Big Cap tops list of 74 stakes
Santa Anita has made minimal changes to the stakes schedule for its winter-spring meeting, which runs from Dec. 26 through April 23.
The list of 74 stakes is highlighted by 10 Grade 1 events, including the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on March 4. The only other seven-figure race at the meeting is the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic on Jan. 28, one of four stakes that day for California-breds and Florida-breds. The Sunshine Millions Classic alternates between Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park in Florida each year.
The $750,000 Santa Anita Derby is run April 8, on a program that features two other graded stakes - the Arcadia Handicap and Providencia Stakes. The distances of the Providencia and La Puente stakes, both for 3-year-olds on turf, have been reduced from 1 1/8 miles to a mile.
The 2005-06 stakes schedule includes 14 overnight stakes worth $75,000. Many of the races did not appear on the pre-meet schedule last year, but were included in the condition books as the meet proceeded.
Only one stakes has a reduced purse. The San Miguel Stakes for 3-year-olds at six furlongs on Jan. 8 has been cut from $100,000 to $75,000.
Santa Anita has restored the $100,000 Pro or Con Handicap for California-bred fillies and mares at a mile on turf, a race that was not run in 2005.
2005-06 stakes schedule
| DATE | EVENT | CONDITIONS | DISTANCE | PURSE |
| Mon.,Dec. 26 | Malibu Stakes (G1) | 3YO | 7 furlongs | $250,000 |
| Mon.,Dec. 26 | CA. Breeders Champion Stakes | 2YO* | 7 furlongs | 125,000 |
| Mon.,Dec. 26 | Sir Beaufort Stakes | 3YO | 1 mile (T) | 100,000 |
| Wed.,Dec. 28 | CA. Breeders Champion Stakes | 2YO F* | 7 furlongs | 125,000 |
| Sat.,Dec. 31 | La Brea Stakes (G1) | 3YO F | 7 furlongs | 250,000 |
| Sat.,Dec. 31 | Monrovia Handicap (G3) | F&M, 3YO & Up | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 100,000 |
| Sun.,Jan. 1 | San Gabriel Handicap (G2 | )4YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles (T) | 150,000 |
| Sun.,Jan. 1 | Blue Norther Stakes | 3YO F | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 |
| Mon.,Jan. 2 | El Conejo Handicap (G3) | 4YO & Up | 5 1/2 furlongs | 100,000 |
| Mon.,Jan. 2 | Hill Rise Stakes | 3YO | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 |
| Thu.,Jan. 5 | Kalookan Queen Handicap | F&M, 4YO & Up | 6 1/2 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Jan. 7 | San Pasqual Handicap (G2) | 4YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles | 150,000 |
| Sat.,Jan. 7 | Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) | 3YO F | 1 1/16 miles | 100,000 |
| Sun.,Jan. 8 | San Gorgonio Handicap (G2) | F&M, 4YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles (T) | 150,000 |
| Sun.,Jan. 8 | San Miguel Stakes | 3YO | 6 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Fri.,Jan. 13 | Paseana Handicap | F&M, 4YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Jan. 14 | San Fernando B.C. Stakes (G2) | 4YO | 1 1/16 miles | 200,000 |
| Sat.,Jan. 14 | San Rafael Stakes (G2) | 3YO | 1 mile | 150,000 |
| Sun.,Jan. 15 | El Encino Stakes (G2) | 4YO F | 1 1/16 miles | 150,000 |
| Mon.,Jan. 16 | Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) | 3YO F | 7 furlongs | 150,000 |
| Sat.,Jan. 21 | Palos Verdes Handicap (G2) | 4YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 150,000 |
| Sun.,Jan. 22 | San Marcos Stakes (G2) | 4YO & Up | 1 1/4 miles (T) | 150,000 |
| Thu.,Jan. 26 | Tuzla Handicap | F&M, 4YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Jan. 28 | Sunshine Millions Classic | 4YO & Up* | 1 1/8 miles | 1,000,000 |
| Sat.,Jan. 28 | Sunshine Millions F&M Turf | F&M, 4YO & Up* | 1 1/8 miles (T) | 500,000 |
| Sat.,Jan. 28 | Sunshine Millions F&M Sprint | F&M, 4YO & Up* | 6 furlongs | 300,000 |
| Sat.,Jan. 28 | Sunshine Millions Dash | 3YO* | 6 furlongs | 250,000 |
| Sun.,Jan. 29 | Santa Monica Handicap (G1) | F&M, 4YO & Up | 7 furlongs | 250,000 |
| Sun.,Jan. 29 | Wishing Well Handicap | F&M, 4YO & Up | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Feb. 4 | Strub Stakes (G2) | 4YO | 1 1/8 miles | 300,000 |
| Sat.,Feb. 4 | Sham Stakes | 3YO | 1 1/8 miles | 100,000 |
| Sun.,Feb. 5 | San Antonio Handicap (G2) | 4YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles | 250,000 |
| Wed.,Feb. 8 | Thunder Road Handicap | 4YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Feb. 11 | Las Virgenes Stakes (G1) | 3YO F | 1 mile | 250,000 |
| Sat.,Feb. 11 | Santa Maria Handicap (G1) | F&M, 4YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles | 250,000 |
| Sun.,Feb. 12 | La Canada Stakes (G2) | 4YO F | 1 1/8 miles | 200,000 |
| Sun.,Feb. 12 | San Vicente Stakes (G2) | 3YO | 7 furlongs | 150,000 |
| Sat.,Feb. 18 | San Carlos Handicap (G2) | 4YO & Up | 7 furlongs | 150,000 |
| Sun.,Feb. 19 | Sensational Star Handicap | 4YO & Up* | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 125,000 |
| Sun.,Feb. 19 | Daytona Handicap | 4YO & Up | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 75,000 |
| Mon.,Feb. 20 | Buena Vista Handicap (G2) | F&M, 4YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 150,000 |
| Sat.,Feb. 25 | Las Flores Handicap (G3) | F&M, 4YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Feb. 25 | Pro or Con Handicap | F&M, 4YO & Up* | 1 mile (T) | 100,000 |
| Sun.,Feb. 26 | San Luis Obispo Handicap (G2) | 4YO & Up | 1 1/2 miles (T) | 150,000 |
| Sat.,March 4 | Santa Catalina Stakes (G2) | YO | 1 1/16 miles2 | 00,000 |
| Sat.,March 4 | Baldwin Stakes (G3) | 3YO | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,March 4 | Santa Anita Handicap (G1) | 4YO & Up | 1 1/4 miles | 1,000,000 |
| Sat.,March 4 | Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1) | 4YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 300,000 |
| Sun.,March 5 | La Habra Stakes | 3YO F | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,March 11 | Santa Margarita Handicap (G1) | F&M, 4YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles | 300,000 |
| Sat.,March 11 | China Doll Stakes | 3YO F | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 |
| Sun.,March 12 | Santa Anita Oaks (G1) | 3YO F | 1 1/16 miles | 300,000 |
| Sun.,March 12 | Santana Mile | 4YO & Up | 1 mile | 75,000 |
| Fri.,March 17 | Irish O'Brien Stakes | F&M, 4YO & Up* | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 125,000 |
| Sat.,March 18 | San Felipe Stakes (G2) | 3YO | 1 1/16 miles | 250,000 |
| Sat.,March 18 | Pasadena Stakes | 3YO | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 |
| Sun.,March 19 | Crystal Water Handicap | 4YO & Up* | 1 mile (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,March 25 | San Luis Rey Handicap (G2) | 4YO & Up | 1 1/2 miles (T) | 200,000 |
| Sun.,March 26 | Santa Ana Handicap (G2) | F&M, 4YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles (T) | 150,000 |
| Sat.,April 1 | Santa Paula Stakes | 3YO F | 6 1/2 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,April 1 | Tokyo City Cup (G3) | 4YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles | 100,000 |
| Sun.,April 2 | Potrero Grande B.C. Handicap (G2) | 4YO & Up | 6 1/2 furlongs | 200,000 |
| Sat.,April 8 | Arcadia Handicap (G2) | 4YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 150,000 |
| Sat.,April 8 | Santa Anita Derby (G1) | 3YO | 1 1/8 miles | 750,000 |
| Sat.,April 8 | Providencia Stakes (G3) | 3YO F | 1 mile (T) | 100,000 |
| Sun.,April 9 | San Pedro Stakes | 3YO | 6 1/2 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sun.,April 9 | Santa Lucia Handicap | F&M, 4YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles | 75,000 |
| Sat.,April 15 | La Puente Stakes | 3YO | 1 mile (T) | 100,000 |
| Sun.,April 16 | Las Cienegas Handicap (G3) | F&M, 4YO & Up | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,April 22 | Santa Barbara Handicap (G2) | F&M, 4YO & Up | 1 1/4 miles (T) | 200,000 |
| Sat.,April 22 | San Simeon Handicap (G3) | 4YO & Up | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 100,000 |
| Sun.,April 23 | San Juan Capistrano Handicap (G2) | 4YO & Up | 1 3/4 miles (T) | 250,000 |
*California-bred; *California/Florida-bred