Santa Anita plans 'California Crown' as counterpart to Pegasus World Cup

The parent company of Santa Anita plans to launch later this year a counterpart to the Pegasus World Cup program held at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.

Belinda Stronach, the chairwoman of the parent company for both tracks, 1/ST Racing, told the Associated Press on Friday that the California Crown for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles will be held at Santa Anita on Sept. 28, the first weekend of the track’s autumn meeting.

In the past, the track has hosted the Grade 1 Awesome Again for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles at that time of year as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic later in the fall.

No details were released on how the California Crown would affect the existing stakes schedule.

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The report did not disclose a purse for the California Crown, or how the race will be financed. The announcement comes at a time when Santa Anita is facing a severe purse deficit of approximately $4 million after handle has failed to keep pace with projections in recent years.

For the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, which began on Dec. 26, Santa Anita cut purses for some overnight races and reduced stakes purses for the season by more than $2 million.

Saturday’s 13-race program at Gulfstream Park was the track’s richest annual day. The program includes two Grade 1 races worth seven-figures at 1 1/8 miles – the $3 million Pegasus World Cup, and the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational on turf.

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