Horse Racing Forum - USA Thoroughbred Races

Santa Anita has eliminated 11 stakes, and reduced purses for three major races – the Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita Handicap, and Santa Anita Oaks – for the forthcoming winter-spring meeting from Dec. 26 to June 15, the track announced on Thursday.

Overall, prize money in the stakes program has been reduced by $1.675 million from the 2023-24 meeting. In a statement, the track indicated that some of those monies will be redirected to overnight purses.

The Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 5 will be worth $500,000, a decline from $750,000 from 2021 through 2024. The race was worth $400,000 in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic when several stakes were run for lower purses. Aside from 2020, the Santa Anita Derby purse is the lowest since the race was worth $500,000 in 1994.

The Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 1 will be worth $300,000, a decline of $100,000 from 2024. The purse will be the lowest for the historic race for older horses since 1978. In the last decade, the Santa Anita Handicap purse has ranged from $400,000 in 2021 to $1 million in 2015 and 2016.

The Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 5 will be worth $200,000, a decline of $100,000 from last year. The race was worth $400,000 from 2014 to 2019 and from 2021 to 2023. In 2020, the race was worth $200,000 during the season affected by the pandemic.

The San Antonio stakes will be renamed to the LAFFIT PINCAY on opening day, congrats!

stark wrote: ↑Fri Nov 22, 2024 11:23 am The San Antonio stakes will be renamed to the LAFFIT PINCAY on opening day, congrats!

I agree he should have a race named after him but one of the most historic races in the books? Where’s Mike Willman when you need him?

Curtis wrote: ↑Sat Nov 23, 2024 8:31 am

stark wrote: ↑Fri Nov 22, 2024 11:23 am The San Antonio stakes will be renamed to the LAFFIT PINCAY on opening day, congrats!

I agree he should have a race named after him but one of the most historic races in the books? Where’s Mike Willman when you need him?

Wilman can be heard around the world from SoCal, Sunday mornings 8AM-10AM pacific time, just follow the link. https://www.am830.net/
You will probably have to buy the deluxe internet package from your cruise ship out in the middle of nowhere, good luck.

stark wrote: ↑Sat Nov 23, 2024 1:54 pm

Curtis wrote: ↑Sat Nov 23, 2024 8:31 am

stark wrote: ↑Fri Nov 22, 2024 11:23 am The San Antonio stakes will be renamed to the LAFFIT PINCAY on opening day, congrats!

I agree he should have a race named after him but one of the most historic races in the books? Where’s Mike Willman when you need him?

Wilman can be heard around the world from SoCal, Sunday mornings 8AM-10AM pacific time, just follow the link. https://www.am830.net/
You will probably have to buy the deluxe internet package from your cruise ship out in the middle of nowhere, good luck.

This vessel has Starlink. Great connectivity albeit from a whack job inventor. He should fit right in. I’m expecting to hear any day to hear old Elon has designed a clown car for the motorcades in the general DC area. You know this ship’s track is actually brown. It takes 13 laps for 1 nautical mile. You put horses on these things, I may never leave. But I digress………

Yeah, I knew where to find Willman. Santa Anita needs to find his wisdom once again to avert a sinking ship.