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Del Mar Handicap

The Del Mar Handicap is an American thoroughbred horse race run each year during the third week of August at the Del Mar RacetrackinDel Mar, California. The Grade II race is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and three-eighths miles on the Jimmy Durante turf course.

Since inception, the Del Mar Handicap has been contested at various distances:

• 1+1⁄16 miles : 1937–1948
• 1+1⁄8 miles : 1949–1969
• about 1+1⁄4 miles on dirt : 1976–1985
• 1+3⁄8 miles : 1970–1975, 1986–present

The Del Mar Handicap was run in two divisions in 1972.

In 1969, Figonero won the race in a world record time of 1:46.20 for 1+1⁄8 miles.

Speed record: (at current distance of 1+3⁄8 miles)

• 2:11.14 – Spring House (2008)

Most wins:

• 2 – Frankly (1948, 1950)
• 2 – Arrogate (1955, 1956)
• 2 – How Now (1957, 1960)
• 2 – Navarone (1992, 1994)
• 2 – Spring House (2008, 2009)
• 2 – Big John B (2014, 2015)
• 2 – Gold Phoenix (IRE) (2022, 2023)

Most wins by an owner:

• 4 – Little Red Feather Racing (2018, 2020, 2022, 2023)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 8 – Bill Shoemaker (1950, 1953, 1954, 1971, 1976, 1982, 1983, 1987)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 8 – Philip D'Amato (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023)

• The 2008 Del Mar Handicap at the NTRA