Californian racing is firing on all cylinders - the Del Mar's Winter meet closed only yesterday. The three-week Bing Crosby Season offered world-class turf encounters, strong field size and safe racing, plus a record handle wagered in a non-Breeders' Cup year.

Jockey Flavien Prat won his sixth Del Mar title, "Where the Surf Meets The Turf", by bringing home 24 firsts in 86 mounts, an exceptional 28% win rate. In the nine-race final day card, Prat got six winners. One of these wins was aboard super-mare Regal Glory, who won the Matriarch Stakes for the second year running - see video below, before being ushered into retirement.

Santa Anita Park's season opens strongly with three Grade 1 races - the RunHappy Malibu Stakes, LaBrea and American Oaks.

The New Year meeting (30, 31 December and 01 January) is expected to be well-attended, with an array of stakes races to broadcast.

The normal Santa Anita weekly schedule has racing on Friday - Sunday (but also running across many Mondays).

On 26th December, first post will be at 11am PT / 2.00pm ET / 7.00pm GMT / 8.00pm CET, and there will be nine races.

After the opening fixtures, expect race days to comprise 10 races, and open with the first race one hour later than above:

Noon PT / 3.00pm ET / 8.00pm GMT / 9.00pm CET

There are a total of 93 stakes races in the Santa Anita season, 10 of which are Grade I's.

The $500,000 Grade I Santa Anita Handicap will be run on 4th March.

The $750,000 Grade I Santa Anita Derby, which has produced 19 Kentucky Derby winners and was won last spring by Taiba, is scheduled for 8th April.

Closing day is 18th June.