UPDATE: Del Mar has officially canceled its Saturday racing card due to inclement weather, impacting fans and participants alike who were looking forward to the exciting races. Additionally, Friday’s first post has been moved up to 12:00 p.m., as officials scramble to adjust the schedule amid the rain forecast.
The highly anticipated $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes for 2-year-old fillies will now take place on Sunday, switching to an all-main-track format. The Bob Hope Stakes for 2-year-olds will be rescheduled to Friday, November 21. This is Del Mar’s first rainout since August 20, 2023, and the first rain-related cancellation for a Southern California thoroughbred event since Santa Anita canceled racing on March 30 and 31, 2024.
As of now, Los Alamitos has not confirmed if its Saturday and Sunday night races will be affected by the weather. Traditionally, tracks have continued racing in wet conditions, but increased cancellations have become the norm since a spike in horse fatalities at Santa Anita in early 2019.
In the Desi Arnaz Stakes, Bob Baffert-trained Himika, ridden by Juan Hernandez, is set to compete against John Sadler’s Revera and Victor Garcia’s Stuffy Mist, who previously placed second and third in the Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita. This race is crucial as Himika, a daughter of Curlin, has shown impressive form with three wins in five starts, despite fading in her two attempts over 6 furlongs.
Meanwhile, a remarkable trend continues in the major quarter-horse races at Los Alamitos. Last Sunday, Norco won the $926,200 Grade I Super Derby, paying a stunning $116.20 for a win—marking the highest payout at the Orange County track’s night meet this year. This win adds to an ongoing pattern where non-favorites dominate the scene, with Norco becoming the sixth such winner in seven Grade I races since March.
In related news, two horses were tragically euthanized last weekend after suffering injuries while training at Los Alamitos. The three-year-old gelding Tame the Tiger and the two-year-old filly Cayce in Gray were both categorized under musculoskeletal injuries on the California Horse Racing Board website. Since the California racing season began on December 26, there have been 29 fatalities across Los Alamitos, Del Mar, and Santa Anita, four fewer than last year at the same time.
On a different note, trainer Dale Romans, known for his Preakness win with Shackleford in 2011, has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. Romans will seek the seat currently held by retiring Mitch McConnell and aims to become the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Kentucky since 1992.
As California racing fans absorb these developments, they await further updates on the weather’s impact on upcoming events and the performance of their favorite horses. Stay tuned for more breaking news from the Del Mar racing scene.
