Entries were taken for Friday’s Opening Day at Del Mar today and the entry box overflowed. A total of 101 horses had their names submitted for 10 races scheduled for the first of 32 days of summer sport at the seaside oval.
First post Friday (and every day thereafter up until closing weekend) will be 2 p.m.
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The feature attraction on the program will be the Caesars Sportsbook Oceanside Handicap, a mile on the turf for 3-year-olds that has been the opening day headliner for decades at Del Mar. A dozen runners will give the $150-grander a go with the likely favorite to be topweighted (122) Bust Out, owned by Jacob and Timothy Pegram. The bay colt by Complexity will have Del Mar newcomer Emissael Jaramillo in the boot and be saddled by Mike McCarthy.
Following Friday’s lid-lifter, racing will follow on Saturday and Sunday, then go to its usual Thursday through Sunday routine for the balance of the meet. Closing day will be Labor Day Monday, September 7.
Journalism Headlines San Diego on Saturday
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable and partners’ Journalism, one of the nation’s top older horses with more than $4.5 million in earnings under his belt, makes his first start in six weeks Saturday when he heads a stakes doubleheader card at Del Mar in the $300,000, Grade II San Diego Handicap.
The big Curlin colt, a winner in 2025 of four major stakes during a stellar sophomore campaign – including the Preakness – under the able handling of trainer Mike McCarthy, will be reunited with rider Umberto Rispoli Saturday as they take on six rivals in the 85th edition of the San Diego, a mile and one-sixteenth crucible which is considered the main prep for the track’s piece de resistance, the Grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic on Saturday, August 22.
Also on this Saturday’s program is the 59th running of the Grade II, $200,000 San Clemente Handicap which has drawn 11 3-year-old fillies to a mile spin on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. Likely favorite in that test is the eastern-based miss Ground Support, who is owned by NBS Stable and will be handled by her regular rider Adam Beschizza.
In all, there will be 11 races on Day 2 of 32 on the seaside agenda. First post will be 2 p.m. with the San Diego scheduled for approximately 5:30 p.m. and the San Clemente slotted for 6:00 p.m.
