The 35th edition of the $1 million Pacific Classic Stakes (G1), the West's richest stakes race, tops a roster of 37 stakes slated for presentation at Del Mar this summer during its 87th season of Thoroughbred sport.
As it has in all its recent runnings, the Pacific Classic will headline a card featuring an array of graded stakes. Besides the grade 1 centerpiece run at the classic American distance of 1 1/4 miles, the Aug. 22 card also will present the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (G1T) for 3-year-old fillies, $300,000 Del Mar Mile Stakes (G2T) for 3-year-olds and up, and the $200,000 Green Flash Handicap (G2T), which was upgraded from a grade 3.
Del Mar opens its summer season July 17, featuring 32 days of racing through Sept. 7, Labor Day.
All told, the stakes schedule will offer $7,775,000 in purses, including five overnight stakes each carrying a $100,000 prize. Additionally, there have been two purses magnified on the regular schedule—the Green Flash boosted from $150,000 to $200,000 as noted, and the traditional opening-day Oceanside Handicap increased from $100,000 to $150,000 for its 81st presentation.
The seaside track will present six grade 1 stakes over the course of its eight weeks of racing. The first of those is the $400,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) July 25 for 3-year-olds and up at 6 furlongs, followed by the $400,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) Aug. 1 for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.
The $300,000 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) will be run Sept. 5 and the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (G1) will be run Sept. 6. Those last two 7-furlong tests are the championship races for 2-year-olds at the meet—the Debutante for fillies and the Futurity open to all.
Moreover, the track will offer 10 grade 2 stakes and five grade 3 events during its summer stand. Also, 18 of the added-money races will be conducted on the heralded Jimmy Durante Turf Course and eight of the stakes have been designated for California-bred runners.
Other changes of note on the lineup consist of four 2-year-old races lengthened by half a furlong. Both the CTBA Stakes (Aug. 2) and the Graduation Stakes (Aug. 7) will stretch out to 5 1/2 furlongs, while the Generous Portion Stakes (Sept. 4) and the I'm Smokin Stakes (Sept. 7) now go at 6 furlongs.
Six Del Mar stakes have been designated Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In races: Bing Crosby (Breeders' Cup Sprint, G1), Clement L. Hirsch (Breeders' Cup Distaff, G1), Green Flash (Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, G1T), Pacific Classic (Breeders' Cup Classic, G1), Del Mar Handicap (G2T) (Breeders' Cup Turf, G1T), and Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) (Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, G1).
"This stakes schedule showcases the very best of Del Mar racing, highlighted by the $1 million Pacific Classic and six grade 1 events, and offers a wide range of opportunities for our horsemen and horsewomen," said Del Mar president Josh Rubinstein.
"Del Mar's 2026 stakes schedule reflects a continued commitment to quality, competitiveness and opportunity," said Gary Fenton, chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. "From the $1 million Pacific Classic to a deep supporting program, this is the kind of structure that benefits owners, horsemen and the long-term health of California racing."
First post daily at Del Mar will be 2 p.m. PT. That will hold true for the entire meet, up to closing weekend in September when the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday cards will go off at 1:30 p.m. PT.
See Del Mar's Full 2026 Stakes Schedule
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
