Californian Stakes
| Grade III race | |
| Location | Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California, USA relocated after the closure of Hollywood Park Racetrack Inglewood, California, United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1954 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-years-old & up |
| Weight | Assigned |
| Purse | $100,000 |
The Californian Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California (relocated from the now closed Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California). The Grade III event is open to horses age three and up willing to race one and one-eighth miles (9 furlongs) on the dirt. This race serves as a key prep to the Hollywood Gold Cup.
Inaugurated in 1954, winner Imbros set a new track record of 1:41.00 which also equaled the then world record for a mile and sixteenth on dirt.
Since inception the race has been contested at three different distances:
- 1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs) : 1954-1979
- 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs)1980-1984, 1987–present
- 1 mile (8 furlongs) : 1985-1986
Records[edit]
Speed record: (at current distance of 1+1⁄8 miles )
- 1:47.06 - Heatseeker
Most wins:
- 2 - Cougar II (1971, 1972)
- 2 - Quack (1973, 1974)
- 2 - Ancient Title (1975, 1976)
- 2 - Clubhouse Ride (2013, 2014)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 5 - Bill Shoemaker (1957, 1971, 1972, 1980, 1983)
- 5 - Laffit Pincay, Jr. (1975, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1985)
- 5 - Chris McCarron (1986, 1988, 1989, 1998, 1999)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 11 - Charlie Whittingham (1956, 1957, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1990)
Most wins by an owner:
- 3 - Mary Jones Bradley (1971, 1972, 1985)
Winners[edit]
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Defunded | 5 | Juan J. Hernandez | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | 1:48.07 |
| 2022 | Stilleto Boy | 4 | Juan J. Hernandez | Ed Moger Jr | Steve Moger | 1:48.07 |
| 2021 | Royal Ship | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Richard E. Mandella | Fox Hill Farm & Siena Farm | 1:48.47 |
| 2020 | ||||||
| 2019 | ||||||
| 2018 | Dr. Dorr | 5 | Joe Talamo | Bob Baffert | Natalie J. Baffert | 1:49.84 |
| 2017 | Collected | 4 | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Speedway Stable LLC | 1:47.73 |
| 2016 | Second Summer | 4 | Mario Gutierrez | Peter Eurton | Alesia/Ciaglia Racing/Ferrell/Slam Dunk Racing | 1:48.29 |
| 2015 | Catch a Flight (ARG) | 5 | Gary Stevens | Richard E. Mandella | Haras Santa Maria de Araras | 1:47.73 |
| 2014 | Clubhouse Ride | 6 | Joe Talamo | Craig Anthony Lewis | Six-S Racing/Petralia | 1:48.74 |
| 2013 | Clubhouse Ride | 5 | Garrett Gomez | Craig Anthony Lewis | Six-S Racing/Petralia | 1:51.02 |
| 2012 | Game On Dude | 5 | Chantal Sutherland | Bob Baffert | Diamond Pride, Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable, Bernard Schiappa | 1:48.01 |
| 2011 | Twirling Candy | 4 | Joel Rosario | John W. Sadler | Craig Family Trust | 1:50.00 |
| 2010 | Rail Trip | 5 | Rafael Bejarano | Ron Ellis | Jay Em Ess Stable | 1:48.49 |
| 2009 | Informed | 5 | Tyler Baze | Douglas F. O'Neill | W.C. Racing, et al. | 1:48.37 |
| 2008 | Heatseeker | 5 | Rafael Bejarano | Jerry Hollendorfer | William de Burgh | 1:47.06 |
| 2007 | Buzzards Bay | 5 | Jose Valdivia Jr. | Ronald W. Ellis | Gary Broad | 1:49.72 |
| 2006 | Dixie Meister | 4 | David Flores | Julio C. Canani | Gary A. Tanaka | 1:49.53 |
| 2005 | Lava Man | 4 | Pat Valenzuela | Douglas F. O'Neill | STD racing & Jason Wood | 1:47.83 |
| 2004 | Even the Score | 4 | David Flores | Vladimir Cerin | Rosendo G. Parra | 1:47.64 |
| 2003 | Kudos | 6 | Alex Solis | Richard Mandella | Ann & Jerry Moss | 1:47.91 |
| 2002 | Milwaukee Brew | 5 | Kent Desormeaux | Robert J. Frankel | Stronach Stable | 1:48.06 |
| 2001 | Skimming | 5 | Garrett Gomez | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 1:48.12 |
| 2000 | Big Ten | 5 | Alex Solis | Richard Mandella | Stud Old Dog Stable (Francisco Bertin et al.) | 1:49.22 |
| 1999 | Old Trieste | 4 | Chris McCarron | Mike Puype | Gary Biszantz | 1:46.55 |
| 1998 | Mud Route | 5 | Chris McCarron | Ron McAnally | Janis R. Whitham | 1:48.15 |
| 1997 | River Keen | 5 | Kent Desormeaux | Robert B. Hess Jr. | Hugo Reynolds | 1:47.38 |
| 1996 | Tinners Way | 6 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Robert J. Frankel | Prince Khalid Abdullah | 1:46.60 |
| 1995 | Concern | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Richard W. Small | Robert E. Meyerhoff | 1:47.74 |
| 1994 | The Wicked North | 5 | Kent Desormeaux | David Bernstein | Phil & Sophie Hersh Trust | 1:46.68 |
| 1993 | Latin American | 5 | Gary Stevens | Robert Marshall | Robert Marshall | 1:46.92 |
| 1992 | Another Review | 4 | Kent Desormeaux | Chris Speckert | Thomas Mellon Evans | 1:48.11 |
| 1991 | Roanoke | 4 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Neil D. Drysdale | Nedlaw Stable | 1:48.30 |
| 1990 | Sunday Silence | 4 | Pat Valenzuela | Charlie Whittingham | Hancock/Whittingham/Gaillard | 1:48.00 |
| 1989 | Sabona | 7 | Chris McCarron | Neil D. Drysdale | Sir Ernest Harrison & Audrey Reed | 1:46.80 |
| 1988 | Cutlass Reality | 6 | Chris McCarron | Craig A. Lewis | Howard Crash & Jim Hankoff | 1:47.60 |
| 1987 | Judge Angelucci | 4 | Gary Baze | Charlie Whittingham | Olin B. Gentry | 1:48.20 |
| 1986 | Precisionist | 5 | Chris McCarron | L. Ross Fenstermaker | Fred W. Hooper | 1:33.60 |
| 1985 | Greinton | 4 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Charlie Whittingham | Mary Jones Bradley, C. Whittingham, Howell Wynne | 1:32.60 |
| 1984 | Desert Wine | 4 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Jerry M. Fanning | Dan J. Agnew & Fred Sahadi | 1:47.60 |
| 1983 | The Wonder | 5 | Bill Shoemaker | Charlie Whittingham | Alain du Breil | 1:48.40 |
| 1982 | Erins Isle | 4 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Charlie Whittingham | Brian Sweeney | 1:48.00 |
| 1981 | Eleven Stitches | 4 | Sandy Hawley | Donn Luby | Morey & Claudia Mirkin | 1:48.40 |
| 1980 | Spectacular Bid | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Bud Delp | Hawksworth Farm (Harry Meyerhoff) | 1:45.80 |
| 1979 | Affirmed | 4 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Laz Barrera | Harbor View Farm | 1:41.20 |
| 1978 | J.O. Tobin | 4 | Steve Cauthen | Laz Barrera | George A. Pope Jr. | 1:41.00 |
| 1977 | Crystal Water | 4 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Roger Clapp | Connie M. Ring | 1:41.00 |
| 1976 | Ancient Title | 6 | Sandy Hawley | Keith L. Stucki Sr. | Kirkland Stable (Ethel Kirkland) | 1:41.20 |
| 1975 | Ancient Title | 5 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Keith L. Stucki Sr. | Kirkland Stable (Ethel Kirkland) | 1:40.20 |
| 1974 | Quack | 5 | Donald Pierce | Charlie Whittingham | Bwamazon Farm | 1:40.20 |
| 1973 | Quack | 4 | Donald Pierce | Charlie Whittingham | Bwamazon Farm | 1:41.40 |
| 1972 | Cougar II | 6 | Bill Shoemaker | Charlie Whittingham | Mary F. Jones | 1:39.20 |
| 1971 | Cougar II | 5 | Bill Shoemaker | Charlie Whittingham | Mary F. Jones | 1:41.20 |
| 1970 | Baffle | 5 | Jerry Lambert | Johnny Longden | Frank M. McMahon | 1:40.20 |
| 1969 | Nodouble | 4 | Eddie Belmonte | J. Bert Sonnier | Gene Goff | 1:40.40 |
| 1968 | Dr. Fager | 4 | Braulio Baeza | John A. Nerud | William L. McKnight | 1:40.80 |
| 1967 | Biggs | 7 | William Harmatz | Farrell W. Jones | E. F. Gould | 1:41.60 |
| 1966 | Travel Orb | 4 | William Harmatz | Leonard Dorfman | Floyd Hughes | 1:41.80 |
| 1965 | Viking Spirit | 5 | Kenneth Church | James I. Nazworthy | Thomas E. Brittingham III | 1:40.80 |
| 1964 | Mustard Plaster | 5 | Jack Leonard | William A. Peterson | Mrs. Fraser Morrison | 1:41.60 |
| 1963 | Winonly | 6 | Jack Leonard | Julius E. Tinsley | Fred W. Hooper | 1:41.80 |
| 1962 | Cadiz | 6 | William Harmatz | Robert L. Wheeler | Vicgray Farm | 1:41.60 |
| 1961 | First Balcony | 4 | Edward Burns | Melvin F. Stute | M/M. Robert O. Schulze | 1:40.40 |
| 1960 | Fleet Nasrullah | 5 | Johnny Longden | James I. Nazworthy | M/M. Ellwood B. Johnston | 1:40.60 |
| 1959 | Hillsdale | 4 | Tommy Barrow | Martin L. Fallon Jr. | Clarence Whitted Smith | 1:40.80 |
| 1958 | Seaneen | 4 | Johnny Longden | William B. Finnegan | Neil S. McCarthy | 1:41.00 |
| 1957 | Social Climber | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Charlie Whittingham | Llangollen Farm | 1:40.40 |
| 1956 | Porterhouse | 5 | Ismael Valenzuela | Charlie Whittingham | Llangollen Farm | 1:40.80 |
| 1955 | Swaps | 3 | David Erb | Mesh Tenney | Rex C. Ellsworth | 1:40.40 |
| 1954 | Imbros | 4 | Johnny Longden | William Molter | Andrew J. Crevolin | 1:41.00 |