Through Monday at Del Mar, Juan Hernandez leads jockeys with 41 wins, followed by Antonio Fresu with 35, while Bob Baffert tops trainers with 20 wins. The upcoming stakes at Del Mar feature significant races including the $300,000 Grade I Del Mar Debutante for 2-year-old fillies and the $300,000 Grade I Del Mar Futurity for 2-year-olds, alongside turf stakes and the John C. Mabee Stakes for fillies and mares. Los Alamitos will host the Grade II Golden State Derby for 3-year-old quarter horses on Saturday.
Recent highlights include Fierceness’ upset victory in the Pacific Classic, boosting him to No. 2 in Breeders’ Cup Classic contender rankings ahead of the Nov. 1 event at Del Mar. The closing week at Del Mar focuses heavily on 2-year-olds, with competitive fields in turf and dirt stakes. The Southern California racing circuit moves next to Los Alamitos for its September meet. Notable news includes the passing of respected turf writer Bill Christine, the injury-related death of a 3-year-old gelding at Del Mar, and English jockey Ryan Moore’s expected season-ending injury. Additionally, New York racetracks have adopted penny breakage for betting payouts, improving bettor returns compared to California’s current dime breakage system.
