San Marcos Stakes

The San Marcos Stakes is an American Grade III Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late January or early February at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to horses aged four and older, it is raced on turf over a distance of one and one-quarter miles.

San Marcos Stakes

Grade III race
Location	Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California
Inaugurated	1952
Race type	Thoroughbred – Flat racing
Website	www.santaanita.com
Race information
Distance	1+1⁄4 miles (10 furlongs)
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Four-Year-Olds & Up
Weight	124 pounds with allowances^[1]
Purse	$200,000 (since 2014)^[2]

Inaugurated in 1952 as a one-mile race on dirt, in 1954 it was changed to one and one-quarter miles and became Santa Anita Park's first graded stakes race on turf. It was raced on dirt again in 1956, 1962, 1969, 1973, 1975, 1978 through 1983, and in 1996.

Run as handicap prior to 2000, it is now raced under allowance weight conditions, with specified weight reductions for horses who meet certain conditions. It was open to three-year-olds and up from 1955 through 1959. There was no race held in 1970 and for 1978 it was set at a distance of 1 and one-eighth miles.^[3]

Records

Time record:

• 1:57.92 – Johar (2003)

Most wins:

• 2 – Slim Shadey (2012, 2013)

Most wins by an owner:

• 2 – El Peco Ranch (1961, 1972)
• 2 – Elmendorf Farm (1976, 1982)
• 2 – Trudy McCaffery & John Toffan (1994, 2001)
• 2 – David and Jill Heerensperger (2009, 2011)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 6 – Bill Shoemaker (1958, 1959, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1977)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 8 – Charles Whittingham (1963, 1969, 1971, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1984, 1985)

Winners of the San Marcos Stakes

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	style=Owner	Time
2023	Prince Abama	5	Flavien Prat	Michael McCarthy	Michael House	2:01.42
2022	Friar's Road	5	Flavien Prat	Michael McCarthy	William and Suzanne Warren	1:58.67
2021	Masteroffoxhounds	4	Joel Rosario	Richard Baltas	David Bersen LLC and Rockingham Ranch	2:10.39
2020	United	5	Flavien Prat	Richard Mandella	LNJ Foxwoods (Larry, Nanci & Jaime Roth)	1:59.04
2019	Platinum Warrior (IRE)	4	Shane Foley	John W. Sadler	Yueshang Zhang	2:02.37
2018	Itsinthepost (FR)	6	Tyler Baze	Jeffrey L. Mullins	Red Baron's Barn LLC	1:58.24
2017	Isotherm	4	Flavien Prat	George Weaver	Matthew Schera	2:00.23
2016	Flamboyant (FR)	5	Brice Blanc	Patrick Gallagher	David Bienstock & Charles N. Winner	2:01.58
2015	Finnegans Wake	6	Victor Espinoza	Peter Miller	Donegal Racing (Jerry Crawford), et al.) & Rockingham Ranch (Gary Hartunian & Brian Trump)	2:00.88
2014	Vagabond Shoes (GB)	7	Victor Espinoza	John W. Sadler	Hronis Racing (Kosta & Pete Hronis)	1:58.88
2013	Slim Shadey	5	Gary Stevens	Simon Callaghan	Phil Cunningham	1:59.17
2012	Slim Shadey	4	David Flores	Simon Callaghan	Phil Cunningham	2:01.55
2011	Bourbon Bay	5	Rafael Bejarano	Neil D. Drysdale	David & Jill Heerensperger	2:00.03
2010	Loup Breton	6	Garrett Gomez	Julio C. Canani	Guy Wildenstein	2:00.94
2009	Artiste Royal	8	Garrett Gomez	Neil D. Drysdale	David & Jill Heerensperger	1:59.16
2008	Champs Elysees	5	Garrett Gomez	Robert J. Frankel	Juddmonte Farms	2:00.88
2007	One Off	7	Brice Blanc	Neil D. Drysdale	Burt & Jane Bacharach	2:01.48
2006	The Tin Man	8	Victor Espinoza	Richard Mandella	Ralph & Aury Todd	1:58.39
2005	Whilly	4	Felipe Martinez	Doug O'Neill	Triple B Farm	2:00.68
2004	Sweet Return	4	Gary Stevens	Ron McAnally	Red Oak Stable (John Brunetti Sr.)	1:58.82
2003	Johar	4	Alex Solis	Richard Mandella	The Thoroughbred Corp.	1:57.92
2002	Irish Prize	6	Gary Stevens	Neil D. Drysdale	Sheik Maktoum Al Maktoum	2:01.27
2001	Bienamado	5	Chris McCarron	J. Paco Gonzalez	McCaffery/Toffan/Sangster	2:02.75
2000	Public Purse	6	Alex Solis	Robert J. Frankel	Juddmonte Farms	1:59.59
1999	Brave Act	5	Goncalino Almeida	Ron McAnally	Sidney H. Craig	2:04.25
1998	Prize Giving	5	Alex Solis	Neil D. Drysdale	Antoinette Oppenheimer	2:04.41
1997	Sandpit	8	Corey Nakatani	Richard Mandella	Sierra Thoroughbreds	2:00.61
1996	Urgent Request	6	Chris Antley	Rodney Rash	Stewart Aitken	2:02.26
1995	River Flyer	4	Chris Antley	David Hofmans	Golden Eagle Farm	2:05.61
1994	Bien Bien	5	Laffit Pincay Jr.	J. Paco Gonzalez	Trudy McCaffery & John Toffan	2:00.55
1993	Star of Cozzene	5	Gary Stevens	Mark A. Hennig	Team Valor et al.	2:01.71
1992	Classic Fame	6	Ed Delahoussaye	Gary F. Jones	Classic Thoroughbreds et al.	1:58.02
1991	Fly Till Dawn	5	Laffit Pincay Jr.	Darrell Vienna	Josephine T. Gleis	1:58.60
1990	Putting	7	Corey Black	Julio C. Canani	Sully's Stable	1:58.20
1989	Trokhos	6	Laffit Pincay Jr.	Edwin J. Gregson	Vincent Kanowsky	2:02.00
1988	Great Communicator	5	Ray Sibille	Thad Ackel	Class Act Stable (George Ackel)	2:02.60
1987	Zoffany	7	Ed Delahoussaye	John Gosden	Anthony & John Bodie, Anthony Speelman	2:00.80
1986	Silveyville	8	Chris McCarron	Bruce Headley	Kjell Qvale	2:00.80
1985	Dahar	4	Fernando Toro	Charles Whittingham	Summa Stable (Lessee)	2:01.20
1984	Lucence	5	Pat Valenzuela	Charles Whittingham	Wimborne Farm (Diane L. Perkins)	2:01.80
1983	Western	5	Chris McCarron	Laz Barrera	Aaron U. Jones	2:04.00
1982	Super Moment	5	Laffit Pincay Jr.	Ron McAnally	Elmendorf Farm	2:00.60
1981	Galaxy Libra	5	Ángel Cordero Jr.	Charles Whittingham	Louis R. Rowan	2:00.20
1980	John Henry	5	Darrel McHargue	Ron McAnally	Dotsam Stable	2:01.60
1979	Tiller	5	Ángel Cordero Jr.	David A. Whiteley	William Haggin Perry	1:58.80
1978	Vigors	5	Darrel McHargue	Larry J. Sterling	William R. Hawn	1:46.60
1977	Royal Derby II	8	Bill Shoemaker	Charles Whittingham	Fogelson & Whittingham	1:58.20
1976	Announcer	4	Fernando Toro	Vincent Clyne	Elmendorf Farm	1:58.40
1975	Trojan Bronze	4	Bill Shoemaker	Charles Whittingham	Adrian B. Roks	1:59.80
1974	Triangular	7	Don Pierce	Jim Penney	Pearson's Barn Inc.	2:04.80
1973	Tuqui II	6	Laffit Pincay Jr.	Laz Barrera	Bonnie Brae Farm Inc.	2:02.20
1972	Aggressively *	5	Don Pierce	John H. Adams	El Peco Ranch	2:00.60
1972	Big Shot II *	7	Eddie Belmonte	Pancho Martin	Sigmund Sommer	1:59.80
1971	Cougar II	5	Bill Shoemaker	Charles Whittingham	Mary Jones Bradley	2:02.00
1969	Deck Hand	6	Don Pierce	Charles Whittingham	Forked Lightning Ranch	2:05.80
1968	Biggs	8	Jerry Lambert	Farrell W. Jones	Edward F. Gould	2:04.40
1967	Rehabilitate	4	Bill Shoemaker	Robert L. Wheeler	Robert Lehman	1:59.80
1966	Or Et Argent	5	Walter Blum	Wayne B. Stucki	C. Campbell	2:01.60
1965	Desert Chief III	9	Donald Ross	Dale Landers	E. M. Goemans	2:01.00
1964	Mr. Consistency	6	Kenneth Church	James I. Nazworthy	Mrs. Ann Peppers	2:02.40
1963	Rablero	5	Johnny Longden	Charles Whittingham	C. R. McCoy	2:00.40
1962	The Axe II	4	Robert Yanez	Robert L. Wheeler	Greentree Stable	2:03.00
1961	Anisado	7	Ismael Valenzuela	William B. Finnegan	Lewis & El Peco Ranch	1:59.60
1960	Whodunit	5	Ralph Neves	William C. Winfrey	Mrs. Jan Burke	2:01.20
1959	Round Table	5	Bill Shoemaker	William Molter	Kerr Stables	1:58.40
1958	Ekaba	4	Bill Shoemaker	Jerry Wallace	Agoura Stock Farm	2:01.20
1957	Alidon	6	Johnny Longden	William Molter	Louis B. Mayer	2:05.80
1956	Bobby Brocato	5	George Taniguchi	William Molter	Mr. & Mrs. Travis M. Kerr	2:03.60
1955	Great Captain	6	William Boland	George H. Strate	Ogden Phipps	2:03.80
1954	Mark-Ye-Well	5	Eddie Arcaro	Horace A. Jones	Calumet Farm	2:00.20
1953	Grover B.	4	Eddie Arcaro	Thomas P. Morgan	Thomas P. Morgan	1:36.80
1952	Hill Prince	5	Eddie Arcaro	Casey Hayes	Christopher Chenery	1:35.80

References

1. "Chart of the 2020 San Marcos". Equibase. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
2. "San Marcos Stakes Profile". Equibase. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
3. "Santa Anita Media Guide" (PDF). www.santaanita.com. pp. 70–71. Retrieved 7 February 2017.

* Run in two divisions in 1972.