La Brea Stakes

The La Brea Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually since 1974 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to three-year-old fillies, it is raced over a distance of seven furlongs on dirt, except from 2007 to 2011 when the track used a synthetic Cushion Track surface. A Grade I event, it currently offers a purse of $300,000 and is the last Grade I race for three-year-old fillies in the calendar year.

La Brea Stakes

Grade I race
Location	Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California
Inaugurated	1974
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.santaanita.com
Race information
Distance	7 furlongs
Surface	Dirt
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-old Fillies
Weight	Assigned
Purse	$300,000

Inaugurated in 1974, through 1976 the La Brea Stakes was run at ​1 ¹⁄₁₆ miles and open to three-year-olds. There was no race held in 1977 and 1986. In 1975, 1982, 1985 and 1990 it was run both in January and December. It was run in two divisions in 1975 and again in 1991.

Named for the area in Southern California called La Brea, noted for the La Brea Tar Pits in the middle of the city of Los Angeles. The word "brea" is Spanish for tar.

The La Brea Stakes is part of Santa Anita Park's La Cañada Series of races open to newly turning/turned 4-year old fillies and run at an increasing distance. The series begins with the La Brea Stakes at 7 furlongs followed by the G-II El Encino Stakes at ​1 ¹⁄₁₆ miles in mid January, then the G-II La Cañada Stakes at ​1 ¹⁄₈ miles in mid February. Since the creation of the series in 1975, only three fillies have ever won all three races: Taisez Vous (1978), Mitterand (1985), and Got Koko (2003). The Santa Anita Park counterpart series for male horses is the Strub Series.

Records

Speed record: (at present distance of 7 furlongs)

• 1:20.33 - Switch (2010)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 5 - Chris McCarron (1982 (2), 1991, 1995, 1996)
• 5 - Mike E. Smith (2004, 2007, 2015, 2017, 2019)
• 5 - Gary Stevens (1987, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2013)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 7 - Bob Baffert (1992, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - Michael E. Pegram (1992, 1999, 2005)

Winners of the La Brea Stakes

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2019	Hard Not to Love	Mike E. Smith	John Shirreffs	Mercedes Stables et al.	1:22.17
2018	Spiced Perfection	Flavien Prat	Brian J. Koriner	Dare To Dream Stable LLC (Michael Faber)	1:23.54
2017	Unique Bella	Mike E. Smith	Jerry Hollendorfer	Don Alberto Stable	1:21.49
2016	Constellation	Flavien Prat	Jerry Hollendorfer	LNJ Foxwoods	1:21.83
2015	Birdatthewire	Mike E. Smith	Dale L. Romans	Forum Racing IV	1:23.31
2014	Sam's Sister	Elvis Trujillo	Jerry Hollendorfer	Dedomenico/Hollendorfer/Todaro	1:22.52
2013	Heir Kitty	Gary Stevens	Peter Miller	Bernsen/Makin	1:21.47
2012	Book Review	Rafael Bejarano	Bob Baffert	Mary & Gary West	1:22.41
2011	Teddy's Promise	Victor Espinoza	Ron Ellis	Ted & Judy Nichols	1:20.47
2010	Switch	Joel Rosario	John W. Sadler	CRK Stable	1:20.33
2009	Evita Argentina	Joel Rosario	John W. Sadler	Halo Farms/Three Sisters	1:21.78
2008	Indian Blessing	John Velazquez	Bob Baffert	Patti/Hal Earnhardt	1:20.89
2007	Dearest Trickski	Mike E. Smith	John W. Sadler	Tom Mankiewicz	1:21.09
2006	Downthedustyroad	Jon Court	Bob Baffert	Zayat Stables	1:21.40
2005	Pussycat Doll	Garrett Gomez	Bob Baffert	Michael E. Pegram	1:21.36
2004	Alphabet Kisses	Mike E. Smith	Martin F. Jones	Harris Farms	1:21.38
2003	Island Fashion	Kent Desormeaux	Marcelo Polanco	Everest Stables	1:22.12
2002	Got Koko	Alex Solis	Bruce Headley	Aase Headley/Paul Leung	1:22.57
2001	Affluent	Ed Delahoussaye	Ronald McAnally	Janis R. Whitham	1:21.29
2000	Spain	Victor Espinoza	D. Wayne Lukas	The Thoroughbred Corp.	1:22.27
1999	Hookedonthefeelin	David R. Flores	Bob Baffert	Michael E. Pegram	1:21.84
1998	Magical Allure	Gary Stevens	Bob Baffert	Golden Eagle Farm	1:22.06
1997	I Ain't Bluffing	Ed Delahoussaye	Ronald W. Ellis	Jan Siegel et al.	1:21.23
1996	Hidden Lake	Chris McCarron	Walter Greenman	D. E. & Estate J. E. Weir	1:22.00
1995	Exotic Wood	Chris McCarron	Ronald W. Ellis	Pam & Martin Wygod	1:21.57
1994	Top Rung	Gary Stevens	Willard L. Proctor	Glen Hill Farm	1:21.84
1993	Mamselle Bebette	Corey Nakatani	Jack Van Berg	Big Train Farm	1:20.45
1992	Arches of Gold	Ed Delahoussaye	Bob Baffert	Pegram & Bob Roth	1:21.28
1991	D'Or Ruckus	Chris McCarron	Gerald Moerman	JBS Stable	1:22.05
1991	Teresa Mc	Pat Valenzuela	Greg Gilchrist	Harris Farms, Inc.	1:23.05
1990	Brought To Mind	Alex Solis	Ron McAnally	Tadahiro Hotehama	1:21.60
1990	Akinemod	Gary Stevens	Jerry M. Fanning	El Rancho de Jaklin	1:21.60
1989	Variety Baby	Corey Black	Bruce Headley	Kjell H. Qvale	1:21.60
1988	Very Subtle	Pat Valenzuela	Melvin F. Stute	Ben Rochelle	1:21.60
1987	Family Style	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	Eugene V. Klein	1:22.60
1985	Savannah Slew	Bill Shoemaker	Ron McAnally	Allen E. Paulson	1:22.40
1985	Mitterand	Ed Delahoussaye	Randy Winick	Silver Star Stable/Winick	1:21.80
1983	Lovlier Linda	Bill Shoemaker	Willard L. Proctor	William R. Hawn	1:22.20
1982	Beautiful Glass	Chris McCarron	Gary F. Jones	Golden Eagle Farm	1:21.00
1982	Nell's Briquette	Chris McCarron	Loren Rettele	Triple L. Stables, Inc.	1:25.80
1981	Dynanite	Bill Shoemaker	John W. Russell	Mrs. Harold Cole	1:21.40
1980	Terlingua	Darrel McHargue	D. Wayne Lukas	B A Beal/L R French, Jr.	1:20.80
1979	Great Lady M.	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	D. Wayne Lukas	Robert H. Spreen	1:22.60
1978	Taisez Vous	Don Pierce	Robert L. Wheeler	Vernon & Ann Eachus	1:22.80
1976	Kirby Lane	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Laz Barrera	Gedney Farms	1:45.20
1975	Bobby Murcer	Eddie Belmonte	Joe Trovato	Carl Rosen	1:43.40
1975	Featherfoot	Bill Shoemaker	Laz Barrera	Harbor View Farm	1:42.20
1975	Big Destiny	Sandy Hawley	Sid Martin	David J. Foster	1:42.80
1974	Niner Power	Steve J. Valdez	Buster Millerick	Mr. & Mrs Carl Galea	1:43.80