Santa Anita brings back ship-and-win program for fall meet

Santa Anita’s popular ship-and-win program, which is designed to attract horses from outside California, will be back in effect for the track’s 2024 autumn meet starting on opening day, Sept. 27.

Since its inception, the lucrative incentive program has played a key role in helping to bolster the equine inventory at Santa Anita. For this year’s autumn meet, horses from out of state who made only one start at the Del Mar summer meet will remain eligible for Santa Anita’s ship-and-win purse bonus provided they did not make an additional start elsewhere.

Eligible ship-and-win horses will receive $4,000 guaranteed for their first start at Santa Anita, first-time starters excluded, as well as additional bonus money in excess of listed purses.

In dirt races, eligible ship-and-win horses who finish first through fifth will receive a 50 percent purse bonus. In turf races, eligible horses who finish first through fifth will receive a 40 percent bonus in addition to regular purse money. These bonuses are applicable for one start only.

“The ship-and-win program is now well known throughout the country and it should continue to attract a significant numbers of horses,” said Jason Egan, Santa Anita director of racing and racing secretary. “We have a great facility at which to race and train with the best turf racing in America at this time of the year, which provides tremendous incentives for those considering stabling here in Southern California year-round.”

Highlighting this year’s Santa Anita autumn meet stakes program is the inaugural $1 million California Crown on Saturday Sept. 28. The Grade 1 race, which is contested at 1 1/8 miles on dirt, will be part of a blockbuster program also featuring the $750,000 California Crown Eddie D Stakes (G2), $750,000 California Crown John Henry Turf Championship (G2) and $200,000 City of Hope Mile (G2), which is an automatic qualifier for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile.