham, Baltas or McClanahan's Colonial Creed (Flavien Prat); Orglandes; Going to Vegas; St George Farm Racing's Woodfin (Jose Valdivia, Jr.); Jay Em Ess Stable's Aunt Lubie (Victor Espinoza); Blame Debby; C R K Stable's Hollywood Girl (Mike Smith), and Hronis Racing's Quick (Umberto Rispoli).

Trainer Motion won the Red Carpet with his mare Rusty Slippers in 2015. The stakes record for the 11-furlong distance was set by India Mantuana in winning the 2018 edition of this race in 2:14.50. The course record was set by Spring House in 2008 at 2:11.14.

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Buoyed By Larger Fields, Host Status For Kentucky Derby, Del Mar Sees Jump In Handle

Operating through challenges and uncertainty as a result of the ongoing pandemic, the 2020 summer race meet at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club near San Diego, Calif., delivered impressive results on several fronts, including the continuance of its industry-leading safety record.

Despite not having fans on track due to the pandemic and running 25% fewer race days than in 2019, Del Mar finished its 2020 summer race meet with an 8% total wagering increase compared to its 2019 summer meeting. Wagering totaled $466.68 million in 2020, an increase of $34.71 million compared to the $431.98 million wagered during the 2019 summer meet. Average daily handle for the 27-day 2020 session was $17.28 million, an increase of 44% over the daily average of $12.00 million for the 36-day 2019 summer meeting.

On-line wagering in the state and across the country picked up markedly and overcame the lower wagering on-track and at California's satellite locations. California on-line wagering increased by 125% from 2019, while out-of-state betting grew 65%.

“Given the extraordinary circumstances, we are very pleased with our results. The racing product was first-rate and players around the country responded in-kind,” said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club's CEO, Joe Harper. “It is especially gratifying that we were able to achieve positive business results while maintaining our commitment to the health and safety of our workforce and our neighbors despite the obvious challenges.”

The track had run a 36-day meet racing five days a week over the past three years, but because of the environment surrounding the pandemic, cut back to 27 days this summer.

Due to the reshuffling of the Triple Crown calendar, Del Mar was the California wagering host for its first ever Kentucky Derby on Saturday, September 5. All told, Del Mar handled over $24.8 million on the day making it the fourth highest wagering day in its history.

Due to horse recruitment efforts and the support of California horse owners, Del Mar was able to increase field size from 8.0 runners per race in 2019 to 8.4 in 2020.

“This was a unique season on multiple levels, but once again our horsemen and women were outstanding,” said Del Mar's Executive Vice President for Racing, Tom Robbins. “They are a resilient group and we are extremely appreciative of their support. Together, we put on a terrific race meet.”

Del Mar's commitment to safety and welfare was on display once again as the track held one of the safest race meets in its history. In both 2018 and 2019, The Jockey Club's Equine Injury Database ranked Del Mar the safest major racetrack in the United States.

Top quality racing and hard-fought competition rose up throughout the summer season. Superstar Maximum Security returned to action for new trainer Bob Baffert and scored a pair of wins – one by a nose in the San Diego Handicap, the other in dominant fashion in the TVG Pacific Classic. Baffert unveiled his latest young superstar when Princess Noor won for fun in the Del Mar Debutante, then another future star came to light when Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal's Dr. Schivel scored handily in the closing day Del Mar Futurity. Both those youngsters will be special to watch on down the line.

The battle for the Del Mar riding crown proved to be a season-long duel with two terrific riders – four-time champion Flavien Prat and the international newcomer Umberto Rispoli – hooked up in a fierce competition that went right down to the last day with Prat coming away a 50 to 49 winner by virtue of his score on Dr. Schivel in the Futurity. Trainer Peter Miller captured his eighth Del Mar training title when he saddled 28 winners over the course of the meet.

“There are so many people to thank for our success in this extremely unusual season,” said Josh Rubinstein, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club's President and COO. “On the business side want to extend our appreciation to our broadcast partner, TVG, for its dedication and professionalism in bringing our races to a national television audience and promoting our brand every day. We also owe a debt of gratitude to the family of backstretch workers here who helped make this meet a success as well as officials from the San Diego County Department of Health, Dr. Ghazala Sharieff and her expert medical team at Scripps Health, whose guidance was invaluable.”

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Del Mar To Add Monday Card On July 27 As Make-Up Date; Reschedules Stakes For July 25-27

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., received approval from the California Horse Racing Board to add Monday, July 27, to the live racing calendar to make up in part for the three lost days (July 17-19) due to an outbreak of COVID-19 among the Southern California jockey colony.

The track is expected to request two additional as-yet undetermined days later in the meet that runs through Sept. 7. The regular schedule is Fridays through Sundays, with racing now scheduled on Monday, July 27, and closing day, Monday, Sept. 7.

“We're looking forward to resuming racing on Friday, July 24,” said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club executive vice president for racing Tom Robbins. “Adding a race card on Monday, July 27 provides our horsemen and women with additional opportunities to run their horses.”

Racing secretary David Jerkens said entries for the July 27 card would be drawn on Friday, July 24.

“We applaud Del Mar's management for quickly adapting during these unprecedented times,” said Nick Alexander, chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. “Winning a race at Del Mar is special and a four-day race week will provide our members with additional opportunities to do so.”

Three days of racing were cancelled this weekend after 15 jockeys tested positive for COVID-19. The tests were ordered after Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza and current leading Southern California jockey Flavien Prat tested positive last week. Swabs of all jockeys were taken on Tuesday, July 14, and protocol in San Diego County is that those who test positive may resume regular activities after an immediate 10-day quarantine, provided they are asymptomatic.

According to Del Mar officials, all but one of the Southern California jockeys who tested positive were at Los Alamitos on July 4, when Luis Saez and Martin Garcia – who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 – flew to Southern California from the Midwest to ride that day's card.

Del Mar has rescheduled the four stakes scheduled for this weekend, including the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap expected to feature the return of last year's 3-year-old male champion, Maximum Security, making his debut for trainer Bob Baffert.

The new stakes lineup for the July 24-26 weekend:

Friday, July 24: Daisycutter Handicap (originally scheduled July 18) for fillies and mares, 3 and up at five furlongs on turf; the Fleet Treat Stakes for Golden State eligible California-bred or sired 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs.
Saturday, July 25: G2 San Diego Handicap (originally scheduled July 18) for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles; G2 San Clemente Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going one mile on turf; Smiling Tiger Stakes for 3-year-olds going six furlongs.
Sunday, July 26: G2 Eddie Read Stakes (originally scheduled July 19) for 3-year-olds and up going nine furlongs on turf; California Dreamin' Stakes for Golden State eligible California-bred or sired 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on turf.

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