Grade 1's start meet with bang
Led by four Grade 1 stakes on its first two weekends, the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting will feature 28 stakes. The meet runs from Sept. 27 to Oct. 29.
Three of the Grade 1 races are being run on Sept. 30 and two of them have had their purses altered. The purse for the Yellow Ribbon Stakes, for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on turf, has been cut from $500,000 to $400,000. The purse for the Oak Leaf Breeders' Cup Stakes has been increased $50,000, to $250,000. The Oak Leaf, promoted from a Grade 2 since last year, is run for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.
The prep races for the Breeders' Cup are spread out over the first two weekends of the meet - Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 and Oct. 7-8. Last year, six Breeders' Cup preps were run on the same weekend.
The purses of four minor stakes for 2-year-olds have been cut by $10,000, to $65,000 - the Cover Gal and Cavonnier stakes for California-breds at seven furlongs, and the Anoakia and Sunny Slope stakes at six furlongs.
The California Cup on Oct. 28 is the highlight of the second half of the meeting. The program is on the final Saturday of the meeting and features 10 stakes for statebreds.
2006 stakes schedule
| DATE | EVENT | CONDITIONS | DISTANCE | PURSE |
| Wed.,Sept. 27 | Sen. Ken Maddy Handicap (G3) | F&M, 3YO & Up | Abt. 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | $100,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 30 | Yellow Ribbon Stakes (G1) | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/4 miles (T) | 400,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 30 | Hirsch Turf Championship (G1) | 3YO & Up | 1 1/4 miles (T) | 250,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 30 | Oak Leaf B.C. Stakes (G1) | 2YO F | 1 1/16 miles | 250,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 1 | Lady's Secret B.C. Handicap (G2) | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles | 250,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 7 | Ancient Title B.C. Stakes (G1) | 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 250,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 7 | Goodwood B.C. Handicap (G2) | 3YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles | 500,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 7 | Oak Tree B.C. Mile (G2) | 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 250,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 8 | Norfolk B.C. Stakes (G2) | 2YO | 1 1/16 miles | 250,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 8 | Cover Gal Stakes | 2YO F* | 7 furlongs | 65,000 |
| Mon.,Oct. 9 | Cavonnier Stakes | 2YO* | 7 furlongs | 65,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 14 | Oak Tree Derby (G2) | 3YO | 1 1/8 miles (T) | 150,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 15 | Harold C. Ramser Sr. Handicap | 3YO F | 1 mile (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 21 | Anoakia Stakes | 2YO F | 6 furlongs | 65,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 21 | Carleton F. Burke Handicap (G3) | 3YO & Up | 1 1/2 miles (T) | 100,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 22 | Sunny Slope Stakes | 2YO | 6 furlongs | 65,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 28 | CAL CUP Classic | 3YO & Up* | 1 1/8 miles | 250,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 28 | CAL CUP mile | 3YO & Up* | 1 mile (T) | 175,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 28 | CAL CUP Matron | F&M, 3YO & Up* | 1 1/16 miles | 150,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 28 | CAL CUP Sprint | 3YO & Up* | 6 furlongs | 150,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 28 | CAL CUP Distaff | F&M, 3YO & Up* | Abt. 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 150,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 28 | CAL CUP Juvenile | 2YO* | 1 1/16 miles | 125,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 28 | CAL CUP Juvenile Fillies | 2YO F* | 1 1/16 miles | 125,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 28 | CAL CUP Distance Handicap | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/4 miles (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 28 | CAL CUP Starter Handicap | 3YO & Up* | 1 1/2 miles (T) | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 28 | CAL CUP Starter Sprint Handicap | 3YO & Up* | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 29 | Morvich Handicap (G3) | 3YO & UpAbt. | 6 1/2 furlongs (T) | 100,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 29 | Las Palmas Handicap (G2) | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles (T) | 150,000 |
*Cal-bred