Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series > Awesome Again Stakes
Awesome Again Stakes Race Facts
- Location: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA
- Inaugural Race: 1982
- Distance: 1 and 1/8th mile (9 furlongs)
- Track Type: Left-handed, Dirt
- Age Qualifications: Three Year Olds and up
- 2022 Purse: $300,000
- 2022 Race Date: Saturday, October 1st
2022 Awesome Again Stakes Race Results
| POST | HORSE | JOCKEY / TRAINER | WIN / PLACE / SHOW |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Defunded | Edwin A. Maldonado / Bob Baffert | $12.00 / $4.60 / $3.40 |
| 4 | Country Grammer | Juan J. Hernandez / Bob Baffert | $3.00 / $2.40 |
| 8 | Slow Down Andy | Mario Gutierrez / Doug F. O'Neill | $4.40 |
| 7 | Express Train | John A. Shirreffs / John A. Shirreffs | |
| 5 | Tripoli | Ramon A. Vazquez / John W. Sadler | |
| 2 | Royal Ship (BRZ) | Mike E. Smith / Richard E. Mandella | |
| 3 | High Connection | Abel Cedillo / Bob Baffert | |
| 1 | Azul Coast | Hector Isaac Berrios / Bob Baffert |
Exotic Payoffs:
- $1.00 Exacta (6-4) Paid: $14.30
- $0.50 Trifecta (6-4-8) Paid: $62.10
- $0.10 Superfecta (6-4-8-7) Paid: $43.38
Watch the 2022 Awesome Again Stakes
Awesome Again Stakes Race History
The Awesome Again stakes is a Grade I horse race run each year at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Inaugurated in 1982 as the Goodwood Handicap, the race was re-named in honor of the 1998 Breeders’ Cup Classic and Canadian hall of fame thoroughbred Awesome Again. Previous winners of the race include a bevy of notable horses, including:
- Ferdinand (1987) – 1986 Kentucky Derby and 1987 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner
- Bertrando (1994) – 1993 U.S. Champion Older Male Horse and California Horse of the Year
- Sliver Charm (1998) – 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner and Hall of Fame inductee
- Tiznow (2000) – 2000 and 2001 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner (only horse to win the race twice) and Hall of Fame inductee
- Lava Man (2006) – Seattle Slew grandsire and Hall of Fame inductee
- Mucho Macho Man (2013) – 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner
- Shared Belief (2014) – 2013 American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse
- California Chrome (2016) – 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner and North American all-time earnings leader
- Accelerate (2018) – 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner
- Improbable (2020) – 2020 American Champion Older Male Horse
Currently three horses are tied for most wins with two a piece: Lord At War (1984, 1985), Pleasantly Perfect (2002, 2003), and Game On Dude (2011, 2012). Game On Dude’s wins are particularly notable as Awesome Again is his sire. In 2013, Gary Stevens set the record for most wins by a jockey by capturing his fifth win. Bob Baffert currently holds the title for most wins by a trainer with his eight wins, including a three-peat between 2010 and 2012.
As part of the Breeder’s Cup Challenge Series, the winners of the race gain an automatic bid to race in the Breeder’s Cup Classic.
Awesome Again Stakes Past Winners
| Year | Winner | Jockey / Trainer | Distance / Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Defunded | Edwin A. Maldonado / Bob Baffert | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.38 |
| 2021 | Medina Spirit | John R. Velazquez / Bob Baffert | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.67 |
| 2020 | Improbable | Drayden Van Dyke / Bob Baffert | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.01 |
| 2019 | Mongolian Groom | Abel Cedillo / Enebish Ganbat | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.27 |
| 2018 | Accelerate | Joel Rosario / John W. Sadler | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:50.38 |
| 2017 | Mubtaahij (IRE) | Drayden Van Dyke / Bob Baffert | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:51.32 |
| 2016 | California Chrome | Victor Espinoza / Art Sherman | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.07 |
| 2015 | Smooth Roller | Tyler Baze / Victor L. Garcia | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.08 |
| 2014 | Shared Belief | Mike E. Smith / Jerry Hollendorfer | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.58 |
| 2013 | Mucho Macho Man | Gary L. Stevens / Katherine Ritvo | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.30 |
| 2012 | Game On Dude | Rafael Bejarano / Bob Baffert | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.98 |
| 2011 | Game On Dude | Chantal Sutherland / Bob Baffert | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.36 |
| 2010 | Richard's Kid | Alonso Quinonez / Bob Baffert | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.18 |
| 2009 | Gitano Hernando (GB) | Kieren Fallon / Marco Botti | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.39 |
| 2008 | Well Armed | Aaron Gryder / Eoin G. Harty | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.11 |
| 2007 | Tiago | Mike E. Smith / John Shirreffs | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:46.93 |
| 2006 | Lava Man | Corey Nakatani / Doug F. O'Neill | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.15 |
| 2005 | Rock Hard Ten | Gary L. Stevens / Richard E. Mandella | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.68 |
| 2004 | Lundy's Liability (BRZ) | David R. Flores / Robert J. Frankel | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.39 |
| 2003 | Pleasantly Perfect | Alex O. Solis / Richard E. Mandella | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.37 |
| 2002 | Pleasantly Perfect | Alex O. Solis / Richard E. Mandella | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:46.80 |
| 2001 | Freedom Crest | Kent J. Desormeaux / Richard Baltas | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.86 |
| 2000 | Tiznow | Chris McCarron / Jay M. Robbins | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.38 |
| 1999 | Budroyale | Garrett K. Gomez / Ted H. West | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.31 |
| 1998 | Silver Charm | Gary L. Stevens / Bob Baffert | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.21 |
| 1997 | Benchmark | Eddie Delahoussaye / Ronald W. Ellis | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.60 |
| 1996 | Savinio | Corey Nakatani / Walter R. Greenman | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.88 |
| 1995 | Soul of the Matter | Kent J. Desormeaux / Richard E. Mandella | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.54 |
| 1994 | Bertrando | Gary L. Stevens / John Shirreffs | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:46.72 |
| 1993 | Lottery Winner | Kent J. Desormeaux / Jay M. Robbins | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.71 |
| 1992 | Reign Road | Kent J. Desormeaux / Jay M. Robbins | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.36 |
| 1991 | The Prime Minister | Chris McCarron / Charles E. Whittingham | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.99 |
| 1990 | Lively One | Alex O. Solis / Charles E. Whittingham | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.00 |
| 1989 | Present Value (CAN) | Eddie Delahoussaye / Jerry M. Fanning | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.20 |
| 1988 | Cutlass Reality | Gary L. Stevens / Craig Anthony Lewis | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.20 |
| 1987 | Ferdinand | Bill Shoemaker / Charles E. Whittingham | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:50.80 |
| 1986 | Super Diamond | Laffit Pincay Jr. / Edwin J. Gregson | 1 1⁄16 M / 1:41.20 |
| 1985 | Lord At War (ARG) | Bill Shoemaker / Charles E. Whittingham | 1 1⁄8 M / 1:50.40 |
| 1984 | Lord At War (ARG) | Bill Shoemaker / Charles E. Whittingham | 1 1⁄16 M / 1:42.00 |
| 1983 | Pettrax | Kenneth D. Black / Wayne Charlton | 1 1⁄16 M / 1:42.60 |
| 1982 | Cajun Prince | Walter Guerra / Laz Barrera | 1 1⁄16 M / 1:40.20 |