The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up[1] and was once considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season. The ten-furlong Santa Anita Handicap currently offers a purse of $400,000.

Santa Anita Handicap
Grade I race
LocationSanta Anita Park
Arcadia, California, United States
Inaugurated1935
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Websitewww.santaanita.com
Race information
Distance1+14 miles (10 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationFour-year-olds and up
WeightHandicap
Purse$400,000 (2024)

History

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The first race was held in 1935, just months after the track opened in late 1934, and the event was open to three-year-olds and up until 1969. The Santa Anita Handicap instantly became one of the nation's top races because it offered a minimum purse of $100,000, then a staggering amount for a horse race. In its early years, the race was most commonly referred to among horsemen and racing media as the "Hundred-Grander." Another nickname for the race dating back to that time, "The Big 'Cap", is still in regular use.

Probably the dominant figure in the early years of the race was Seabiscuit, as the race proved to be a metaphor for his career. In his first two attempts to win it in 1937 and 1938, he lost in photo finishes, with the second loss to a horse carrying 30 pounds less than he was. He suffered what was believed to be a career-ending injury while preparing for the 1939 edition. He came back to run in the Hundred-Grander in 1940, finally winning in his last race.

The 2019 race was postponed from early March to early April due to Santa Anita's safety-related suspension of live racing.[2]

Records

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Speed record:

Most wins:

Most wins by a jockey:

  • 11 – Bill Shoemaker (1954, 1955, 1958, 1961, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1980, 1982, 1985)

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

  • 3 – Charles S. Howard (1939, 1940, 1950)
  • 3 – Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable & Bernard C. Schiappa (2011, 2013, 2014)
  • 3 – Hronis Racing LLC (2018, 2019, 2020)

Winners

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Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Dist.
(Miles)
Time
Win $
Gr.
2024 Newgate 4 Frankie Dettori Bob Baffert SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing Et Al 1-1/4 m 2:03.49 $242,000 G1
2023 Stilleto Boy 5 Kent Desormeaux Ed Moger Jr. Steve Moger 1-1/4 m 2:01.96 $300,000 G1
2022 Express Train 5 Victor Espinoza John Shirreffs C R K Stable 1-1/4 m 2:03.22 $390,000 G1
2021 Idol 4 Joel Rosario Richard Baltas Calvin Nguyen 1-1/4 m 2:02.46 $240,000 G1
2020 Combatant 5 Joel Rosario John W. Sadler Hronis Racing LLC (Kosta & Pete Hronis) 1-1/4 m 2:02.32 $360,000 G1
2019 Gift Box 6 Joel Rosario John W. Sadler Hronis Racing LLC (Kosta & Pete Hronis) 1-1/4 m 2:03.02 $355,000 G1
2018 Accelerate 5 Victor Espinoza John W. Sadler Hronis Racing LLC (Kosta & Pete Hronis) 1-1/4 m 2:01.83 $355,000 G1
2017 Shaman Ghost 5 Javier Castellano Jimmy Jerkens Adena Springs 1-1/4 m 2:01.57 $450,000 G1
2016 Melatonin 5 Joseph Talamo David E. Hofmans Tarabilla Farms Inc. (Susan Osborne) 1-1/4 m 2:02.01 $600,000 G1
2015 Shared Belief 4 Mike Smith Jerry Hollendorfer Jungle Racing (Jim & Janet Rome) 1-1/4 m 2:00.67 $600,000 G1
2014 Game On Dude 7 Mike Smith Bob Baffert Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable & Bernard C. Schiappa 1-1/4 m 1:58.17 $450,000 G1
2013 Game On Dude 6 Mike Smith Bob Baffert Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable & Bernard C. Schiappa 1-1/4 m 2:00.14 $450,000 G1
2012 Ron the Greek 5 Jose Lezcano William I. Mott Brous Stable (Nils Brous), Wachtel Stable (Adam Wachtel), Jack T. Hammer 1-1/4 m 2:00.41 $450,000 G1
2011 Game On Dude 4 Chantal Sutherland Bob Baffert Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable & Bernard C. Schiappa 1-1/4 m 1:59.47 $450,000 G1
2010 Misremembered 4 Martin Garcia Bob Baffert Jill Baffert & George Jacobs 1-1/4 m 2:00.20 $450,000 G1
2009 Einstein 7 Julien Leparoux Helen Pitts-Blasi Midnight Cry Stable 1-1/4 m 2:01.93 $600,000 G1
2008 Heatseeker 5 Rafael Bejarano Jerry Hollendorfer William de Burgh 1-1/4 m 2:00.42 $600,000 G1
2007 Lava Man 6 Corey Nakatani Doug O'Neill STD Racing (Dave & Steve Kenly) & Jason Wood 1-1/4 m 2:02.11 $600,000 G1
2006 Lava Man 5 Corey Nakatani Doug O'Neill STD Racing (Steve & Dave Kenly) & Jason Wood 1-1/4 m 2:00.57 $600,000 G1
2005 Rock Hard Ten 4 Gary Stevens Richard Mandella Mercedes Stable 1-1/4 m 2:01.20 $600,000 G1
2004 Southern Image 4 Victor Espinoza Michael Machowsky Kagele Bros, Tepper and Blahut 1-1/4 m 2:01.64 $600,000 G1
2003 Milwaukee Brew 6 Edgar Prado Robert J. Frankel Stronach Stables 1-1/4 m 1:59.80 $600,000 G1
2002 Milwaukee Brew 5 Kent Desormeaux Robert J. Frankel Stronach Stables 1-1/4 m 2:01.02 $600,000 G1
2001 Tiznow 4 Chris McCarron Jay M. Robbins Michael Cooper & Cecilia Straub-Rubens 1-1/4 m 2:01.55 $600,000 G1
2000 General Challenge 4 Corey Nakatani Bob Baffert Golden Eagle Farm 1-1/4 m 2:01.49 $600,000 G1
1999 Free House 5 Chris McCarron J. Paco Gonzalez McCaffery & Toffan 1-1/4 m 2:00.67 $600,000 G1
1998 Malek 5 Alex Solis Richard Mandella Stud Panter (Francisco Cortez) 1-1/4 m 2:02.26 $600,000 G1
1997 Siphon 6 David Flores Richard Mandella Rio Claro Thoroughbreds (Linneo Eduardo De Paula Machado) 1-1/4 m 2:02.23 $600,000 G1
1996 Mr. Purple 4 Ed Delahoussaye Ron McAnally Alex G. Campbell Jr. 1-1/4 m 2:02.04 $600,000 G1
1995 Urgent Request 5 Gary Stevens Rodney Rash Stewart Aitken 1-1/4 m 1:59.25 $550,000 G1
1994 Stuka 4 Chris Antley Gary F. Jones Allen E. Paulson 1-1/4 m 2:00.17 $550,000 G1
1993 Sir Beaufort 6 Pat Valenzuela Charlie Whittingham Victoria Calantoni 1-1/4 m 2:00.40 $550,000 G1
1992 Best Pal 4 Kent Desormeaux Gary F. Jones Golden Eagle Farm 1-1/4 m 1:59.00 $550,000 G1
1991 Farma Way 4 Gary Stevens D. Wayne Lukas Quarter B Farm (George R. Bunn) 1-1/4 m 2:00.30 $550,000 G1
1990 Ruhlmann 5 Gary Stevens Charlie Whittingham Ann & Jerry Moss 1-1/4 m 2:01.20 $550,000 G1
1989 Martial Law 4 Martin Pedroza Julio C. Canani Hughes, Messina Et Al 1-1/4 m 1:58.80 $550,000 G1
1988 Alysheba 4 Chris McCarron Jack Van Berg Dorothy & Pamela Scharbauer 1-1/4 m 1:59.80 $550,000 G1
1987 Broad Brush 4 Ángel Cordero Jr. Richard W. Small Robert E. Meyerhoff 1-1/4 m 2:00.60 $550,000 G1
1986 Greinton 5 Laffit Pincay Jr. Charlie Whittingham Mary Jones Bradley, Whittingham, Howell Wynne 1-1/4 m 2:00.00 $689,500 G1
1985 Lord at War (ARG) 5 Bill Shoemaker Charlie Whittingham Peter Perkins 1-1/4 m 2:00.60 $275,600 G1
1984 Interco 4 Pat Valenzuela Ted West David I. Sofro 1-1/4 m 2:00.60 $298,650 G1
1983 Bates Motel 4 Terry Lipham John H. M. Gosden Jacqueline Getty Phillips & Michael D. Riordan 1-1/4 m 1:59.60 $317,350 G1
1982 John Henry 7 Bill Shoemaker Ron McAnally Dotsam Stable 1-1/4 m 1:59.00 $318,800 G1
1981 John Henry 6 Laffit Pincay Jr. Ron McAnally Dotsam Stable 1-1/4 m 1:59.40 $238,150 G1
1980 Spectacular Bid 4 Bill Shoemaker Bud Delp Hawksworth Farm 1-1/4 m 2:00.60 $190,000 G1
1979 Affirmed 4 Laffit Pincay Jr. Laz Barrera Harbor View Farm 1-1/4 m 1:58.60 $192,800 G1
1978 Vigors 5 Darrel McHargue Larry J. Sterling William R. Hawn 1-1/4 m 2:01.20 $180,000 G1
1977 Crystal Water 4 Laffit Pincay Jr. Roger Clapp Connie M. Ring 1-1/4 m 1:59.20 $173,550 G1
1976 Royal Glint 6 Jorge Tejeira Gordon R. Potter Dan Lasater 1-1/4 m 2:00.40 $155,900 G1
1975 Stardust Mel 4 Bill Shoemaker Charlie Whittingham Marjorie L. Everett 1-1/4 m 2:06.40 $105,500 G1
1974 Prince Dantan 4 Ron Turcotte Frank "Pancho" Martin Sigmund Sommer 1-1/4 m 2:03.60 $105,000 G1
1973 Cougar II 7 Laffit Pincay Jr. Charlie Whittingham Mary F. Jones 1-1/4 m 2:00.00 $105,000 G1
1972 Triple Bend 4 Donald Pierce Vance Longden Frank M. McMahon 1-1/4 m 2:00.00 $105,000
1971 Ack Ack 5 Bill Shoemaker Charlie Whittingham Forked Lightning Ranch 1-1/4 m 2:03.00 $100,000
1970 Quicken Tree 7 Fernando Alvarez William T. Canney Louis R. Rowan & Wheelock Whitney Jr. 1-1/4 m 1:59.60 $100,000
1969 Nodouble 4 Eddie Belmonte J. Bert Sonnier Verna Lea Farm (Gene Goff) 1-1/4 m 2:01.80 $100,000
1968 Mr. Right 5 Moises Yanez Evan S. Jackson Cheray Duchin 1-1/4 m 2:04.60 $100,000
1967 Pretense 4 Bill Shoemaker Charlie Whittingham Llangollen Farm Stable 1-1/4 m 2:00.80 $100,000
1966 Lucky Debonair 4 Bill Shoemaker Frank Catrone Ada L. Rice 1-1/4 m 2:00.20 $100,000
1965 Hill Rise 4 Donald Pierce William B. Finnegan El Peco Ranch 1-1/4 m 2:00.60 $100,000
1964 Mr. Consistency 6 Kenneth Church James I. Nazworthy Ann Peppers 1-1/4 m 2:01.00 $102,100
1963 Crozier 5 Braulio Baeza Julius E. Tinsley Jr. Fred W. Hooper 1-1/4 m 2:00.80 $100,000
1962 Physician 5 Donald Pierce Lynn A. Boice Lynn A. Boice 1-1/4 m 2:02.60 $100,000
1961 Prove It 4 Bill Shoemaker Mesh Tenney Rex C. Ellsworth 1-1/4 m 2:00.00 $100,000
1960 Linmold 4 Donald Pierce Harold C. McBride Linne I. & Hazel Nelson 1-1/4 m 2:00.60 $97,900
1959 Terrang 6 William Boland Carl A. Roles Poltex Stable (Lawrence S. Pollock) & Roland Bond 1-1/4 m 2:00.00 $97,900
1958 Round Table 4 Bill Shoemaker William Molter Kerr Stable 1-1/4 m 1:59.80 $97,900
1957 Corn Husker 4 Ralph Neves Charlie Whittingham Llangollen Farm Stable 1-1/4 m 2:01.80 $103,600
1956 Bobby Brocato 5 Johnny Longden William Molter Kerr Stable 1-1/4 m 2:04.60 $97,900
1955 Poona II 4 Bill Shoemaker Red McDaniel Helbush Farm (Herman H. Helbush) 1-1/4 m 2:03.00 $103,300
1954 Rejected 4 Bill Shoemaker William J. Hirsch King Ranch 1-1/4 m 2:00.60 $105,900
1953 Mark-Ye-Well 4 Eddie Arcaro Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm 1-1/4 m 2:01.20 $97,900
1952 Miche 7 John S. Covalli Don Cameron Muriel Vanderbilt Adams 2:01.00 1-1/4 m $104,100
1951 Moonrush 5 Johnny Longden Willie Alvarado Anita King & Gus Luellwitz 2:02.60 1-1/4 m $97,900
1950 Noor 5 Johnny Longden Burley Parke Charles S. Howard 2:00.00 1-1/4 m $97,900
1949 Vulcan's Forge 4 Dave Gorman Don Cameron Isaac J. Collins 1-1/4 m 2:02.80 $102,000
1948 Talon 6 Eddie Arcaro Horatio Luro Richard N. Ryan 1-1/4 m 2:03.40 $102,500
1947 Olhaverry 8 Melvin Peterson Anthony E. Silver Pan De Azucar Stable (Raoul Espinosa) 1-1/4 m 2:01.80 $98,900
1946 War Knight 6 John H. Adams Charlie Leavitt Ethel Hill 1-1/4 m 2:01.60 $101,220
1945 Thumbs Up 6 Johnny Longden George M. Odom Louis B. Mayer 1-1/4 m 2:01.20 $82,925
1941 Bay View 4 Nick Wall Patrick F. Dwyer Anthony Pelleteri 1-1/4 m 2:05.40 $89,360
1940 Seabiscuit 7 Red Pollard Tom Smith Charles S. Howard 1-1/4 m 2:01.20 $86,650
1939 Kayak II 4 John H. Adams Tom Smith Charles S. Howard 1-1/4 m 2:01.40 $91,100
1938 Stagehand 3 Nick Wall Earl H. Sande Maxwell Howard 1-1/4 m 2:01.60 $91,450
1937 Rosemont 5 Harry Richards Richard E. Handlen Foxcatcher Farms 1-1/4 m 2:02.80 $90,700
1936 Top Row 5 Wayne D. Wright Albert A. Baroni Albert A. Baroni 1-1/4 m 2:04.20 $104,600
1935 Azucar 7 George Woolf James Rushton Frederick M. Alger Jr. 1-1/4 m 2:02.20 $108,400
  • † In 1952, Intent won the race but was disqualified to second place.
  • † In 1982, Perrault won the race but was disqualified to second place.
  • † In 1994, The Wicked North won the race but was disqualified to fourth place.

Notes

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  1. ^ "Santa Anita Stakes Schedule". www.santaanita.com. Archived from the original on 2005-12-26.
  2. ^ Gantz, Tracy (10 March 2019). "Stakes Schedule Changes Ahead of Santa Anita Reopening". bloodhorse.com. The BloodHorse. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
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