With its original start date delayed due to air quality concerns related to the Bobcat Fire, Santa Anita Park has announced a revised Autumn Meet Stakes Schedule, which will begin on Friday, Sept. 25 and will offer fans and horsemen a total of 12 stakes, 11 of them graded, over its three-day opening weekend. Prominent among these stakes offerings are a total of seven Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifiers, which will be run Saturday and Sunday.
With first post time set for 12:30 p.m. on Friday, the Grade II, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes, for 3-year-olds and up at 5 ½ furlongs on turf and the Grade III, $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes, for fillies and mares three and up at 6 ½ furlongs on the main track, will highlight the opening day card.
On Saturday, Sept. 26, a total of seven stakes, five of them Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” qualifiers, will be offered on what promises to be a blockbuster Breeders' Cup prep afternoon.
The Grade I, $300,000 Awesome Again, for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one eighth (which promises to attract superstar Maximum Security), the $300,000 Rodeo Drive, for fillies and mares at a mile and one quarter on turf, the Grade I, $300,000 American Pharoah, for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, the Grade II, $200,000 Chandelier, for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles and the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes, for 2-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs on turf, are all Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” stakes that will provide the winners of each race a fees-paid berth into their respective Breeders' Cup races at Keeneland Nov. 6 & 7.
In addition to these five Breeders' Cup Challenge Races on Saturday, Santa Anita will also present the Grade II, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one quarter on turf and the $75,000 Unzip Me Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 5 ½ furlongs on turf.
On Sunday, two additional Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Races will be offered, the Grade II, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles and the Grade II, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs. The Grade III, $100,000 Tokyo City Cup, to be run at the marathon distance of a mile and one half, will also share top Sunday billing.
Although Santa Anita remains closed to the general public due to the Covid-19 pandemic, fans are encouraged follow Santa Anita's live racing free of charge via santaanita.com. Those wishing to watch and wager may do so via XpressBet.com or 1stBet.com. Santa Anita's complete Autumn Meet Stakes Schedule is available at www.santaanita.com/stakes-schedule/.
For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.
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