Santa Anita Handicap
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Grade I race | |
|---|---|
| Santa Anita Handicap | |
 |
|
| Location | Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California, United States |
| Inaugurated | 1935 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | Santa Anita Park |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1¼ miles (10 furlongs) |
| Track | Cushion Track, left-handed |
| Qualification | Four-year-olds and up |
| Weight | Handicap |
| Purse | $1,000,000 |
The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in the late winter at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up [1], and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season. The ten furlong Santa Anita Handicap offers a purse of $1,000,000.
The first race was held in 1935, just months after the track opened in late 1934, and was for 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 the legendary 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 him. He suffered what was believed to be a career-ending injury while preparing for the 1939 edition. Amazingly, he came back to run in the Hundred-Grander in 1940, finally winning in what would be his last race.
[edit] Winners of the Santa Anita Handicap
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
| 2008 | Heatseeker | 5 | Rafael Bejarano | Jerry Hollendorfer | William de Burgh | 2:00.42 |
| 2007 | Lava Man | 6 | Corey Nakatani | Doug O'Neill | STD Racing Stable/Jason Wood | 2.02.11 |
| 2006 | Lava Man | 5 | Corey Nakatani | Doug O'Neill | STD Racing Stable/Jason Wood | 2.00.57 |
| 2005 | Rock Hard Ten | 4 | Gary Stevens | Richard Mandella | Mercedes Stables & M. Paulson | 2.01.20 |
| 2004 | Southern Image | 4 | Victor Espinoza | Michael Machowsky | Blahut Stables | 2.01.64 |
| 2003 | Milwaukee Brew | 6 | Edgar Prado | Robert J. Frankel | Stronach Stables | 1.59.80 |
| 2002 | Milwaukee Brew | 5 | Kent Desormeaux | Robert J. Frankel | Stronach Stables | 2.01.02 |
| 2001 | Tiznow | 4 | Chris McCarron | Jay M. Robbins | M. Cooper & C. Straub-Rubens | 2.01.55 |
| 2000 | General Challenge | 4 | Corey Nakatani | Bob Baffert | Golden Eagle Farm | 2.01.49 |
| 1999 | Free House | 5 | Chris McCarron | Paco J. Gonzalez | Trudy McCaffery & John Toffan | 2.00.67 |
| 1998 | Malek | 5 | Alex Solis | Richard Mandella | Stud Panter | 2.02.26 |
| 1997 | Siphon | 6 | David R. Flores | Richard Mandella | Rio Claro Thoroughbreds | 2.02.23 |
| 1996 | Mr. Purple | 4 | Ed Delahoussaye | Ron McAnally | Alex G. Campbell, Jr. | 2.02.04 |
| 1995 | Urgent Request | 5 | Gary Stevens | Rodney Rash | Stewart Aitken | 1.59.25 |
| 1994 | Stuka † | 4 | Chris Antley | Gary Jones | Allen E. Paulson | 2.00.17 |
| 1993 | Sir Beaufort | 6 | Pat Valenzuela | Charlie Whittingham | Victoria Calantoni | 2.00.40 |
| 1992 | Best Pal | 4 | Kent Desormeaux | Gary Jones | Golden Eagle Farm | 1.59.00 |
| 1991 | Farma Way | 4 | Gary Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | Quarter B Farm | 2.01.20 |
| 1990 | Ruhlmann | 5 | Gary Stevens | Robert J. Frankel | Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Moss | 2.01.20 |
| 1989 | Martial Law | 4 | Martin Pedroza | Julio Canani | Clover Racing Stable | 1.58.80 |
| 1988 | Alysheba | 4 | Chris McCarron | Jack van Berg | Dorothy & Pamela Scharbauer | 1.59.80 |
| 1987 | Broad Brush | 4 | Angel Cordero, Jr. | Richard Small | Robert E. Meyerhoff | 2.00.60 |
| 1986 | Greinton | 5 | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Charlie Whittingham | Bradley/Whittingham/H. Wynne | 2.00.00 |
| 1985 | Lord at War | 5 | Bill Shoemaker | Charlie Whittingham | Peter Perkins | 2.00.60 |
| 1984 | Interco | 4 | Pat Valenzuela | Ted West, Sr. | David I. Sofro | 2.00.60 |
| 1983 | Bates Motel | 4 | Terry Lipham | John H. M. Gosden | J. Getty Phillips/Michael Riordan | 1.59.60 |
| 1982 | John Henry † | 7 | Bill Shoemaker | Ron McAnally | Dotsam Stable | 1.59.00 |
| 1981 | John Henry | 6 | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Ron McAnally | Dotsam Stable | 1.59.40 |
| 1980 | Spectacular Bid | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Bud Delp | Hawksworth Farm | 2.00.60 |
| 1979 | Affirmed | 4 | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Laz Barrera | Harbor View Farm | 1.58.60 |
| 1978 | Vigors | 5 | Darrel McHargue | Larry Sterling | W. R. Hawn | 2.01.20 |
| 1977 | Crystal Water | 4 | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Roger Clapp | Mrs. Connie M. Ring | 1.59.20 |
| 1976 | Royal Glint | 6 | Jorge Tejeira | Gordon R. Potter | Dan Lasater | 2.00.40 |
| 1975 | Stardust Mel | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Charlie Whittingham | Marjorie L. Everett | 2.06.40 |
| 1974 | Prince Dantan | 4 | Ron Turcotte | Frank "Pancho" Martin | Sigmund Sommer | 2.03.60 |
| 1973 | Cougar II | 7 | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Charlie Whittingham | Mary F. Jones | 2.00.00 |
| 1972 | Triple Bend | 4 | Donald Pierce | Vance Longden | Frank McMahon | 2.00.00 |
| 1971 | Ack Ack | 5 | Bill Shoemaker | Charlie Whittingham | Forked Lightning Ranch | 2.03.00 |
| 1970 | Quicken Tree | 7 | Fernando Alvarez | William T. Canney | L.R. Rowan/W. Whitney, Jr. | 1.59.60 |
| 1969 | Nodouble | 4 | Eddie Belmonte | J. Bert Sonnier | Verna Lea Farm | 2.01.80 |
| 1968 | Mr. Right | 5 | Moises Yanez | Evan S. Jackson | Cheray Duchin | 2.04.60 |
| 1967 | Pretense | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Charlie Whittingham | Llangollen Farm | 2.00.80 |
| 1966 | Lucky Debonair | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Frank Catrone | Ada L. Rice | 2.00.20 |
| 1965 | Hill Rise | 4 | Donald Pierce | William B. Finnegan | El Peco Ranch | 2.00.60 |
| 1964 | Mr. Consistency | 6 | Ken Church | James Nazworthy | Ann Peppers | 2.01.00 |
| 1963 | Crozier | 5 | Braulio Baeza | J. E. Tinsley, Jr. | Fred W. Hooper | 2.00.80 |
| 1962 | Physician | 5 | Donald Pierce | Lynn A. Boice | Lynn A. Boice | 2.02.60 |
| 1961 | Prove It | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Mesh Tenney | Rex C. Ellsworth | 2.00.00 |
| 1960 | Linmold | 4 | Donald Pierce | H. C. McBride | Mr. & Mrs. L. I. Nelson | 2.00.60 |
| 1959 | Terrang | 6 | William Boland | Carl A. Roles | Poltex Stable & R. Bond | 2.00.00 |
| 1958 | Round Table | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | William Molter | Kerr Stables | 1.59.80 |
| 1957 | Corn Husker | 4 | Ralph Neves | Charlie Whittingham | Llangollen Farm | 2.01.80 |
| 1956 | Bobby Brocato | 5 | Johnny Longden | William Molter | Kerr Stables | 2.04.60 |
| 1955 | Poona II | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Red McDaniel | Helbush Farm | 2.03.00 |
| 1954 | Rejected | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | William J. Hirsch | King Ranch | 2.00.60 |
| 1953 | Mark-Ye-Well | 4 | Eddie Arcaro | Horace A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 2.01.20 |
| 1952 | Miche | 7 | John S. Covalli | G. Don Cameron | Mrs. John P. Adams | 2.01.00 |
| 1951 | Moonrush | 5 | Johnny Longden | Willie Alvarado | Anita King & Gus Luellwitz | 2.02.60 |
| 1950 | Noor | 5 | Johnny Longden | Burley Parke | Charles S. Howard | 2.00.00 |
| 1949 | Vulcan's Forge | 4 | Dave Gorman | G. Don Cameron | I. J. Collins | 2.02.80 |
| 1948 | Talon | 6 | Eddie Arcaro | Horatio Luro | R. N. Ryan | 2.03.40 |
| 1947 | Olhaverry | 8 | Melvin Peterson | A. E. Silver | Pan De Azucar Stable | 2.01.80 |
| 1946 | War Knight | 6 | John Adams | Charlie Leavitt | Ethel Hill | 2.01.60 |
| 1945 | Thumbs Up | 6 | Johnny Longden | George M. Odom | Louis B. Mayer | 2.01.20 |
| 1941 | Bay View | 4 | Nick Wall | P. F. Dwyer | Anthony Pelleteri | 2.05.40 |
| 1940 | Seabiscuit | 7 | Red Pollard | Tom Smith | Charles S. Howard | 2.01.20 |
| 1939 | Kayak II | 4 | John Adams | Tom Smith | Charles S. Howard | 2.01.40 |
| 1938 | Stagehand | 3 | Nick Wall | Earl H. Sande | Maxwell Howard | 2.01.60 |
| 1937 | Rosemont | 5 | Harry Richards | Richard E. Handlen | Foxcatcher Farms | 2.02.80 |
| 1936 | Top Row | 5 | Wayne D. Wright | Albert Anthony Baroni | Albert Anthony Baroni | 2.04.20 |
| 1935 | Azucar | 7 | George Woolf | James Rushton | Fred M. Alger, Jr. | 2.02.20 |
- † In 1982, Perrault won the race but was disqualified to second place.
- † In 1994, The Wicked North won the race but was disqualified to Forth place.
