The $500,000 GIII Delaware Handicap, to be contested Saturday, Sept. 26, is the focal point of the $4.3-million stakes schedule for 2026 at Delaware Park, track officials released on Friday.
Once a fixture of the summer months, the nine-furlong contest is now positioned as a potential prep race for older fillies and mares that may be progressing towards the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff just over a month later. The base purse of the Del 'Cap increases to $600,000 if a Grade I winner from 2025 or 2026 enters and starts in the race. A minimum of $1 million is up for grabs on a program that features three other black-type races.
Delaware's other graded event on the calendar is the $300,000 GIII Delaware Oaks, which is part of the June 13 program that also includes the $300,000 Delaware Derby. During the inaugural running of the Delaware Derby in 2025, the tack reported an all-time handle single-race record of nearly $6.5 million.
Delaware will stage 75 days, with the 89th year of live racing set to begin Wednesday, May 13. Racing will continue through Saturday, Oct. 17.
Click here for the full stakes schedule.
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