Santa Anita Releases Winter Stakes Schedule

Santa Anita will host 38 graded stakes during its winter meet, which begins Dec. 26 and ends Apr. 10. The GI Malibu S. and GI La Brea S. for male and female 3-year-old sprinters, respectively, take their traditional place on the Arcadia oval’s opening day card, and will be joined again by the GII Mathis Brothers Mile on the grass. Other meet highlights include the $1-million GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 12 and the $1-million GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 9. The GI Santa Margarita S. for older fillies and mares going nine furlongs Mar. 19 has seen a purse increase from $400,000 to $500,000. Santa Anita will offer a total of 240 GI Kentucky Derby qualifying points through the GIII Sham S. (10 points, Jan. 9), GII Robert B. Lewis S. (10 points, Feb. 6), GII San Felipe S. (50 points, Mar. 12) and Santa Anita Derby (100 points). Visit santaanita.com for the complete stakes schedule.