Led by the Grade 1, $1 million Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita has announced
its proposed stakes schedule for the upcoming 2013-14 winter-spring meeting,
which will open on December 26 with a pair of Grade 1 stakes, the Malibu and the
La Brea. Santa Anita’s 69-day meet will include a total of eight Grade 1 events
and will conclude April 20.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer $1 million for the Santa Anita Derby and
we’re happy to be able to raise the purse money on a total of 20 stakes this
winter and spring,” said Santa Anita Vice President of Racing, Rick Hammerle.
“Top to bottom, we feel this is a very comprehensive schedule and we’re very
pleased to be offering substantive purse increases on some of our most important
races. In addition to the Derby, we’ve increased the Santa Anita Oaks to
$400,000 and the San Antonio to $300,000. We’ve also increased one of our most
prestigious sprints, the San Carlos, to $250,000.”
The Santa Anita Derby, which had offered a purse of $750,000, and which has
produced nine Kentucky Derby winners, was won this year by Goldencents, who went
on to capture the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on November 2.
Santa Anita will again provide horsemen with several graded stakes options on
the road to the Santa Anita Derby, as the Sham at one mile will be run January
11; the 1 1/16-mile Robert B. Lewis is slated for February 8; the seven-furlong
San Vicente will go on February 16, and the San Felipe at 1 1/16 miles will be
run March 8.
Santa Anita has also substantially expanded the scope of its Sunshine
Millions Day, as it will embrace a very significant California Cup theme on
January 25.
“In addition to the Santa Monica, we’re going to offer the $250,000
California Cup Turf Classic, the $250,000 California Cup Derby, the $200,000
California Cup Oaks, the $125,000 California Cup Sprint and the $125,000
Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint on Millions Day,” Hammerle said.
“Most of these races were formerly run on Cal Cup Day in the fall, and we feel
they’re going to be a great addition to the Sunshine Millions program and
provide great opportunities for our California breeders at the beginning of the
year.”
Also included on Santa Anita’s Grade 1 stakes roster are the $300,000 Las
Virgenes for three-year-old fillies on February 1; the $750,000 Santa Anita
Handicap and $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile on March 8; the $300,000 Santa
Margarita on March 15; and the Santa Anita Oaks on April 5.
Santa Anita’s traditional winter-spring meeting will close on April 20. Santa
Anita will reopen for a spring-summer meet on April 25, and will run through
June 29.
Santa Anita’s complete 2013-14 winter-spring stakes schedule can be found at
santaanita.com.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com