Forecasts of heavy rain this weekend have prompted the cancellation of racing at Del Mar on Saturday and an earlier post time on Friday. It’s the first cancellation at the seaside oval since Tropical Storm Hilary blew through the area on Sunday, August 20, 2023. This is just the third time in the track’s 86-year history that it has lost a day of racing to the elements.
The rain is expected to continue and get heavier through Saturday into Sunday. The status of Sunday racing is still up in the air but as of 8:30 Friday morning it’s a go according to Racing Secretary David Jerkens. Entries for nine races have been drawn for the Sunday card including a redraw of the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes, originally scheduled for Saturday. The G3 Bob Hope will be brought back next Friday (11/21). All racing on Sunday will be conducted on the main track.
The decision to cancel Saturday’s races was made Thursday morning.
“It’s a combination of people,” says Tom Robbins, Vice President of Racing at Del Mar. “From the president of Del Mar Josh Rubinstein to the track superintendent Dennis Moore to our turf course super John Beggin. We all get together.
“You have to make these decisions early if you can,” Robbins continues, “and we rely heavily on accurate weather forecasts. We have a weather service so Dennis can communicate any time of the day or night and get the latest.”
Robbins says he and Jerkens are also communicating with the CHRB, the CTT and the TOC.
“Given the situation here most of our horses are up at Santa Anita,” Robbins notes, “where they’re projected to get even more rain. We rely on horses safely vanning here so that’s also under consideration. Getting horses and people here that are racing and getting them back to Santa Anita safely.”
The delay in drawing the entries this week was to buy more time for the racing office to better gauge the weather conditions.
“How many times have we heard these forecasts for rain a week out?” Jerkens asks, “and then it changes. We just figured let’s alter the entry schedule to give us time to allow us to make more accurate decisions.”
The revised entry schedule will remain in effect through next week: Sunday for next Friday’s races; Wednesday for Saturday and Thursday for Sunday. It’s the same schedule they did last year until the Thoroughbred Owners of California asked that they move the schedule out more days. Owners like more advanced notice of when their horses are running.
When asked about past cancellations, Jerkens is quick to recollect the Thanksgiving of 2019.
“I still have vivid images of (trainer Jerry) Hollendorfer’s barn flooding,” Jerkens recalls. “That was intense with the horses in there.”
Jerkens has been coordinating efforts with stable superintendent Jackie Lynn in anticipation of the effect the rains might have on the barn area.
“Being at sea level we don’t get great drainage,” Robbins contends. “So we have to prepare should these barns take on some water. We’re already creating berms to keep the water out. You do what you can.”
Protecting horses and people is the top priority but there are other matters to consider, like the condition of the track moving forward.
“In anticipation of the heavy rain on Saturday,” Robbins states, “he’s (Dennis Moore) going to try to protect the track and roll it after the last race on Friday.”
As for the races on Saturday’s cancelled card, they were offered as extra races on Sunday.
“Everything’s main track,” Robbins says. “The turf races that were carded on Saturday were offered again for Sunday as extras but they’re on the dirt.”
It’s a very fluid situation as we head into the weekend.
“We’re taking it one hour at a time,” Robbins notes. “Sunday is looking better than Saturday but rain is still in the forecast.”
“It’s not fun predicting weather,” Jerkens muses.