Santa Anita Hikes Winter-Spring Meet Stakes Purses
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Idol (No. 6) rallies en route to victory in the Santa Anita Handicap at Santa Anita Park
Highlighted by purse increases to six grade 1 stakes races, including a hike to the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) to $650,000, a $16.47 million stakes schedule is planned for the 2021-22 winter-spring meet at Santa Anita Park.
Next year's Santa Anita Handicap, staged March 5, is the richest since 2017 when the purse was at $751,035. From 2018-20 it was worth $600,000 before dipping to $401,500 amid spectatorless racing during COVID-19 in March. Calvin Nguyen's Idol won this year's 84th running of the Santa Anita Handicap, a 1 1/4-mile dirt race known as the Big Cap.
"We've done increases pretty much across the board. I think the final number was $1.9 million back into the purse schedule, which I think will go over very well," said Santa Anita director of racing and racing secretary Chris Merz. "We've doubled down on Big Cap Day. We've moved the Beholder Mile (G1) there and upped a couple stakes there."
Merz said discussions continue regarding ideas to return the Big Cap to prominence. He mentioned the possibility of a series with other racetracks. The iconic race, America's longest continually run "hundred grander," has seen its quality and participation dip due to richer races overshadowing it. Richer races run in the first quarter of the year include the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park, and the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) and $12 million Dubai World Cup Presented by Emirates Airline (G1) in the Middle East.
A further point of emphasis for Santa Anita next year is Memorial Day weekend, with three grade 1s—the Gamely Stakes (G1T), Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1), and Shoemaker Mile (G1T) all receiving purse increases when contested May 30. The Gamely and Gold Cup are worth $400,000, the Shoemaker $500,000.
Agreements with advance-deposit wagering companies and Santa Anita's relationship with Thoroughbred Owners of California were factors that led to the purse increase, Merz said.
As usual the stakes action kicks off immediately with Santa Anita's traditional winter-spring opening Dec. 26. Six graded stakes will be run that day after Christmas, including three grade 1 races: the Runhappy Malibu Stakes, the La Brea Stakes, and American Oaks.
For the meet, there will be 94 stakes, 59 of them graded, with 10 grade 1s. Santa Anita's richest race is the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) April 9. The Santa Anita Derby, which has produced 20 winners of the Kentucky Derby (G1), will be complemented April 9 by the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) and a pair of $150,000 California-bred events, the Echo Eddie Stakes and the Evening Jewel Stakes.
The meet's final weekend, June 18-19, will offer a wide variety of six stakes. It begins with a pair of $100,000 sprints for 2-year-olds, the Fasig-Tipton Futurity and Fasig-Tipton Debutante, along with the $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes (G2) for fillies and mares June 18.
The $125,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3T) at 1 3/4 miles on turf, the $100,000 American Stakes (G3T) at one mile on grass, and the $100,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf conclude the stakes action on closing day.
|
Date
|
Purse
|
Race
|
Grade
|
Conditions
|
Distance
|
Surface
|
|
Dec 26
|
$200,000 | San Antonio |
2
|
3&UP | 1 1/16 M | Dirt |
|
Dec 26
|
$300,000 | Malibu |
1
|
3YO | 7 F | Dirt |
|
Dec 26
|
$200,000 | San Gabriel |
2
|
3&UP | 1 1/18 M | Turf |
|
Dec 26
|
$200,000 | Mathis Brothers |
2
|
3YO | 1 M | Turf |
|
Dec 26
|
$300,000 | American Oaks |
1
|
3YO F | 1 1/4 M | Turf |
|
Dec 26
|
$300,000 | La Brea |
1
|
3YO F | 7 F | Dirt |
|
Dec 31
|
$100,000 | Robert Frankel |
3
|
3&UP, F&M | 1 1/18 M | Turf |
|
Dec 31
|
$100,000 | Eddie Logan |
|
2YO | 1 M | Turf |
|
Dec 31
|
$100,000 | Blue Norther |
|
2YO F | 1 M | Turf |
|
Jan 1
|
$100,000 | Sham |
3
|
3YO | 1 M | Dirt |
|
Jan 1
|
$250,000 | Joe Hernandez |
2
|
4&UP | 6 1/2 F | Turf (Hill) |
|
Jan 1
|
$200,000 | La Canada |
2
|
4&UP, F&M | 1 1/16 M | Dirt |
|
Jan 2
|
$75,000 | Kalookan Queen |
|
4&UP, F&M | 6 1/2 F | Dirt |
|
Jan 8
|
$200,000 | Santa Ynez |
2
|
3YO F | 7 F | Dirt |
|
Jan 9
|
$100,000 | Las Cienegas |
3
|
4&UP, F&M | 6 F | Turf |
|
Jan 15
|
$200,000 | Unusual Heat Turf Classic |
|
4&UP (CA) | 1 1/18 M | Turf |
|
Jan 15
|
$150,000 | Sunshine Millions Turf Sprint | 4&UP, F&M (CA) | 6 1/2 F | Turf (Hill) | |
|
Jan 15
|
$200,000 | Cal Cup Oaks |
|
3YO F (CA) | 1 M | Turf |
|
Jan 15
|
$150,000 | Cal Cup Sprint |
|
4&UP (CA) | 6 F | Dirt |
|
Jan 15
|
$200,000 | Cal Cup Derby |
|
3YO (CA) | 1 1/16 M | Dirt |
|
Jan 17
|
$125,000 | Astra |
3
|
4&UP, F&M | 1 1/2 M | Turf |
|
Jan 22
|
$70,000 | Clockers' Corner |
|
4&UP | 6 F | Turf |
|
Jan 29
|
$200,000 | Palos Verdes |
3
|
4&UP | 6 F | Dirt |
|
Jan 29
|
$200,000 | San Vicente |
2
|
3YO | 7 F | Dirt |
|
Jan 29
|
$100,000 | Megahertz |
3
|
4&UP, F&M | 1 M | Turf |
|
Jan 30
|
$225,000 | San Marcos |
2
|
4&UP | 1 1/4 M | Turf |
|
Jan 30
|
$75,000 | Lady of Shamrock |
|
3YO F | 1 M | Turf |
|
Jan 30
|
$75,000 | Baffle |
|
3YO | 6 1/2 F | Turf |
|
Feb 5
|
$100,000 | Thunder Road |
3
|
4&UP | 1 M | Turf |
|
Feb 5
|
$200,000 | San Pasqual |
2
|
4&UP | 1 1/18 M | Dirt |
|
Feb 5
|
$200,000 | Santa Monica |
2
|
4&UP, F&M | 7 F | Dirt |
|
Feb 6
|
$200,000 | Robert B. Lewis |
3
|
3YO | 1 1/16 M | Dirt |
|
Feb 6
|
$100,000 | Las Virgenes |
3
|
3YO F | 1 M | Dirt |
|
Feb 12
|
$100,000 | Sweet Life |
3
|
3YO F | 6 1/2 F | Turf (Hill) |
|
Feb 19
|
$100,000 | Pasadena |
|
3YO | 1 1/18 M | Turf |
|
Feb 20
|
$100,000 | San Simeon |
3
|
4&UP | 6 1/2 F | Turf (Hill) |
|
Feb 21
|
$100,000 | Spring Fever |
|
4&UP, F&M (CA) | 6 F | Dirt |
|
Feb 21
|
$100,000 | Tiznow |
|
4&UP (CA) | 1 M | Dirt |
|
Feb 26
|
$75,000 | Wishing Well |
|
4&UP, F&M | 6 1/2 F | Turf |
|
Mar 5
|
$500,000 | Beholder Mile |
1
|
4&UP, F&M | 1 M | Dirt |
|
Mar 5
|
$500,000 | Frank Kilroe Mile |
1
|
4&UP | 1 M | Turf |
|
Mar 5
|
$650,000 | Santa Anita Handicap |
1
|
4&UP | 1 1/4 M | Dirt |
|
Mar 5
|
$200,000 | San Carlos |
2
|
4&UP | 7 F | Dirt |
|
Mar 5
|
$400,000 | San Felipe |
2
|
3YO | 1 1/16 M | Dirt |
|
Mar 5
|
$200,000 | Buena Vista |
2
|
4&UP, F&M | 1 M | Turf |
|
Mar 6
|
$100,000 | China Doll |
|
3YO F | 1 M | Turf |
|
Mar 6
|
$200,000 | Santa Ysabel |
2
|
3YO F | 1 M | Dirt |
|
Mar 12
|
$125,000 | San Luis Rey |
3
|
4&UP | 1 1/2 M | Turf |
|
Mar 13
|
$100,000 | Las Flores |
3
|
4&UP, F&M | 6 F | Dirt |
|
Mar 19
|
$100,000 | Irish O'Brien |
|
4&UP, F&M (CA) | 6 1/2 F | Turf (Hill) |
|
Mar 20
|
$100,000 | Sensational Star |
|
4&UP (CA) | 6 1/2 F | Turf (Hill) |
|
Mar 26
|
$125,000 | Santa Ana |
3
|
4&UP, F&M | 1 1/4 M | Turf |
|
Apr 2
|
$100,000 | Singletary |
|
3YO | 1 M | Turf |
|
Apr 9
|
$200,000 | Monrovia |
2
|
4&UP, F&M | 6 1/2 F | Turf (Hill) |
|
Apr 9
|
$200,000 | Royal Heroine |
2
|
4&UP, F&M | 1 M | Turf |
|
Apr 9
|
$100,000 | Providencia |
3
|
3YO F | 1 1/18 M | Turf |
|
Apr 9
|
$750,000 | Santa Anita Derby |
1
|
3YO | 1 1/18 M | Dirt |
|
Apr 9
|
$150,000 | Echo Eddie |
|
3YO (CA) | 6 1/2 F | Dirt |
|
Apr 9
|
$400,000 | Santa Anita Oaks |
2
|
3YO F | 1 1/16 M | Dirt |
|
Apr 9
|
$150,000 | Evening Jewel |
|
3YO F (CA) | 6 1/2 F | Dirt |
|
Apr 10
|
$75,000 | Santana Mile |
|
4&UP | 1 M | Dirt |
|
Apr 10
|
$75,000 | Siren Lure |
|
3&UP | 6 1/2 F | Turf |
|
Apr 30
|
$200,000 | Californian |
2
|
3&UP | 1 1/18 M | Dirt |
|
Apr 30
|
$200,000 | Santa Margarita |
2
|
4&UP, F&M | 1 1/18 M | Dirt |
|
Apr 30
|
$225,000 | Charles Whittingham |
2
|
3&UP | 1 1/4 M | Turf |
|
Apr 30
|
$100,000 | Kona Gold |
3
|
3&UP | 6 1/2 F | Dirt |
|
May 1
|
$100,000 | Wilshire |
3
|
3&UP, F&M | 1 M | Turf |
|
May 7
|
$100,000 | Senorita |
3
|
3YO F | 1 1/16 M | Turf |
|
May 8
|
$100,000 | Laz Barrera |
3
|
3YO | 7 F | Dirt |
|
May 8
|
$75,000 | Angel's Flight |
|
3YO F | 7 F | Dirt |
|
May 14
|
$125,000 | Santa Barbara |
3
|
3&UP, F&M | 1 1/2 M | Turf |
|
May 21
|
$75,000 | Mizdirection |
|
4&UP, F&M | 6 1/2 F | Turf (Hill) |
|
May 28
|
$100,000 | Crystal Water |
|
3&UP (CA) | 1 M | Turf |
|
May 28
|
$150,000 | Snow Chief |
|
3YO (CA) | 1 1/18 M | Turf |
|
May 28
|
$100,000 | Fran's Valentine |
|
3&UP, F&M (CA) | 1 M | Turf |
|
May 28
|
$100,000 | Thor's Echo |
|
3&UP (CA) | 6 F | Dirt |
|
May 28
|
$150,000 | Melair |
|
3YO F (CA) | 1 1/16 M | Dirt |
|
May 29
|
$100,000 | Daytona |
3
|
4&UP | 6 1/2 F | Turf (Hill) |
|
May 29
|
$100,000 | Honeymoon |
3
|
3YO F | 1 1/18 M | Turf |
|
May 29
|
$200,000 | Triple Bend |
2
|
4&UP | 7 F | Dirt |
|
May 30
|
$400,000 | Gamely |
1
|
4&UP, F&M | 1 1/18 M | Turf |
|
May 30
|
$400,000 | Gold Cup at Santa Anita |
1
|
4&UP | 1 1/4 M | Dirt |
|
May 30
|
$500,000 | Shoemaker |
1
|
3&UP | 1 M | Turf |
|
Jun 4
|
$100,000 | Desert Stormer |
3
|
3&UP, F&M | 6 F | Dirt |
|
Jun 4
|
$100,000 | Cinema |
|
3YO | 1 1/18 M | Turf |
|
Jun 5
|
$75,000 | Desert Code |
|
3YO | 6 F | Turf |
|
Jun 11
|
$100,000 | Affirmed |
3
|
3YO | 1 1/16 M | Dirt |
|
Jun 12
|
$200,000 | Summertime Oaks |
2
|
3YO F | 1 1/16 M | Dirt |
|
Jun 18
|
$200,000 | Santa Maria |
2
|
3&UP, F&M | 1 1/16 M | Dirt |
|
Jun 18
|
$100,000 | Fasig-Tipton Futurity |
|
2YO | 5 F | Dirt |
|
Jun 18
|
$100,000 | Fasig-Tipton Debutante |
|
2YO F | 5 F | Dirt |
|
Jun 19
|
$125,000 | San Juan Capistrano |
3
|
3&UP | 1 3/4 M | Turf |
|
Jun 19
|
$100,000 | American |
3
|
3&UP | 1 M | Turf |
|
Jun 19
|
$100,000 | Possibly Perfect |
|
3&UP, F&M | 1 1/2 M | Turf |