Santa Anita Moves American Oaks to Dec. 31

Santa Anita Park, which will offer 58 stakes races beginning with opening day of its traditional winter meet on Dec. 26, has announced that the prestigious $300,000 American Oaks (gr. IT), which was most recently run in May 2015, will now be run on Dec. 31.

The American Oaks, a 1 1/4-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies, was conducted in July at Hollywood Park from 2002-2013. After Hollywood Park's closing, it landed on the Santa Anita schedule in May but was not conducted this spring. With the new date, it will not miss a racing season.

Santa Anita's 72-day winter stand will conclude April 9 and be followed by its spring meet, which will run from April 14 through July 4. 

A blockbuster card consisting of four graded stakes will await fans on opening day, with a pair of grade I, $300,000 races at seven furlongs: the Malibu for 3-year-old colts and geldings; and the La Brea, for 3-year-old fillies, highlighting a 10-race program. The $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile (gr. IIT) and the $100,000 San Simeon Handicap (gr. IIIT) at 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf course, will round out the graded stakes action.

Heading Santa Anita's grade I winter meet stakes lineup is the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), which has produced 17 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winners, and will be renewed April 8. The grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap, to be contested for the 81st time, will be run March 11.

Grade I stakes, Santa Anita winter meet

Dec. 26 $300,000 Malibu Stakes

Dec. 26 $300,000 La Brea Stakes

Dec. 31 $300,000 American Oaks

March 11 $400,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (turf)

March 11 $400,000 Triple Bend Stakes

March 11 $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap

March 18 $400,000 Santa Margarita Stakes

April 8 $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks

April 8 $1,000,000 Santa Anita Derby