The Santa Anita Handicap: Key Information

Video of the 2014 Santa Anita Handicap

Here is the 2014 running of the Santa Anita Handicap, where Game on Dude and jockey Mike Smith captured their second title in a row!

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A Brief History of the Santa Anita Handicap

The Santa Anita Handicap race has been held annually in Arcadia, California at Santa Anita park since 1935. Largely considered to be the biggest race for older horses (four years and older) in the United States during the winter racing season, the 1.25 mile Grade I race has a 2015 purse of one million dollars.

Originally the Santa Anita Handicap was for three-year-old horses and up, up until 1969 when the age limit was pushed back to four years old. With a minimum purse of $100,000 offered in the inaugural race in 1935, the race burst onto the scene as that was very significant sum of money for that era. Known as the "Hundred Grander" or "The Big Cap", the early years of the race are best known for the performances by the legendary thoroughbred Seabiscuit. In his 1st two entries in "The Big Cap" in 1937 and 1938, Seabiscuit lost in photo finishes. After suffering a career-threatening injury in 1939, Seabiscuit had a triumphant return to the Santa Anita Handicap in 1940, taking first place in what was ultimately his final race and cementing his place in horse racing history.

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Santa Anita Handicap - Race Records

Scroll over any box below to view the historical records for the Santa Anita Handicap:

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