Delaware Park announces 75 days of live racing this season starting in May.
The 89th season of racing at Delaware Park opens Wednesday May 13.
Racing in May and June will be on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday with no racing on May 14 and a special card Friday May 29.
May also features a starter bonus program with horsemen stabled at the park by April 30 getting a $1,200 bonus - $1,000 for the trainer and $200 for the owner.
For those not stabled, it’s a $700 bonus with $500 going to the trainer and $200 to the owner. The program requires dirt races with at least 8 starters and turf races with at least 10 starters.
Races with smaller fields offer a $500 bonus with $300 going to the trainer and $200 to the owner.
Delaware Park director of racing Jerome Doro says they had a similar bonus program last year in October.
"Our field sizes went up, and our handle actually held on decent for that. So everybody was very pleasantly surprised and happy with that last fall,” said Doro. “So we're just kind of trying it again, and now we're just putting it in the front of the meet instead of the back end."
Racing in July will run Wednesday through Saturday, then August thru October races run on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
As for schedule highlights, the second annual Delaware Derby and the Delaware Oaks run on June 13.
Those two races come right on the heels of the Triple Crown races, and the track seeks to build off that excitement.
Last year for the Delaware Derby, Delaware Park set an all-time track handle record of nearly $6.5 million, and Doro hopes for more of the same this year.
"We are very excited with the Delaware Derby and Delaware Oaks. Don't forget the Delaware Oaks is just as important to us as the Derby. We're hoping it's as successful as this past season, maybe a little better and hopefully it grows," said Doro.
July 4th will feature their Safari Sprint that day featuring camels, zebras and ostriches.
The big race is the Delaware Handicap on Saturday, September 26. This year the $500,000 purse will increase to $600,000 if the race can draw either a Grade I or Grade II winner from last year or this year.
