Santa Anita, Del Mar Create $1 Million Wild West Bonus

Santa Anita Park and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club have teamed to create the $1 Million Wild West Bonus, which will provide $1 million in additional money to the winning connections of any horse that sweeps three of Southern California's most prestigious grade 1 races: the $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap March 6, the $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita May 31, and the $750,000 TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar Aug. 21.

Including the $1 million bonus, any horse to sweep the three races would bank a total of $1.87 million.

All three races are run at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles. The Santa Anita Handicap, which will be run for the 84th time, is for horses aged 4 and up, while the Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic are open to horses 3 and up.

In the Feb. 8 announcement, Santa Anita also said it will boost the China Doll Stakes, to be run on Big 'Cap Day, by $25,000, from $75,000 to $100,000. The China Doll, for 3-year-old fillies at one mile on turf, is one of five stakes, four of them graded, on the March 6 card.

Santa Anita will also raise purses on all overnight races to be run on Big 'Cap Day by $15,000 per race in an effort to ensure big fields and to reward owners and trainers that continue to support Santa Anita on its biggest days.