The $300,000 San Diego Handicap for 3-year-olds and older was moved to opening weekend for 2026 and serves as the co-feature of Saturday’s card at Del Mar along with the $200,000 San Clemente Handicap, a one-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies.
Wathnan Racing's Leading Change backed up an impressive 6 1/2-length career debut win last month by jumping immediately into graded stakes company and winning the $300,000 Grade 3 Indiana Derby July 11 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
The $1 million NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes July 18 serves as the signature race at the 2026 Monmouth Park meet, and this year’s edition is expected to feature a strong cast of runners to compete in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 1 stakes for 3-year-olds.
One of the key figures behind Formula 1 auto racing’s meteoric rise in popularity plans to help launch a team-based horse racing league next season that has drawn many of the sport’s biggest owners, according to a July 9 release.
It was a tumultuous week in North America with cancellations across the country due to extreme heat. Opening day at Saratoga went on as scheduled on Friday, July 3, and opening day at Ellis Park was postponed until Saturday, July 4.