SANTA ANITA 2025-26 STAKES SCHEDULE STARTS WITH 6 GRADED STAKES ON OPENING DAY FRIDAY, DEC. 26, INCLUDING GRADE 1 MALIBU, LA BREA AND AMERICAN OAKS
Santa Anita Press
ARCADIA, CA – Santa Anita Park kicks off a new season of top-class Thoroughbred racing on Friday, December 26, with the opening day of the traditional Classic Meet. From the start of the 48-day Classic Meet through the conclusion of the Hollywood Meet on June 14, Santa Anita will host 81 stakes over 78 days of racing, including the newly named Grade II D. Wayne Lukas Stakes on February 7, the historic GI Santa Anita Handicap on March 7 and the prestigious GI I Santa Anita Derby on April 4.
The Santa Anita Park Classic Meet and Hollywood Meet will offer $11.75 million in stakes purses, with purses for the night races set to increase from early last year.
“The five percent overall purse increase for the Santa Anita Park Classic Meet continues the positive trend from last season,” said Nate Newby, Santa Anita general manager. “The increases are highlighted by the increase in the number of first special weight races to $70,000. Building on the strength of Southern California’s 2025 racing program, we were able to add two stakes races that were not offered last season. These are positive steps for the state as California remains the only major racing jurisdiction where purses are not subsidized by other forms of gambling.”
The opening day of the Classic Meet on December 26 will feature six different stakes led by GI Malibu for 3-year-olds and GI La Brea for 3-year-old fillies. Both are contested at seven furlongs on the main circuit. Also on the schedule is the GI American Oaks at 1 ¼ miles on grass, GII Laffit Pincay Jr. at 1 1/16 miles on dirt, GII Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds on grass and GIII San Gabriel at 1 1/8 miles on grass.
The Santa Anita Handicap program on March 7 also includes the GII San Felipe for 3-year-olds, the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf and the GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile.
The San Felipe is part of Santa Anita’s strong three-year program for Triple Crown hopefuls. The series starts on January 10 with the GII San Vicente at seven furlongs. It continues with the GIII Robert B. Lewis at one mile on February 7, the San Felipe at 1 1/16 miles on Big ‘Cap day and ends with the GI Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles on April 4.
This past season, the three-year-old journalist found Triple Crown success after winning both the Santa Anita Derby and San Felipe for trainer Michael McCarthy. At the Triple Crown, Journalism won the Preakness Stakes and finished second in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.
“The three-year-old Santa Anita Series has been a proving ground for Triple Crown racing since Hill Gail won our Derby in 1952,” said Jason Egan, Santa Anita Park Racing Director. “Earlier this year, Journalism became the 19th Santa Anita Derby winner to win a Triple Crown race. Both he and (Santa Anita Derby runner-up) Baeza performed impressively throughout the series.”
The Santa Anita Derby schedule on April 4 also includes the GII Santa Anita Oaks, GIII Monrovia for fillies and mares on the hill grass track, and both the Echo Eddie and Evening Jewel for horses bred or sired in California.
Because California-bred horses are an essential part of Santa Anita’s racing program, a total of 14 stakes exclusively for state-bred horses are scheduled. California Cup Day is January 17 with five stakes led by the California Chrome California Cup Derby and Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks. Then, on May 23, California Gold Rush Day, five more stakes will be contested for state breeders. Leading the quintet are the Snow Chief Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on grass and Melair Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on dirt.
The Classic Meet ends on Sunday April 5. After a weeklong hiatus, Santa Anita will resume live racing with the start of the 30-day Hollywood Meet on Friday, April 17. The highlight of the Hollywood Meet will be a Memorial Day program on Monday, May 25, including the GI Shoemaker Mile, GI Gamely and GII Hollywood Gold Cup.
The curtain will close on the Hollywood Meet on Sunday, June 14, with the traditional closing day, the GIII San Juan Capistrano. This will be the 87th edition of the approximately 2.5 kilometer long grass test for children aged 3 years and older.
Santa Anita’s complete 2025-26 Classic Meet and Hollywood Meet Stakes schedule is available at santaanita.com. In addition to the song’s website, fans can get additional information by calling (626) 574-RACE.
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