# Santa Monica Stakes

The Santa Monica Stakes is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late January/early February at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to fillies and mares age four and older, it is run on the dirt over a distance of seven furlongs. Until 2010, the race name was the Santa Monica Handicap.
Inaugurated in 1957, through 1959 it was open to horses three-year-olds and up of either sex.
The race was run in two divisions in 1961 and 1965.
It was rated as GII in 1973–1983, GIII in 1984–1987, GII in 1988 and 1989, GI in 1990–2012, and GII in 2013 and later.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1:20.60 – Past Forgetting (1982) (dirt)
Most wins:
* Chop House (1964, 1965)
* Past Forgetting (1982, 1983)
* Pine Tree Lane (1987, 1988)
* Merneith (2021, 2022)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 6 – Bill Shoemaker (1961 (2×), 1963, 1980, 1982, 1985)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 7 – Bob Baffert (2006, 2007, 2010, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)
Most wins by an owner:
* 3 – C. V. Whitney (1959, 1960, 1961)
* 3 – William Haggin Perry (1965, 1966, 1969)
* 3 – Bernard J. Ridder (1978, 1982, 1983)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time |
| 2024 | Three Witches | 5 | Flavien Prat | Michael McCarthy | Yuesheng Zhang | 1:23.21 |
| 2023 | Fun to Dream | 4 | Juan Hernandez | Bob Baffert | Natalie J. Baffert & Connie Pageler | 1:22.75 |
| 2022 | Merneith | 5 | Edwin A. Maldonado | Bob Baffert | HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud | 1:22.39 |
| 2021 | Merneith | 4 | Edwin A. Maldonado | Bob Baffert | HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud | 1:22.28 |
| 2020 | Hard Not to Love | 5 | Mike E. Smith | John Shirreffs | Mercedes Stables, West Point Thoroughbreds, S. Dilworth, D. Ingordo, F. Mooney | 1:22.19 |
| 2019 | Marley's Freedom | 5 | Drayden Van Dyke | Bob Baffert | Cicero Farms, LLC | 1:22.34 |
| 2018 | Selcourt | 4 | Tyler Baze | John W. Sadler | Medallion Racing, Keith Abrahams, Sandra Lazaruk | 1:21.00 |
| 2017 | Finest City | 5 | Mike E. Smith | Ian Kruljac | Seltzer Thoroughbreds | 1:21.49 |
| 2016 | Lost Bus | 4 | Fernando Hernandez Perez | Gary Sherlock | Terry C. Lovingier | 1:21.78 |
| 2015 | Sam's Sister | 4 | Elvis Trujillo | Jerry Hollendorfer | Dedomenico/Hollendorfer/Todaro | 1:22.42 |
| 2014 | Scherzinger | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Jerry Hollendorfer | Hollendorfer/Dedomenico/et al. | 1:22.00 |
| 2013 | Teddy's Promise | 5 | Victor Espinoza | Ronald W. Ellis | Ted & Judy Nichols | 1:22.64 |
| 2012 | Home Sweet Aspen | 4 | Joel Rosario | John W. Sadler | CRK Stable | 1:21.42 |
| 2011 | Switch | 4 | Joel Rosario | John W. Sadler | CRK Stable | 1:20.70 |
| 2010 | Gabby's Golden Gal | 4 | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Arnold Zetcher | 1:21.25 |
| 2009 | Ventura | 5 | Garrett K. Gomez | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 1:21.61 |
| 2008 | Intangaroo | 4 | Alonso Quinonez | Gary Sherlock | Tom Grether Farms, Inc. | 1:20.71 |
| 2007 | Pussycat Doll | 5 | Garrett Gomez | Bob Baffert | Michael E. Pegram | 1:22.32 |
| 2006 | Behaving Badly | 5 | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | Hal & Patti Earnhardt | 1:21.93 |
| 2005 | Salt Champ (ARG) | 5 | Gary Stevens | Richard Mandella | Arturo Vargas | 1:22.14 |
| 2004 | Island Fashion | 4 | Kent Desormeaux | Marcelo Polanco | Everest Stables | 1:21.37 |
| 2003 | Affluent | 5 | Alex Solis | Ron McAnally | Janis R. Whitham | 1:22.77 |
| 2002 | Kalookan Queen | 6 | Alex Solis | Bruce Headley | Louis Asistio | 1:22.37 |
| 2001 | Nany's Sweep | 5 | Kent Desormeaux | Kathy Walsh | Budget Stable | 1:22.50 |
| 2000 | Honest Lady | 4 | Corey Nakatani | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 1:21.45 |
| 1999 | Stop Traffic | 6 | Corey Black | Richard Mandella | Diamond A Racing Corp. | 1::22.17 |
| 1998 | Exotic Wood | 6 | Chris McCarron | Ronald W. Ellis | Pam & Martin Wygod | 1:21.07 |
| 1997 | Toga Toga Toga | 5 | Julio A. Garcia | Eduardo Inda | Stanley J. Bell | 1:23.27 |
| 1996 | Serena's Song | 4 | Gary Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | Robert & Beverly Lewis | 1:21.56 |
| 1995 | Key Phrase | 4 | Chris Antley | Ronald W. Ellis | Pam & Martin Wygod | 1:22.82 |
| 1994 | Southern Truce | 6 | Gary Stevens | Roger Stein | Regal Rose Stable | 1:21.44 |
| 1993 | Freedom Cry | 5 | Alex Solis | Gary F. Jones | Hi Card Ranch | 1:21.78 |
| 1992 | Laramie Moon | 5 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Neil D. Drysdale | Henry E. Pabst | 1:22.66 |
| 1991 | Devil's Orchid | 4 | Russell Baze | Richard Mandella | Shannon Farms | 1:21.80 |
| 1990 | Stormy But Valid | 4 | Gary Stevens | Brian A. Mayberry | Jan Siegel et al. | 1:22.40 |
| 1989 | Miss Brio | 5 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Neil D. Drysdale | William S. Farish III | 1:21.60 |
| 1988 | Pine Tree Lane | 6 | Gary Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | William T. Young | 1:23.00 |
| 1987 | Pine Tree Lane | 5 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas | L. Don Mathis | 1:21.80 |
| 1986 | Her Royalty | 5 | Chris McCarron | Bruce Headley | Johnston et al. | 1:21.60 |
| 1985 | Lovlier Linda | 5 | Bill Shoemaker | Willard L. Proctor | William R. Hawn | 1:22.80 |
| 1984 | Bara Lass | 5 | Walter Guerra | D. Wayne Lukas | Sam E. Stevens | 1:22.00 |
| 1983 | Past Forgetting | 5 | Chris McCarron | Gordon Campbell | Bernard J. Ridder | 1:23.40 |
| 1982 | Past Forgetting | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Gordon Campbell | Bernard. J. Ridder | 1:20.60 |
| 1981 | Parsley | 5 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas | Robert H. Spreen | 1:23.40 |
| 1980 | Flack Flack | 5 | Bill Shoemaker | D. Wayne Lukas | Blatz & Smith | 1:23.80 |
| 1979 | Grenzen | 4 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Loren Rettele | Delaplaine/Schaffer/Woolsey | 1:21.60 |
| 1979 | Winter Solstice | 6 | Darrel McHargue | Gordon C. Campbell | Bernard J. Ridder | 1:21.20 |
| 1977 | Hail Hilarious | 4 | Don Pierce | Neil D. Drysdale | Saron Stable | 1:22.60 |
| 1976 | Gay Style | 6 | Don Pierce | Charles Whittingham | John Sikura Jr. | 1:22.00 |
| 1975 | Sister Fleet | 5 | Fernando Toro | Robert P. King | Gordon B. Howell | 1:21.40 |
| 1974 | Tizna | 5 | Fernando Toro | Henry M. Moreno | Nile Financial Corp. | 1:24.00 |
| 1973 | Chou Croute | 5 | John L. Rotz | Bob G. Dunham | Folsom Farm & Jones Jr. | 1:23.60 |
| 1972 | Typecast | 6 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Tommy Doyle | Westerly Stud Farms | 1:21.40 |
| 1971 | Manta | 5 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Farrell W. Jones | Elmendorf | 1:22.20 |
| 1970 | no race | | | | | |
| 1969 | Gamely | 5 | Wayne Harris | James W. Maloney | William Haggin Perry | 1:23.60 |
| 1968 | Amerigo Lady | 4 | Don Pierce | Robert L. Wheeler | Rokeby Stables | 1:23.00 |
| 1967 | Miss Moona | 4 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Steve Ippolito | Jacnot Stable | 1:22.40 |
| 1966 | Batteur | 6 | Eddie Belmonte | James W. Maloney | William Haggin Perry | 1:22.40 |
| 1965 | Face The Facts | 4 | Manuel Ycaza | James W. Maloney | William Haggin Perry | 1:22.00 |
| 1965 | Chop House | 5 | Ismael Valenzuela | Ted Saladin | M/M Bert W. Martin | 1:22.40 |
| 1964 | Chop House | 4 | Braulio Baeza | Ted Saladin | M/M Bert W. Martin | 1:22.80 |
| 1963 | Table Mate | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Warren Stute | Kerr Stable | 1:22.00 |
| 1962 | Perizade | 6 | Rudy Campas | Noble Threewitt | Dr. & Mrs. T. M. Brown | 1:22.40 |
| 1961 | Taboo | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | John H. Adams | Ralph Lowe | 1:23.00 |
| 1961 | Swiss Roll | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Robert L. Wheeler | C. V. Whitney | 1:22.20 |
| 1960 | Silver Spoon | 4 | Eddie Arcaro | Robert L. Wheeler | C. V. Whitney | 1:23.00 |
| 1959 | Bug Brush | 4 | Angel Valenzuela | Robert L. Wheeler | C. V. Whitney | 1:23.00 |
| 1958 | Market Basket | 4 | Raymond York | Jack. M. Phillips | Connie M. Ring | 1:22.80 |
| 1957 | Mary Machree | 6 | George Taniguchi | William B. Finnegan | El Peco Ranch | 1:22.00 |