Del Mar Mile Stakes
The Del Mar Mile Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years and older run over a distance of one mile on the turf held annually in August at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The event currently carries a purse of $150,000.
History
The event was inaugurated on September 2, 1987, with additional sponsorship from Budweiser and the Breeders' Cup at a distance of as a one-mile race on the dirt track and was won by the 9:1 shot Good Command, who was ridden by United States' Racing Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron in a time of 1:35. The following year the event was by Precisionist, the 1985 U.S. Champion Sprint Horse who had come out of retirement after an unsuccessful stud career.For the third running the event had been classified as Grade III and the next year in 1990 a Grade II, the current classification.
Budweiser continued sponsorship until 1995 and the Breeders' Cup until 2006. After sponsorship ceased the event was renamed by the Del Mar administration to Del Mar Mile Handicap.
In 2005 the event was moved from the dirt track to the turf.
In 2021 the conditions of the event were changed from a handicap to a stakes allowance.
Records
Speed record:- 1 mile : 1:32.10 - Obviously (IRE)
- 1 mile : 1:33.40 - On The Line
- 5 lengths - Old Trieste
- 2 - El Corredor
- 2 - Obviously (IRE)
- 2 - Mo Forza
Most wins by a jockey:
- 4 - Chris McCarron
- 4 - Flavien Prat
- 4 - Bob Baffert