Racing at Del Mar back on track After COVID-19 cancellations

Racing resumed at Del Mar Friday, July 24, after three racing dates were canceled because 15 jockeys tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club responded to the positive tests that wiped out racing from July 17-19, by instituting new travel restrictions to include only permitting jockeys based in California to ride and prohibiting all jockeys who leave the track to ride elsewhere from returning to Del Mar for the remainder of the summer racing season.

Del Mar also reconfigured and expanded its jockeys’ quarters, including moving some of the functions that normally take place in the jockeys’ room to an adjacent area.

Racing was held Monday, July 27, to make up for one of the canceled days. The other two lost days will be made up later in the season, on dates to be determined, Tom Robbins, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club executive vice president for racing, said.

Many of the races that had been previously scheduled were shifted to last weekend. The Grade II $150,000 San Diego Handicap was run Saturday and the Grade II $200,000 Eddie Read Stakes ran Sunday.