# California Crown Stakes

The California Crown Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old or older over the distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt scheduled annually in September at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The event currently carries a purse of $1,000,000.

## History

The event was inaugurated on 9 October 1982 as the Goodwood Handicap at the Oak Tree Racing Association meeting at Santa Anita Park as the eighth race on the racecard over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles and was won by the and US Hall of Fame, Lázaro "Laz" Barrera trained Cajun Prince who tied the track record for the distance that was set by Ancient Title in 1978. The race was named for Oak Tree Racing Association's sister operation at Goodwood Racecourse near Chichester, England.
The event was run at the 1+1⁄16 miles distance in 1983, 1984 and again in 1986.
In 1985 the event was classified by the American Graded Stakes Committee as Grade III and was upgraded to Grade II status in 1990.
Between 1996 and 2006, the Breeders' Cup sponsored the event which reflected in the name of the event.
In 2012 the event was upgraded to Grade I and was renamed to the Awesome Again Stakes in honor of the Canadian bred 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Awesome Again. Also Awesome Again is the sire of the dual winner of this event, Game On Dude.
In 2024 the event was rebranded with other events on the card as the California Crown Stakes.

## Records

Time record:
* 1+1⁄8 miles: 1:46.72 - Bertrando (1994)
* 1+1⁄16 miles: 1:40.20 - Cajun Prince (1982)
Margins:
* 5+1⁄4 lengths - Smooth Roller (2015)
Most wins:
* 2 - Lord At War (ARG) (1984, 1985)
* 2 - Pleasantly Perfect (2002, 2003)
* 2 - Game On Dude (2011, 2012)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 - Peter Perkins (1984, 1985)
* 2 - Diamond A Racing (2002, 2003)
* 2 - Family Trust Diamond Pride, Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable & Bernie Schiappa (2011, 2012)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 5 - Gary Stevens (1988, 1994, 1998, 2005, 2013)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 8 - Bob Baffert (1998, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade |
| At Santa Anita Park – California Crown Stakes |||||||||||
| 2024 | Subsanador (ARG) | 5 | Mike E. Smith | Richard E. Mandella | Wathnan Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.68 | $1,000,500 | I |
| Awesome Again Stakes |||||||||||
| 2023 | Slow Down Andy | 4 | Mario Gutierrez | Doug F. O'Neill | Reddam Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.62 | $302,000 | I |
| 2022 | Defunded | 4 | Edwin Maldonado | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.38 | $301,500 | I |
| 2021 | Medina Spirit | 3 | John R. Velazquez | Bob Baffert | Zedan Racing Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.67 | $301,500 | I |
| 2020 | Improbable | 4 | Drayden Van Dyke | Bob Baffert | WinStar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.01 | $300,000 | I |
| 2019 | Mongolian Groom | 4 | Abel Cedillo | Enebish Ganbat | Mongolian Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.27 | $300,351 | I |
| 2018 | Accelerate | 5 | Joel Rosario | John W. Sadler | Hronis Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.38 | $300,690 | I |
| 2017 | Mubtaahij (IRE) | 5 | Drayden Van Dyke | Bob Baffert | Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.32 | $300,000 | I |
| 2016 | California Chrome | 5 | Victor Espinoza | Art Sherman | California Chrome LLC | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.07 | $300,000 | I |
| 2015 | Smooth Roller | 4 | Tyler Baze | Victor L. Garcia | Lucky Charm Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.08 | $300,750 | I |
| 2014 | Shared Belief | 3 | Mike E. Smith | Jerry Hollendorfer | Jungle Racing, KMN Racing, Jerry Hollendorfer, Litt, Solis II & Todaro | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.58 | $300,500 | I |
| 2013 | Mucho Macho Man | 5 | Gary L. Stevens | Katherine Ritvo | Reeves Thoroughbred Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.30 | $251,250 | I |
| 2012 | Game On Dude | 5 | Rafael Bejarano | Bob Baffert | Family Trust Diamond Pride, Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable & Bernie Schiappa | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.98 | $250,000 | I |
| Goodwood Stakes |||||||||||
| 2011 | Game On Dude | 4 | Chantal Sutherland | Bob Baffert | Family Trust Diamond Pride, Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable & Bernie Schiappa | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.36 | $250,000 | I |
| At Hollywood Park – Goodwood Stakes |||||||||||
| 2010 | Richard's Kid | 5 | Alonso Quinonez | Bob Baffert | Zabeel Racing International | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.18 | $250,000 | I |
| At Santa Anita Park – Goodwood Stakes |||||||||||
| 2009 | Gitano Hernando (GB) | 3 | Kieren Fallon | Marco Botti | Team Valor & Gary Barber | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.39 | $305,000 | I |
| 2008 | Well Armed | 5 | Aaron Gryder | Eoin G. Harty | WinStar Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.11 | $498,000 | I |
| 2007 | Tiago | 3 | Mike E. Smith | John Shirreffs | Jerry & Ann Moss | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.93 | $520,000 | I |
| At Santa Anita Park – Goodwood Handicap |||||||||||
| 2006 | Lava Man | 5 | Corey Nakatani | Doug F. O'Neill | STD Racing Stable & Jason Wood | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.15 | $500,000 | II |
| 2005 | Rock Hard Ten | 4 | Gary L. Stevens | Richard E. Mandella | Mercedes Stables & Madeleine A. Pickens | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.68 | $484,000 | II |
| 2004 | Lundy's Liability (BRZ) | 4 | David R. Flores | Robert J. Frankel | TNT Stud & Mary Slack | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.39 | $480,000 | II |
| 2003 | Pleasantly Perfect | 5 | Alex O. Solis | Richard E. Mandella | Diamond A Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.37 | $482,000 | II |
| 2002 | Pleasantly Perfect | 4 | Alex O. Solis | Richard E. Mandella | Diamond A Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.80 | $500,000 | II |
| 2001 | Freedom Crest | 5 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Richard Baltas | Calvin Nguyen & Joey Tran | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.86 | $488,000 | II |
| 2000 | Tiznow | 3 | Chris McCarron | Jay M. Robbins | Michael Cooper & Cecilia Straub-Rubens | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.38 | $418,000 | II |
| 1999 | Budroyale | 6 | Garrett K. Gomez | Ted H. West | Jeffrey Sengara | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.31 | $498,000 | II |
| 1998 | Silver Charm | 4 | Gary L. Stevens | Bob Baffert | Bob & Beverly Lewis | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.21 | $446,000 | II |
| 1997 | Benchmark | 6 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Ronald W. Ellis | Pam & Martin J. Wygod | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.60 | $248,700 | II |
| 1996 | † Savinio | 6 | Corey Nakatani | Walter R. Greenman | Walter R. Greenman, Gary A. Biszantz & Gary S. Vandeweghe | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.88 | $303,300 | II |
| 1995 | Soul of the Matter | 4 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Richard E. Mandella | Burt Bacharach | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.54 | $256,950 | II |
| 1994 | Bertrando | 5 | Gary L. Stevens | John Shirreffs | Ed Nahem & 505 Farms | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.72 | $214,400 | II |
| 1993 | Lottery Winner | 4 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Jay M. Robbins | Ernest Auerbach | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.71 | $217,200 | II |
| 1992 | Reign Road | 4 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Jay M. Robbins | Jack Kent Cooke | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.36 | $215,200 | II |
| 1991 | The Prime Minister | 4 | Chris McCarron | Charles E. Whittingham | Bradley, Chandler & Seitz | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.99 | $264,800 | II |
| 1990 | Lively One | 5 | Alex O. Solis | Charles E. Whittingham | John G. Sikura (Lessee) | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.00 | $216,800 | II |
| 1989 | § Present Value (CAN) | 5 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Jerry M. Fanning | Jerry Fanning, Richard Fontana, Jay Bligh, Gary Potter | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.20 | $218,800 | III |
| 1988 | Cutlass Reality | 6 | Gary L. Stevens | Craig Anthony Lewis | Howard Crash & James Hankoff | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.20 | $220,400 | III |
| 1987 | Ferdinand | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles E. Whittingham | Mrs. Howard B. Keck | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.80 | $156,500 | III |
| 1986 | Super Diamond | 6 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Edwin J. Gregson | Roland & Ramona Sahm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.20 | $115,500 | III |
| 1985 | Lord At War (ARG) | 5 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles E. Whittingham | Peter Perkins (Lessee) | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.40 | $114,500 | III |
| 1984 | Lord At War (ARG) | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles E. Whittingham | Peter Perkins (Lessee) | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.00 | $105,150 | |
| 1983 | Pettrax | 5 | Kenneth D. Black | Wayne Charlton | Brent W. Charlton | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.60 | $80,400 | |
| 1982 | Cajun Prince | 5 | Walter Guerra | Laz Barrera | Aaron U. Jones | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:40.20 | $80,350 | III |
Legend:
 All Weather Track  Dirt
Notes: § Ran as an entry
† In the 1996 running Alphabet Soup won the race but was disqualified and placed third. Savinio was declared the winner.