Stanford added to graded stakes lineup

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Bay Meadows will offer four graded stakes during its spring meeting, including a new stakes, the Grade 3, $125,000 Stanford Breeders' Cup Handicap on March 19. A total of 15 stakes worth $1,225,000 will be offered during the 71-day meet, which begins Feb. 2.

Despite being a new race, the Stanford Breeders' Cup Handicap was given Grade 3 status by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's Graded Stakes Committee. A 1 1/16-mile turf race for older runners, the Stanford is being run at the same time the Golden Gate Handicap was in past years. Northern California's racing schedule was retooled this year, and as a result, Bay Meadows - rather than Golden Gate - will be running in March. The Graded Stakes Committee essentially ruled that the Stanford is taking the place of the Golden Gate Handicap on the schedule, even though Golden Gate Fields plans to run the Golden Gate Handicap during its meeting that begins in May.

Bay Meadows will also run northern California's two most prestigious races, the Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby on March 12 and the Grade 2, $150,000 San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile on April 23. The San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile, won last year by Breeders' Cup Mile winner Singletary, is northern California's highest-graded race.

The Bay Meadows meet begins with the Grade 3, $100,000 Seabiscuit Breeders' Cup Handicap on opening Saturday, Feb. 5.

A fifth $100,000 race, the San Mateo Mile for 3-year-olds, will be run Feb. 12. The race replaces the Golden State Mile, which was held at Golden Gate Fields last year.

Purses for the 10 overnight stakes on the schedule were increased by $5,000 to $55,000.

2005 Bay Meadows stakes schedule