Monrovia Stakes

Monrovia Stakes
Grade III race
Location Santa Anita Park
Arcadia, California,
United States
Inaugurated 1968
Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website www.santaanita.com
Race information
Distance about 6+1⁄2 furlongs
Surface Turf
Track left-handed
Qualification Fillies and mares three years old and older
Weight Older: 126lbs 3YOs: 120lbs
With allowances
Purse $200,000

The Monrovia Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, three years old and older over a distance of about 6+1⁄2 furlongs on the downhill turf course scheduled annually in April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

History

The event was inaugurated in 1968 as the Monrovia Handicap.

When conditions are too wet the Los Angeles Turf Club on discretion has moved the event to the dirt track. This has happened on several occasions including 1969, 1970, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1989, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2005 and 2019.

The event was run in two divisions in 1979.

The event was originally scheduled in February but the Los Angeles Turf Club in late 1999 moved the race to the start of the winter racing meet at Santa Anita whereby the race was run twice in the calendar year. The conditions of the race were modified so that three year old fillies could also enter the event. In 1999 and 2004 three year old fillies were victorious in the event.

In 2006 the club reverted to later in the 2006–2007 winter meet and consequently the event was not held in 2006. In 2007 the conditions were reverted so that only four year olds and older fillies and mares could enter. In 2017 the event was moved from January to May and the event once again allowed three year old fillies to enter.

The race is named after Monrovia, the local city near the track at Arcadia.

The race was renamed to the current name in 2011.

In 2019, the distance was shortened by over a furlong to five furlongs, and held on the dirt track due to the weather. In 2020 the event was extended to 5+1⁄2 furlongs and the following year was held at 6+1⁄2 furlongs.

In 2023 the event was downgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. However, the event was moved to the dirt and subsequently was downgraded to a Listed event.

Records

Speed record: (about 6+1⁄2 furlongs on turf)
  • 1:11.14 Pontchatrain (2014)

Most wins by an owner:


Most wins:

  • 2 - Winter Solstice (1976, 1977)
  • 2 - Mizdirection (2012, 2013)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
Monrovia Stakes
2023 Elm Drive 4 Ramon Vazquez Philip D'Amato Little Red Feather Racing 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.56 $201,000 Listed
2022 Brooke Marie 6 Juan Hernandez Eddie Kenneally Castleton Lyons abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.42 $200,500 II
2021 Venetian Harbor 4 Mario Gutierrez Richard Baltas Ciaglia Racing, Highland Yard, River Oak Farm & Domenic Savides 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.06 $201,500 II
2020 Jolie Olimpica (BRZ) 4 Mike E. Smith Richard E. Mandella Fox Hill Farms (Rick Porter) 5+1⁄2 furlongs 1:01.11 $201,000 II
2019 S Y Sky 5 Drayden Van Dyke Philip D'Amato Nicholas B. Alexander 5 furlongs 0:57.54 $200,702 III
2018 Belvoir Bay (GB) 5 Victor Espinoza Peter L. Miller Team Valor International & Gary Barber abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:12.80 $201,380 II
2017 Illuminant 5 Flavien Prat Michael W. McCarthy Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Head of Plains Partners, SF Racing abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:12.13 $201,035 II
2016 Prize Exhibit (GB) 4 Santiago Gonzalez James M. Cassidy DP Racing abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:12.96 $201,500 II
2015 Shrinking Violet 5 Kent J. Desormeaux Wesley A. Ward Wesley A. Ward abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:12.56 $201,500 II
2014 Pontchatrain 4 Gary L. Stevens Thomas F. Proctor Glen Hill Farm abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:11.14 $200,500 II
2013 Mizdirection 5 Mike E. Smith Mike Puype Jungle Racing LLC, et al. abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:11.94 $150,000 II
2012 Mizdirection 4 Garrett K. Gomez Mike Puype Jungle Racing LLC, et al. abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:11.64 $100,000 III
2011 Unzip Me 5 Rafael Bejarano Martin F. Jones Harris Farms Inc., Valpredo et al. abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:12.72 $100,000 III
Monrovia Handicap
2010 Tuscan Evening (IRE) 5 Rafael Bejarano Jerry Hollendorfer William de Burgh abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:12.56 $100,000 III
2009 Jibboom 5 Garrett K. Gomez Robert J. Frankel Juddmonte Farms abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.21 $100,000 III
2008 Alexandra Rose (SAF) 6 Rafael Bejarano Neil D. Drysdale Team Valor abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:12.86 $110,400 III
2007 Society Hostess 5 Garrett K. Gomez Christophe Clement Moyglare Stud Farm abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:12.85 $116,100 III
2006¶ Race not held
2005 Awesome Lady 4 Tyler Baze Gary Stute Mike Cavanaugh & Gary Stute 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:16.77 $112,600 Listed
2004 Resplendency 3 Casey Fusilier Bob Baffert Robert & Beverly Lewis 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.34 $113,550 Listed
2003 Icantgoforthat 4 Tyler Baze Steve Knapp Andy Broberg & Palmer Knapp abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.07 $109,300 III
2002 Lil Sister Stich 5 Laffit Pincay Jr. Doug F. O'Neill Howard, Kilgor, Koser, et al. abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.81 $114,700 III
2001 Paga (ARG) 4 Mike E. Smith Richard E. Mandella Edward C. Allred & Randall D. Hubbard abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.09 $109,300 III
2000 Evening Promise (GB) 4 Kent J. Desormeaux Kathy Walsh Richard Duggan & James R. Vreeland abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:12.62 $114,400 III
1999 (Dec.) Show Me the Stage 3 Kent J. Desormeaux Eric Guillot Brian Cain, Eric Guillot & Terry LeBlanc 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.14 $104,762 III
1999 (Jan.) Desert Lady (IRE) 4 Corey Nakatani Wallace Dollase The Thoroughbred Corp. abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.59 $108,500 III
1998 Madame Pandit 5 Eddie Delahoussaye Ronald L. McAnally Janis R. Whitham 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.80 $109,500 III
1997 Grab the Prize 5 Alex O. Solis Darrell Vienna Ernest Auerbach 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:16.89 $106,900 III
1996 Klassy Kim 5 Goncalino Almeida Melvin F. Stute Bill M. Thomas abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.48 $105,650 III
1995 Rabiadella 4 Pat Valenzuela J. Michael Orman Stonehenge Stables abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.92 $81,200 III
1994 Mamselle Bebette 4 Corey Nakatani Jack Van Berg Big Train Farm 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.35 $83,400 III
1993 Glen Kate (IRE) 6 Corey Black Bill Shoemaker Wayne Gretzky & Bruce McNall abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:12.89 $82,400 III
1992 Middlefork Rapids 4 Pat Valenzuela Terry Knight Dame Construction Co., Inc. abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:12.55 $84,900 III
1991 Wedding Bouquet (IRE) 4 Kent J. Desormeaux Gary F. Jones William de Burgh (Lessee) abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.80 $85,625 III
1990 Down Again 6 Corey Black Richard J. Cross Larry Robinson & Summa Stable abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.00 $83,950 III
1989 Daloma (FR) 5 Fernando H. Valenzuela Charles E. Whittingham Enemy Stables & Mandysland Farm 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:16.20 $83,300 Listed
1988 Aberuschka (IRE) 6 Gary L. Stevens Robert J. Frankel Ann & Jerry Moss abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.60 $83,800 Listed
1987 Sari's Heroine 4 Pat Valenzuela Melvin F. Stute Carl E. Grinstead & Ben Rochelle abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.00 $65,400 Listed
1986 Water Crystals 5 Gary L. Stevens Richard E. Mandella Bruce Steinberg abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.60 $67,100 Listed
1985 Lina Cavalieri (GB) 5 Eddie Delahoussaye Robert J. Frankel Ann & Jerry Moss abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.00 $66,650 Listed
1984 Tangent (NZ) 4 Julio A. Garcia Wayne Murty Bacchus, Harrison, McGee, et al. abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.60 $69,950 Listed
1983 Matching 5 Ray Sibille Steven L. Morguelan Glencrest Farm & Morguelan abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.20 $67,600 Listed
1982 Cat Girl 4 Chris McCarron Edwin J. Gregson Windblown Farm abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.60 $68,250 Listed
1981 Kilijaro (IRE) 5 Marco Castaneda Charles E. Whittingham Serge Fradkoff abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:12.40 $57,450 Listed
1980 Fondre 5 Frank Olivares John W. Fulton William L. Currin & William R. Hawn 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.20 $45,500 Listed
1979 Camarado 4 Bill Shoemaker Charles E. Whittingham Nelson Bunker Hunt abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.40 $36,400 Listed Division 1
Palmistry 4 Chris McCarron Willard L. Proctor William Haggin Perry abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.20 $36,000 Listed Division 2
1978 Little Happiness 4 Laffit Pincay Jr. Laz Barrera Harbor View Farm abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:16.00 $44,200 Listed
1977 Winter Solstice 5 Mark S. Sellers Gordon C. Campbell Bernard J. Ridder abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.60 $45,600 Listed
1976 Winter Solstice 4 Jerry Lambert Gordon C. Campbell Bernard J. Ridder 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:17.60 $33,800 Listed
1975 †Special Goddess 4 Sandy Hawley Robert Smith Fred W. Hooper abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.80 $34,200 Listed
1974 Viva La Vivi 4 Donald Pierce Harold Hodosh Alix Brotman & Malibu Stable abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.00 $29,050 Listed
1973 Tizna (CHI) 4 Fernando Toro Henry M. Moreno Regal Enterprises Inc. abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.80 $36,200 Listed
1972 Mia Mood 4 Victor Tejada John W. Russell Fred W. Hooper abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.00 $33,850
1971 Atomic Wings 4 Robby Kilborn James I. Nazworthy Sledge Stable (Maxine Nazworthy) abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.40 $29,100
1970 Beautiful Dream 5 Jerry Lambert Joseph S. Dunn J. T. Jones 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:16.20 $23,750
1969 Morgaise 4 Donald R. Pierce James W. Maloney William Haggin Perry 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:22.20 $22,500
1968 Mellow Marsh 5 Mario Valenzuela Jay Saladin Edward C. Flynn abt. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.40 $29,500

Legend:
  Turf   Dirt
Notes:
¶ Not held due to change of scheduling during the winter meet
† Viva La Vivi won the race but was disqualified and placed last for interference

See also

List of American and Canadian Graded races

External sites

Santa Anita Media Guide for 2019 Winter Meet