Santa Anita Autumn Meet Offers 26 Stakes in 18 Days

Santa Anita Park's 18-day Autumn Meet, which begins Friday, Sept. 30, will be highlighted by 26 stakes, 15 of them graded. Overnight purses remain the same as last year.

Almost all stakes purses are the same as in 2021, with the following exceptions: the Golden State Juvenile and the Golden State Juvenile Fillies have been increased from $150,000 to $175,000, while the Unzip Me and the Anoakia are worth $85,000, up from $75,000 last year. Additionally, two restricted stakes, the Swingtime and the Lure, offer $80,000, an increase of $10,000 each.

There will be five Breeders' Cup Challenge stakes over the first two weekends, Oct. 1-2 and Oct. 8-9, all significant preps to the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland Nov. 4-5. These include three grade I events, the $300,000 Awesome Again Oct. 1, the $300,000 American Pharoah, and the $300,000 Rodeo Drive, both on Oct. 8.

Thanks to the Breeders' Cup, the Autumn Meet will get off to a fast start, with 11 stakes, seven of them graded, on opening weekend. The second weekend features six stakes, five graded.

The Awesome Again Stakes (G1) is a prep to the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1); the American Pharoah (G1) is a prep for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1); and the Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1T) is a prep to the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T).

The Awesome Again (G1) headlines a big day Oct, 1, supported by five added-money events: the $200,000 Eddie D Stakes (G2T) for 3-year-olds and up at about 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf course; the $200,000 John Henry Stakes (G2T) for 3-year-olds and older at 1 1/4 miles; the $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) at six furlongs; the $200,000 City of Hope Mile (G2T) for 3-year-olds and up, and the $85,000 Unzip Me for 3-year-old fillies at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf.

On Sunday, Oct. 2, five stakes will be offered: the $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes (G2) for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles; the $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes (G3) for fillies and mares 3 years old and up at 6 1/2 furlongs; the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-olds at five furlongs on turf; the $100,000 Tokyo City Cup for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles (which has been permanently moved to the Autumn Meet as a prep to Breeders' Cup Marathon races), and the $100,000 Senator Ken Maddy, for fillies and mares 3 years old and up at about 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf.

Four California-bred stakes, the California Distaff ($125,000) Oct. 15; the California Flag ($125,000) Oct. 16; the Golden State Juvenile and the Golden State Juvenile Fillies ($175,000), both on Oct. 29, will again provide local owners and breeders ample added-money opportunities through closing day, Nov. 6.

Santa Anita's complete 2022 Autumn Stakes schedule will be available soon at santaanita.com/horsemen.