First post time on Fridays at Del Mar this summer will be 2 p.m. PT, two hours earlier than the day's 4 p.m. start time in recent years, and in line with first post times the rest of the week. In announcing the change Wednesday, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club said it was made to provide fans, horsemen and women, and industry partners with a streamlined schedule.
Del Mar's 2026 summer meet begins July 17 and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 7. Closing weekend–Sept. 5 through 7–will be the only deviation from the 2 p.m. post time, with races kicking off at 1:30 p.m. each day.
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