# Santa Anita Sprint Championship

The Santa Anita Sprint Championship is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old or older over the distance of six furlongs on the dirt scheduled annually in September at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The event currently carries a purse of $200,000.

## History

The race was originally named in honor of the California-bred horse Ancient Title, a two-time California Horse of the Year and a National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame inductee. The inaugural running of the event was at Hollywood Park as an overnight stakes event for three year olds on 23 December 1983 over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles. The following year the distance of the event was shortened to 1 mile. In 1985 the event was moved to the Oak Tree Racing Association meeting at Santa Anita Park as a sprint for horses three-year-olds and older over six furlongs.
In 1990 the event was classified by the American Graded Stakes Committee as Grade III and was upgraded to Grade II status in 1999. In 2001 the event was upgraded to Grade I.
In 2012 the event was renamed to the Santa Anita Sprint Championship.
Between 1990 and 2006, the Breeders' Cup sponsored the event which reflected in the name of the event. The event is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, the winner of the race automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Sprint.
As of 2020 the race was downgraded to Grade II.

## Records

Time record:
* 1:07.53 - Cost of Freedom (2008)
Margins:
* 6+1⁄4 lengths – Straight No Chaser (2024)
Most wins:
* 2 - Roy H (2017, 2018)
* 2 - Dr Schivel (2021, 2023)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 - J. Paul Reddam (2001, 2004)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 4 - Ed Delahoussaye (1990, 1993, 1996, 2001)
* 4 - Kent J. Desormeaux (1992, 1998, 1999, 2017)
* 4 - Mike E. Smith (2011, 2013, 2019, 2022)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 - John W. Sadler (1988, 1991, 1995, 2008)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes |||||||||||
| 2024 | Straight No Chaser | 5 | John R. Velazquez | Dan Blacker | MyRacehorse | 6 furlongs | 1:08.54 | $201,000 | II | |
| 2023 | Dr Schivel | 5 | Juan J. Hernandez | Mark Glatt | Red Baron's Barn, Rancho Temescal, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and William Branch | 6 furlongs | 1:08.49 | $202,000 | II | |
| 2022 | Howbeit | 5 | Mike E. Smith | Mark Glatt | It Pays to Dream Racing Stable, Saints or Sinners, Danny Haramoto, Sheldon Kawahara & Gregory Yamamoto | 6 furlongs | 1:10.15 | $200,500 | II | |
| 2021 | Dr Schivel | 3 | Flavien Prat | Mark Glatt | Red Baron's Barn, Rancho Temescal, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and William Branch | 6 furlongs | 1:09.44 | $200,500 | II | |
| 2020 | C Z Rocket | 6 | Luis Saez | Peter L. Miller | Gary Barber, Tom Kagele, Madaket Stables | 6 furlongs | 1:09.14 | $200,000 | II | |
| 2019 | Omaha Beach | 3 | Mike E. Smith | Richard E. Mandella | Fox Hill Farm Inc | 6 furlongs | 1:08.79 | $300,351 | I | |
| 2018 | Roy H | 6 | Paco Lopez | Peter L. Miller | Rockingham Ranch & David Bernsen | 6 furlongs | 1:09.09 | $300,000 | I | |
| 2017 | Roy H | 5 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Peter L. Miller | Rockingham Ranch & David Bernsen | 6 furlongs | 1:08.68 | $300,345 | I | |
| 2016 | Lord Nelson | 4 | Flavien Prat | Bob Baffert | Spendthrift Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:08.80 | $300,000 | I | |
| 2015 | Wild Dude | 5 | Rafael Bejarano | Jerry Hollendorfer | Jerry Hollendorfer & Green Smith | 6 furlongs | 1:09.45 | $300,000 | I | |
| 2014 | Rich Tapestry (IRE) | 6 | Olivier Doleuze | C. W. Chang | Silas Yang Siu Shun, Wong Tak Wai, Ho Chi Keung & Cheung Yuk Tak | 6 furlongs | 1:07.59 | $300,000 | I | |
| 2013 | Points Offthebench | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Tim Yakteen | Donnie Crevier & Charles V. Martin | 6 furlongs | 1:08.00 | $250,500 | I | |
| 2012 | Coil | 4 | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | 6 furlongs | 1:09.89 | $250,000 | I | |
| Ancient Title Stakes |||||||||||
| 2011 | Amazombie | 5 | Mike E. Smith | William Spawr | William Spawr & Thomas C. Sanford | 6 furlongs | 1:08.24 | $250,000 | I | |
| At Hollywood Park – Ancient Title Stakes |||||||||||
| 2010 | Smiling Tiger | 3 | Russell Baze | Jeff Bonde | Alan Phillip Klein & Philip Lebherz | 6 furlongs | 1:09.37 | $245,000 | I | |
| At Santa Anita Park – Ancient Title Stakes |||||||||||
| 2009 | Gayego | 4 | Garrett K. Gomez | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin Racing | 6 furlongs | 1:08.28 | $300,000 | I | |
| 2008 | Cost of Freedom | 5 | Tyler Baze | John W. Sadler | Gary & Cecil Barber | 6 furlongs | 1:07.53 | $250,000 | I | |
| 2007 | Idiot Proof | 3 | David R. Flores | Clifford W. Sise Jr. | Pam & Martin Wygod | 6 furlongs | 1:07.57 | $300,000 | I | |
| 2006 | Bordonaro | 5 | Pat Valenzuela | William Spawr | Fred Carrillo & Daniel A. Cassella | 6 furlongs | 1:07.93 | $220,000 | I | |
| 2005 | Captain Squire | 6 | Alex O. Solis | Jeff Mullins | Robert D. Bone & Jeffrey S. Diener | 6 furlongs | 1:08.85 | $236,000 | I | |
| Ancient Title Handicap |||||||||||
| 2004 | Pt's Grey Eagle | 3 | Alex Bisono | Craig Dollase | J. Paul Reddam | 6 furlongs | 1:08.84 | $213,000 | I | |
| 2003 | Avanzado (ARG) | 6 | Tyler Baze | Doug F. O'Neill | Cees Stable (Cecilia Straub-Rubens & Michael Cooper) | 6 furlongs | 1:08.12 | $156,625 | I | |
| 2002 | Kalookan Queen | 6 | Alex O. Solis | Bruce Headley | Louis A. Asistio | 6 furlongs | 1:08.26 | $207,875 | I | |
| 2001 | Swept Overboard | 4 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Craig Dollase | J. Paul Reddam | 6 furlongs | 1:07.67 | $207,100 | I | |
| 2000 | Kona Gold | 6 | Alex O. Solis | Bruce Headley | Bruce Headley & Irwin and Andrew Molasky | 6 furlongs | 1:08.11 | $196,498 | II | |
| 1999 | Lexicon | 4 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Richard E. Mandella | Jerry & Ann Moss | 6 furlongs | 1:07.84 | $207,500 | II | |
| 1998 | Gold Land | 7 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Neil D. Drysdale | Prince Fahd Salman | 6 furlongs | 1:08.50 | $156,700 | III | |
| 1997 | Elmhurst | 7 | Corey Nakatani | Jenine Sahadi | Evergreen Farm & Jenine Sahadi | 6 furlongs | 1:08.82 | $155,000 | III | |
| 1996 | Lakota Brave | 7 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Bruce Headley | 505 Farms, Bruce Headley, Mizrahie, et al | 6 furlongs | 1:08.16 | $149,200 | III | |
| 1995 | Track Gal | 4 | Gary L. Stevens | John W. Sadler | William H. Oldknow & Robert W. Phipps | 6 furlongs | 1:08.32 | $99,150 | III | |
| 1994 | Saratoga Gambler | 6 | Martin A. Pedroza | William Spawr | Ken Porter | 6 furlongs | 1:08.87 | $107,500 | III | |
| 1993 | Cardmania | 7 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Derek Meredith | Jean Couvercelle | 6 furlongs | 1:08.04 | $106,975 | III | |
| 1992 | Gray Slewpy | 4 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Dan L. Hendricks | Ed Friendly | 6 furlongs | 1:08.48 | $106,360 | III | |
| 1991 | Frost Free | 6 | Chris McCarron | John W. Sadler | Triple Dot Dash Stable & Jim Vandervoort | 6 furlongs | 1:08.66 | $97,775 | III | |
| 1990 | Corwyn Bay (IRE) | 4 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Richard E. Mandella | Randall D. Hubbard | 6 furlongs | 1:08.40 | $97,000 | III | |
| 1989 | Sam Who | 4 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Henry M. Moreno | Sam Stevens & Nita Brooks | 6 furlongs | 1:08.00 | $75,000 | | |
| 1988 | Olympic Prospect | 4 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | John W. Sadler | Gregg Alsdorf, Lawrence Opas & Frank Sinatra | 6 furlongs | 1:09.00 | $95,500 | | |
| 1987 | Zany Tactics | 6 | Jack L. Kaenel | Blake R. Heap | Vera C. Brunette | 6 furlongs | 1:09.00 | $63,700 | | |
| 1986 | Groovy | 3 | Jose A. Santos | Jose A. Martin | Theodore V. Kruckel & John A. Ballis | 6 furlongs | 1:08.20 | $85,650 | | |
| 1985 | Temerity Prince | 5 | Wesley A. Ward | Charles E. Whittingham | J. R. Querbes III (Lessee) | 6 furlongs | 1:09.20 | $64,150 | | |
| At Hollywood Park – Ancient Title Stakes |||||||||||
| 1984 | § Party Leader | 3 | Chris McCarron | Gary F. Jones | Elmendorf Farm | 1 mile | 1:35.60 | $45,375 | | 3YO only |
| 1983 | Video Kid | 3 | Rafael Meza | Pedro Marti | Burt Bacharach | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:40.80 | $45,250 | | 3YO only |
Legend:
 All Weather Track  Dirt
Notes:
§ Ran as an entry