Horsemen’s Hotline: Things You Need to Know About Racing at Del Mar this November

• There will be 15 days of racing at Del Mar in November, starting on Friday, Nov. 7 and finishing on Sunday, Nov. 30. During the first week, racing will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Then for the three weeks after it will be Thursday through Sunday.
• Del Mar will first be open to take in horses on Tuesday, October 28. Horses will be allowed on the track at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, October 29. The track will be open for training from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. each day with one break for renovation between 7:30 and 8 a.m.
• First post on Thursdays and Fridays will be at 12:30 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays it will be 12 noon. Most Thursdays and Fridays there will be eight (8) races; most Saturdays and Sundays there will be nine (9).
• Tentative and likely – but not yet fully official – draw dates for the meet are as follows:
  • Tuesday, Nov. 4 for Opening Day, Friday, Nov. 7
  • Wednesday, Nov. 5 for Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 8-9
  • Saturday, Nov. 8 for Thursday, Nov. 13
  • Sunday, Nov. 9 for Friday, Nov. 14
  • Then, for the three full weeks of the season, Saturday and Sunday entries will be drawn Wednesday; Thursday entries will be drawn the Saturday before; Friday entries will be drawn the Sunday before.
• There will be a special Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 27) racing card with first post at 11 a.m. The last race should go about 2:30 p.m. There will be a free and full Thanksgiving dinner served for all backstretch help at the track kitchen following the races.
• Del Mar expects its barn area to be approximately one-quarter full for this first November meeting. The eastern-most portion of the barn area will be used to house horses and staff.
• There will be a new track kitchen for the meet located in the rear section of the Surfside Race Place. It also will have a new recreation room.
• For those horsemen stabling at other tracks or training facilities and shipping to Del Mar to race, the usual shipping fees will be in place. In addition, each trainer shipping in will receive a payment of $100 toward expenses, as well as a $10 food/beverage voucher for staff usage. The vouchers will be good at both the backside kitchen and in the grandstand facility.

Del Mar has made arrangements with three local area hotels for exceptionally good room rates for those coming into the area throughout the month. Simply say you want “the Del Mar rates” when you touch base with them. The hotels – all within a 15-minute drive of the track – are:

DAYS INN
$64 per night
Contact: Katrina Nathan
(760) 944-0260
133 Encinitas Blvd.
Encinitas, CA 92024

HOWARD JOHNSON
$69 per night
Contact: Kenta Kuiko
(760) 944-3800
607 Leucadia Blvd.
Encinitas, CA 92024

LEUCADIA BEACH INN
$69 – $89 per night
Contact: Todd Derr
leucadiabeachinn@gmail.com
1322 N. Coast Hwy. 101
Encinitas, CA 92024

Horsemen also are encouraged to check hotels.com and priceline.com for reasonable rates at all hotels in the Del Mar area. Price will be much lower during this time as opposed to the high summer rates.