La Cañada Stakes
American horse race run
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The La Cañada Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age four-years-old and older over a distance of one-and-one-sixteenth miles on the dirt track held annually in January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, USA. The event currently offers a purse of US$100,000.
Arcadia, California, USA
| Class | Grade III |
|---|---|
| Location | Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California, USA |
| Inaugurated | 1975 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Website | Santa Anita Park |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄16 miles |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Fillies and mares age four and older |
| Weight | 124 lbs with allowances |
| Purse | US$100,000 (since 2024) |
History
The event was named after a 1843 Mexican land grant known as Rancho La Cañada in the San Rafael Hills and Crescenta Valley of Southern California.[1] The name means "ranch of the canyon". The rancho included the current day city of La Cañada Flintridge.[2][3]
The inaugural running of the event was on 1 February 1975 over a distance of one-and-one-sixteenth miles and was won by the 1974 U.S. Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Chris Evert who carried 128 pounds, winning by a nose as the 13/10 favorite over Mercy Dee with Lucky Spell in third place 1+3⁄4 lengths away in a time of 1:413⁄5.[4] The winning time recorded for the distance continues today to be the stakes record.
The following year, the distance of the event was increased to 1+1⁄8 miles.[5] The event was run at this distance until 2011.
Given the quality of competition after the first two runnings of the event in 1977 the American Graded Stakes Committee classified the event as Grade II.[6]
In 1978 Santa Anita Park administration created the La Cañada Series, a series of races for newly turning/turned 4-year-old fillies and run at an increasing distance. The series begins with the La Brea Stakes at 7 furlongs followed by the Grade II El Encino Stakes at 1+1⁄16 miles in mid January, then the upgraded Grade I La Cañada Stakes at 1+1⁄8 miles in mid February.[6] Until the series ended in 2011 when the El Encino Stakes was discontinued, only three fillies had ever won all three races: Taisez Vous (1978), Mitterand (1985), and Got Koko (2003). The Santa Anita Park counterpart series for male horses is the Strub Series.
In 1990 the event was downgraded Grade II.[6]
For three years (2008–10) the event was held on the synthetic All-Weather course which had been installed at Santa Anita Park.[6]
With the discontinuation of the El Encino Stakes in 2012 the La Cañada Stakes distance was decreased to 1+1⁄16 miles and the race was scheduled in mid January.[6]
In 2018 the event was run at a distance of one mile.[5]
In 2019 the event was downgraded Grade III.[6]
The 1986 winner Lady's Secret had an outstanding year culminating with a victory in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Distaff and winning the U.S. Champion Older Filly award and being voted as United States Horse of the Year. The 1996 winner Jewel Princess also won the Breeders' Cup Distaff and winning the U.S. Champion Older Filly award and being voted as United States Horse of the Year. While the 2000 Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Spain won two legs of the La Cañada Series and finished second in the El Encino Stakes.
Records
Speed record:
- 1+1⁄16 miles: 1:41.60 – Chris Evert (1975)
- 1+1⁄8 miles: 1:47.60 – Glorious Song (1980), Safe Play (1982)
Margins:
- 13+1⁄2 lengths – As Time Goes By (2022)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 5 – Gary Stevens (1987, 1994, 1999, 2002, 2016)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 6 – Bob Baffert (2004, 2011, 2017, 2022, 2025, 2026)
Most wins by an owner:
- 2 – Eugene V. Klein (1986, 1987)
- 2 – The Thoroughbred Corporation (2001, 2004)
Winners
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Nafisa | Kazushi Kimura | Bob Baffert | Zedan Racing Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.77 | $100,500 | III | [7] |
| 2025 | Cavalieri | Juan J. Hernandez | Bob Baffert | Speedway Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.15 | $100,500 | III | [8] |
| 2024 | Desert Dawn | Flavien Prat | Philip D'Amato | H & E Ranch | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.05 | $100,000 | III | [9] |
| 2023 | Kirstenbosch | Kazushi Kimura | John W. Sadler | Keith Abrahams | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.19 | $200,500 | III | [10] |
| 2022 | As Time Goes By | Flavien Prat | Bob Baffert | Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier & Derrick Smith | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.31 | $200,000 | III | [11] |
| 2021 | Sanenus (CHI) | Umberto Rispoli | Michael W. McCarthy | Matriarca | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.44 | $201,000 | III | [12] |
| 2020 | Queen Bee to You | Ruben Fuentes | Andrew Lerner | An Equal Amount Of Blueberries & Adam Vali | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.36 | $200,500 | III | [13] |
| 2019 | Escape Clause | Tyler Baze | Don Schnell | Don Schnell | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.89 | $100,351 | III | [14] |
| 2018 | Mopotism | Mario Gutierrez | Doug F. O'Neill | Reddam Racing | 1 mile | 1:37.29 | $201,035 | II | [15] |
| 2017 | Vale Dori (ARG) | Mike E. Smith | Bob Baffert | Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.95 | $200,000 | II | [16] |
| 2016 | Taris | Gary L. Stevens | Simon Callaghan | Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.38 | $196,250 | II | [17] |
| 2015 | Thegirlinthatsong | Rafael Bejarano | Jerry Hollendorfer | Tim & Peter Russo, Jerry Hollendorfer & Daniel J. Gatto | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.84 | $200,500 | II | [18] |
| 2014 | Spellbound | Victor Espinoza | Richard E. Mandella | Ramona Bass, Claiborne Farm & Adele Dilschneider | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.14 | $200,500 | II | [19] |
| 2013 | More Chocolate | Garrett K. Gomez | John W. Sadler | Michael Talla | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.59 | $150,250 | II | [20] |
| 2012 | Include Me Out | Joseph Talamo | Ronald W. Ellis | Jay Em Ess Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.89 | $150,000 | II | [21] |
| 2011 | Always a Princess | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Arnold Zetcher | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.36 | $147,000 | II | [22] |
| 2010 | Striking Dancer | Alex O. Solis | Kenneth G. McPeek | Steve Stan Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.48 | $150,000 | II | [23] |
| 2009 | Life Is Sweet | Garrett K. Gomez | John Shirreffs | Pam & Martin Wygod | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.70 | $200,000 | II | [24] |
| 2008 | Dawn After Dawn | Garrett K. Gomez | John W. Sadler | Ike & Dawn Thrash | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.37 | $200,000 | II | [25] |
| 2007 | Balance | Victor Espinoza | David E. Hofmans | Amerman Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.41 | $200,000 | II | [26] |
| 2006 | Seafree | Pat Valenzuela | Robert J. Frankel | Edmund A. Gann | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.04 | $200,000 | II | [27] |
| 2005 | Tarlow | Pat Valenzuela | John Shirreffs | Ann & Jerome Moss | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.64 | $200,000 | II | [28] |
| 2004 | § Cat Fighter | Alex O. Solis | Bob Baffert | The Thoroughbred Corporation | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.41 | $200,000 | II | [29] |
| 2003 | Got Koko | Alex O. Solis | Bruce Headley | Aase Headley & Paul Leung | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.41 | $200,000 | II | [30] |
| 2002 | Summer Colony | Gary L. Stevens | Mark A. Hennig | Edward P. Evans | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.26 | $200,000 | II | [31] |
| 2001 | Spain | Victor Espinoza | D. Wayne Lukas | The Thoroughbred Corporation | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.74 | $200,000 | II | [32] |
| 2000 | Scholars Studio | Corey Nakatani | Martin F. Jones | King Edward Racing Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.14 | $200,000 | II | [33] |
| 1999 | Manistique | Gary L. Stevens | John Shirreffs | 505 Farms | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.81 | $200,000 | II | [34] |
| 1998 | Fleet Lady | Garrett K. Gomez | Jerry Hollendorfer | Golden Eagle Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.59 | $200,000 | II | [35] |
| 1997 | Belle's Flag | Corey Nakatani | Darrell Vienna | Ernest Auerbach | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.28 | $213,200 | II | [36] |
| 1996 | Jewel Princess | Alex O. Solis | Wallace Dollase | Richard J. & Martha J. Stephen | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.42 | $209,900 | II | [37] |
| 1995 | Dianes Halo | Corey Nakatani | David C. Cross Jr. | Diane Garber | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.35 | $213,800 | II | [38] |
| 1994 | Stalcreek | Gary L. Stevens | David Bernstein | Gaylord Ailshie & Joseph Shields | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.85 | $205,000 | II | [39] |
| 1993 | Alysbelle | Eddie Delahoussaye | Jack Van Berg | Clarence Scharbauer Jr. | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.85 | $220,850 | II | [40] |
| 1992 | Exchange | Laffit Pincay Jr. | William Spawr | Sidney Craig | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.96 | $218,250 | II | [41] |
| 1991 | Fit to Scout | Julio A. Garcia | Jack Van Berg | Robert M. Snell | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.50 | $216,700 | II | [42] |
| 1990 | Gorgeous | Eddie Delahoussaye | Neil D. Drysdale | Robert N. Clay | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.00 | $212,000 | II | [43] |
| 1989 | Goodbye Halo | Pat Day | Charles E. Whittingham | Alex G. Campbell Jr. & Arthur B. Hancock III | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:54.40 | $215,300 | I | [44] |
| 1988 | Hollywood Glitter | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Gary F. Jones | Joanne Batchelor | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.20 | $161,700 | I | [45] |
| 1987 | Family Style | Gary L. Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | Eugene V. Klein | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.60 | $162,300 | I | [46] |
| 1986 | Lady's Secret | Chris McCarron | D. Wayne Lukas | Mr. & Mrs. Eugene V. Klein | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.80 | $205,700 | I | [47] |
| 1985 | Mitterand | Eddie Delahoussaye | Randy Winick | Silver Star Stable & Arnold Winick | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.80 | $208,200 | I | [48] |
| 1984 | Sweet Diane | Ray Sibille | Robert J. Frankel | Harry W. Stone, Pinwheel Farm & Milton Bronson | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.20 | $198,950 | I | [49] |
| 1983 | Avigaition | Eddie Delahoussaye | Vivian M. Pulliam | C. Norman Pulliam | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.80 | $169,400 | I | [50] |
| 1982 | Safe Play | Don Brumfield | Harvey L. Vanier | Dr. Carl Lauer & Nancy A. Vanier | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.60 | $168,300 | I | [51] |
| 1981 | Summer Siren | Marco Castaneda | Louis R. Carno | Mr. & Mrs. Thomas M. Cavanagh | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.60 | $142,500 | I | [52] |
| 1980 | Glorious Song (CAN) | Chris McCarron | Gerald W. Belanger Jr. | Frank Stronach | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.60 | $136,600 | I | [53] |
| 1979 | B. Thoughtful | Donald Pierce | Robert L. Wheeler | Mrs. Walter Haefner | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.80 | $114,900 | I | [54] |
| 1978 | Taisez Vous | Donald Pierce | Robert L. Wheeler | Vernon D. & Ann Eachus | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.80 | $110,000 | I | [55] |
| 1977 | Lucie Manet | Bill Shoemaker | Jaime Villagomez | John & Donald Valpredo | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.20 | $113,300 | II | [56] |
| 1976 | Raise Your Skirts | Bill Shoemaker | Barney Willis | Harris Farms, Virginia Willis & Kemper Marley | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.40 | $83,900 | [57] | |
| 1975 | Chris Evert | Jorge Velasquez | Joseph A. Trovato | Carl Rosen | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.60 | $57,900 | [4] |
Legend:
All Weather Track
Dirt
Notes:
§ Ran as an entry