Santa Anita announces 2025-2026 stakes schedule
Santa Anita opens its 48-day Classic Meet on Friday, Dec. 26, with six graded stakes on the card. The meet runs through April 5 and features 81 stakes worth $11.75 million.
The Classic Meet and the following Hollywood Meet through June 14 combine for 78 race days. Highlights include the newly named Grade 2 Lukas Stakes on Feb. 7, the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) on March 7 and the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 4.
Overnight purses rise 5 percent overall from last season. Maiden special weight races increase to $70,000. Two stakes return after they were not run last year.
The Dec. 26 opener features the Malibu (G1) for 3-year-olds and the La Brea (G1) for 3-year-old fillies, both at seven furlongs on dirt. The American Oaks (G1) runs at 1 1/4 miles on turf. The card also includes the Laffit Pincay Jr. (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on dirt, the Mathis Mile (G2) for 3-year-olds on turf and the San Gabriel Stakes (G3) at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
The Santa Anita Handicap card on March 7 also offers the San Felipe Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds, the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1) on turf and the Beholder Mile (G1).
The San Felipe (G2) fits into Santa Anita’s series for 3-year-olds aiming for the Triple Crown. The path starts Jan. 10 with the San Vicente (G2) at seven furlongs. It continues Feb. 7 with the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at one mile, the San Felipe (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on Big ’Cap day and ends April 4 with the Santa Anita Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles.
Journalism won the Santa Anita Derby and San Felipe Stakes last season for trainer Michael McCarthy. Journalism later captured the Preakness Stakes and placed second in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.
The Santa Anita Derby card on April 4 also includes the Santa Anita Oaks (G2), the Monrovia (G3) for fillies and mares on the hillside turf course, the Echo Eddie Stakes and the Evening Jewel Stakes for California-bred or sired horses.
California-breds remain vital to Santa Anita’s program. The schedule features 14 stakes restricted to state-breds. California Cup Day on Jan. 17 offers five stakes led by the Cal Cup Derby and Cal Cup Oaks. California Gold Rush Day on May 23 includes five more stakes topped by the Snow Chief Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf and the Melair Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on dirt.
The Classic Meet closes April 5. After a one-week break, the 30-day Hollywood Meet begins April 17. The Memorial Day card on May 25 features the Shoemaker Mile (G1), the Gamely Stakes (G1) and the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2).
The Hollywood Meet ends June 14 with the 87th San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3) at 1 3/4 miles on turf for 3-year-olds and up.