# Affirmed Stakes (LATC)

The Affirmed Stakes is a Listed American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles on the dirt held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California in late-June. The race currently offers a purse of $100,000.

## History

The inaugural running of the event was on 30 June 1979 at Hollywood Park Racetrack as the Silver Screen Handicap at a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles and was won by the promising three year old Valdez who won by 10 lengths, which continues to be the longest winning margin in the event.
The event inherited the grading classification which was Grade II from the Argonaut Handicap which some sources believe is the predecessor to the event. However, the former Hollywood Park Media Guide management organization and the current Santa Anita management consider the event to have no connection.
In 1993 the race was renamed to the Affirmed Handicap in honor of the 1978 U.S. Triple Crown champion, Affirmed.
In 1995 the distance of the event was decreased to 1+1⁄16 miles.
After Hollywood Park Racetrack was closed in 2013 the race was moved to Santa Anita Park.
In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Santa Anita closed their track and the event was cancelled
In 2023 the American Graded Stakes Committee downgraded the event to a Listed race.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1+1⁄16 miles – 1:40.83 General Challenge (1999)
* 1+1⁄8 miles – 1:46.80 Journey At Sea (1982)
Largest margin of victory:
* 10 lengths – Valdez (1979)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 5 – Laffit Pincay, Jr. (1979, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1992)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 7 – Bob Baffert (1999, 2006, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2024)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman (2011, 2015)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| At Santa Anita Park – Affirmed Stakes ||||||||||
| 2024 | Parenting | Juan J. Hernandez | Bob Baffert | Gandharvi | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.57 | $100,000 | Listed | |
| 2023 | Geaux Rocket Ride | Ramon Vazquez | Richard Mandella | Pin Oak Stud | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.75 | $100,000 | Listed | |
| 2022 | Hopper | Abel Cedillo | Sean McCarthy | Lanni Bloodstock, Madaket Stables & SF Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.83 | $98,000 | III | |
| 2021 | The Chosen Vron | Umberto Rispoli | J. Eric Kruljac | J. Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker & Richard Thornburgh | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.01 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2020 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 2019 | Mucho Gusto | Joseph Talamo | Bob Baffert | Michael Lund Petersen | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.15 | $100,351 | III | |
| 2018 | Draft Pick | Joseph Talamo | Peter Eurton | C R K Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.34 | $100,345 | III | |
| 2017 | Battle of Midway | Flavien Prat | Jerry Hollendorfer | Don Alberto Stable & WinStar Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.25 | $98,000 | III | |
| 2016 | Dalmore | Kent J. Desormeaux | J. Keith Desormeaux | Big Chief Racing, Rocker O Ranch & J. Keith Desormeaux | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:40.84 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2015 | Gimme Da Lute | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.40 | $98,000 | III | |
| 2014 | Can the Man | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Kaleem Shah | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.27 | $100,750 | III | |
| At Hollywood Park – Affirmed Handicap ||||||||||
| 2013 | Tiz a Minister | Corey Nakatani | Paul G. Aguirre | S A Y Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.79 | $100,750 | III | |
| 2012 | Nonios | Martin A. Pedroza | Jerry Hollendorfer | Green B. Smith Jr. | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.99 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2011 | Coil | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.88 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2010 | Golden Itiz | Tyler Baze | Ronald W. Ellis | Jay Em Ess Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.84 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2009 | Grazen | Rafael Bejarano | Mike R. Mitchell | Nicholas B. Alexander | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.40 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2008 | Two Step Salsa | Martin A. Pedroza | Julio C. Canani | Everest Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.57 | $107,100 | III | |
| 2007 | Desert Code | Richard Migliore | David E. Hofmans | Tarabilla Farms | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.21 | $106,600 | III | |
| 2006 | Point Determined | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | Robert B. & Beverly J. Lewis Trust | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.55 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2005 | Indian Ocean | Jon Court | Jay M. Robbins | Mercedes Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.53 | $102,998 | III | |
| 2004 | Boomzeeboom | Victor Espinoza | Vladimir Cerin | John Karubian, Alan Landsburg & Larry Postaer | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.11 | $110,200 | III | |
| 2003 | Eye of the Tiger | Alex O. Solis | Jerry Hollendorfer | John D. Gunther | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.30 | $103,096 | III | |
| 2002 | Came Home | Chris McCarron | J. Paco Gonzalez | William S. Farish III, John B. Goodman, John Toffan & Trudy McCaffery | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.99 | $107,500 | III | |
| 2001 | Until Sundown | Gary L. Stevens | Laura de Seroux | San Gabriel Investments & Sidney L. Port Trust | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.10 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2000 | Tiznow | Victor Espinoza | Jay M. Robbins | Michael Cooper & Cecilia Straub-Rubens | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.35 | $134,250 | III | |
| 1999 | General Challenge | David R. Flores | Bob Baffert | Golden Eagle Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:40.83 | $125,000 | III | |
| 1998 | Old Trieste | Chris McCarron | Mike Puype | Gary Bisantz | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.80 | $101,822 | III | |
| 1997 | Deputy Commander | Corey Nakatani | Wallace Dollase | Horizon Stable, Michael Jarvis, Mandysland Farm, et al. | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.80 | $102,500 | III | |
| 1996 | Hesabull | Eddie Delahoussaye | Mike Chambers | Three Sisters Thoroughbreds | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.20 | $101,750 | III | |
| 1995 | Mr Purple | Corey Nakatani | Ron McAnally | Alex G. Campbell Jr. | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.20 | $133,300 | III | |
| 1994 | R Friar Tuck | Jerry D. Bailey | Ian P. D. Jory | S. David Plummer | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.00 | $163,600 | III | |
| 1993 | Codified | Gary L. Stevens | David E. Hofmans | Ridder Thoroughbred Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.80 | $161,600 | III | |
| Silver Screen Handicap ||||||||||
| 1992 | Natural Nine | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Lewis A. Cenicola | Southern Nevada Racing Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.40 | $163,000 | III | |
| 1991 | Compelling Sound | Gary L. Stevens | Charles E. Whittingham | Mr. & Mrs. Jerome Moss | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.80 | $158,800 | III | |
| 1990 | Stalwart Charger | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Alcides Pico Perdomo | Sidney Factor | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.40 | $158,600 | III | |
| 1989 | Raise a Stanza | Corey Black | Jay M. Robbins | Jack Kent Cooke | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.40 | $169,700 | II | |
| 1988 | Iz a Saros | Aaron Gryder | Joseph Manzi | Green Thumb Farm Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.00 | $163,400 | II | |
| 1987 | Candi's Gold | Gary L. Stevens | Edwin J. Gregson | Royal Lines (Lessee) | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.60 | $160,500 | II | |
| 1986 | ƒ Melair | Pat Valenzuela | John W. Sadler | Marianne Millard & Bea Rous | 1 mile | 1:32.80 | $400,000 | II | |
| 1985 | Pancho Villa | Laffit Pincay Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas | D. Wayne Lukas & Lloyd R. French, Jr. | 1 mile | 1:33.80 | $109,500 | II | |
| 1984 | Tights | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Laz Barrera | Mill House | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.60 | $80,600 | II | |
| 1983 | My Habitony | Donald R. Pierce | Arthur J. Lerille Jr. | Olga J. Pejsa | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.60 | $81,000 | II | |
| 1982 | Journey At Sea | Chris McCarron | Leland R. Fenstermaker | Fred W. Hooper | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.80 | $83,350 | II | |
| 1981 | Stancharry | Pat Valenzuela | Melvin F. Stute | Harry Cole, Stanley Freeman & Charles Gold | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.00 | $80,900 | II | |
| 1980 | Score Twenty Four | Darrel G. McHargue | James Jordan | Thomas Capehart, et al. | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.20 | $64,200 | II | |
| 1979 | Valdez | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Laz Barrera | Aaron & Marie Jones | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.40 | $64,500 | II | |
Legend:
 All Weather Track  Dirt
Notes:
ƒ Filly or Mare