Bing Crosby Season Ushers In New Era at Del Mar

The inaugural Bing Crosby Season kicks off a highly anticipated month of racing at Del Mar, which steps into the void left on the Southern California circuit by the late Hollywood Park. Friday's opener gets underway at 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time, with the featured $75,000 Kathryn Crosby Stakes for fillies and mares going a mile over the turf course. Saturday features the $75,000 Let It Ride Stakes for three-year-olds on the grass and Sunday's main event is the $100,000 Betty Grable for California-bred fillies and mares going seven panels over the main track.
 

The wagering menu boasts California staples like the "Player's Pick 5" with a 14% takeout over the first five races each day and guaranteed Late Pick 4 pools of $250,000 on weekdays and $500,000 on weekends. After opening week, Del Mar will race on a Thursday - Sunday schedule through Nov. 30, with weekday post times at 12:30 and weekend cards getting underway at 12 p.m. Pacific Time. The only exception is Thankgiving, Nov. 27, when the action gets started at 11 a.m. Pacific Time.

The stakes schedule, which features at least one "hundred grander" on every weekend card from Sunday onward, saves the best for last with many of the popular Hollywood Turf Festival features carrying over to "where the turf meets the surf." The Thanksgiving week turf festivities include:

• $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (G2) on Thursday, Nov. 27
• $250,000 Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) on Friday, Nov. 28
• $300,000 Hollywood Derby (G1) on Saturday, Nov. 29
• $150,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3) on Saturday, Nov. 29
• $300,000 Matriarch Stakes (G1) on Sunday, Nov. 30
• $150,000 Cecil B. Demille Stakes (G3) on Sunday, Nov. 30

Saturday's action also features the $200,000 Native Diver Handicap (G3) on the main track. Don't miss a minute of the historic Bing Crosby season at Del Mar with TwinSpires.com.