Cal Cup program moved to closing day
A distance change for the Las Palmas Handicap and a later date for California Cup Day are two of the most significant changes to the schedule of 28 stakes to be run during the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting, from Sept. 28 to Nov. 6.
The $150,000 Las Palmas Handicap for fillies and mares will be run over a mile, a reduction of one furlong from past runnings. According to director of racing Mike Harlow, the move to a shorter Las Palmas is designed to make the race more of a prep to the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes, run over a mile on turf in late November at Hollywood Park.
The California Cup was run Saturday, Oct. 16, in 2004 and has been moved this year to Sunday, Nov. 6, the final day of the meeting. The move to a later date puts the California Cup a week after the Breeders' Cup, which will be run at Belmont Park in New York.
A later California Cup means that many starters in the 10 races on the program are likely to have prep races during the early weeks of the Oak Tree meeting.
The richest races of the meeting are preps for the Breeders' Cup, and are run on the first Saturday of the meeting, Oct. 1: the $500,000 Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap and $500,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes.
2005 stakes schedule
| DATE | EVENT | CONDITIONS | DISTANCE | PURSE |
| Wed.,Sept. 28 | Sen. Ken Maddy Hcp. (G3) | F&M, 3YO & Up | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | $100,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 1 | Goodwood B.C. Hcp. (G2) | 3YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles | 500,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 1 | Yellow Ribbon Stakes (G1) | F&M 3YO & Up | 1 1/4 miles (T) | 500,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 1 | Oak Leaf Stakes (G2) | 2 YO F | 1 1/16 miles | 200,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 2 | C. Hirsch Turf CHAMPIONSHIP (G1) | 3YO & Up | 1 1/4 miles (T) | 250,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 2 | Lady's Secret BC Hcp. (G2) | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles | 250,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 2 | Norfolk Stakes (G2) | 2 YO | 1 1/16 miles | 200,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 8 | Oak Tree BC Mile (G2) | 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 250,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 8 | Ancient Title BC Stakes (G1) | 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 250,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 9 | Cavonnier Stakes | 2 YO* | 7 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Mon.,Oct. 10 | Cover Gal Stakes | 2 YO F* | 7 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 15 | Oak Tree Derby (G2) | 3 YO | 1 1/8 miles(T) | 150,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 16 | Harold Ramser Sr. Hcp. | 3 YO F | 1 mile (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 22 | Sunny Slope Stakes | 2 YO | 7 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 23 | Anoakia Stakes | 2 YO F | 7 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 29 | Morvich Hcp. | 3YO & Up | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 100,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 30 | Carleton Burke Hcp. (G3) | 3YO & Up | 1 1/2 miles(T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Nov. 5 | Las Palmas Hcp. (G2) | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 150,000 |
| Sun.,Nov. 6 | California Cup Classic | 3YO & Up* | 1 1/8 miles | 250,000 |
| Sun.,Nov. 6 | California Cup Mile | 3YO & Up* | 1 mile (T) | 175,000 |
| Sun.,Nov. 6 | California Cup Matron | F&M, 3YO & Up* | 1 1/16 miles | 150,000 |
| Sun.,Nov. 6 | California Cup Sprint | 3YO & Up* | 6 furlongs | 150,000 |
| Sun.,Nov. 6 | California Cup Distaff | F&M, 3YO & Up* | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 150,000 |
| Sun.,Nov. 6 | California Cup Juvenile | 2YO* | 1 1/16 miles | 125,000 |
| Sun.,Nov. 6 | California Cup Juvenile | FILLIES2 YO F* | 1 1/16 miles | 125,000 |
| Sun.,Nov. 6 | California Cup Distance Hcp. | F&M, 3YO & Up* | 1 1/4 miles(T) | 100,000 |
| Sun.,Nov. 6 | California Cup Starter Hcp. | 3YO & Up* | 1 1/2 miles (T) | 50,000 |
| Sun.,Nov. 6 | California Cup Starter Sprint Hcp. | 3 YO & Up* | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
*Cal-bred