San Antonio Handicap

San Antonio Stakes
Grade II race
LocationSanta Anita Park
Arcadia, California, United States
Inaugurated1935
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Websitewww.santaanita.com
Race information
Distance1+116 miles (8.5 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFour-year-olds & up
WeightAllowance
Purse$200,000 (2019)[1]

The San Antonio Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Raced on the dirt, it is for horses age three and older. In 2017, the distance was shortened from 1+18 miles to 1+116 miles. The race was originally run under handicap conditions but is now run under allowance weight conditions, with specified weight reductions for horses who meet certain conditions. The San Antonio has been a Grade II event since 1990. The current purse is $200,000.

The San Antonio was traditionally run in February and was frequently used as a prep race for the Santa Anita Handicap. In 2017, the race was run once in February, and then again on December 26, the opening day of the Santa Anita winter-spring meet. With its new position in the stakes calendar, the race now serves as a prep for the Pegasus World Cup.[2]

Inaugurated in 1935, the San Antonio Handicap was run at a mile and a sixteenth in 1940 and 1941.

  1. ^ "San Antonio Stakes Profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  2. ^ Tierney, Mike (26 December 2017). "Gary Stevens rides one long shot to victory at Santa Anita, nearly wins with another". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 27 December 2017.