San Diego Handicap

The San Diego Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late July/early August at the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. This Grade II race is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. It is considered the track's key prep race for its foremost attraction, the $1-million Pacific Classic Stakes.

Inaugurated in 1937, it was first run on July 3 as part of the first-ever racecard at Del Mar Racetrack. Since inception it has been contested at various distances:

• 6 furlongs : 1937, 1945, 1946, 1947
• 1 mile : 1941
• miles : 1991-1993
• miles : 1938, 1948–1990, 1994–present

The race was not run in 1939-1940 and from 1942 through 1944.

From 2007 to 2014, the race was run on a Polytrack artificial dirt surface.

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of miles)

• 1:40.00 - Windy Sands (1962)
• 1:40.00 - Native Diver (1965)

Most wins:

• 3 - Native Diver (1963, 1964, 1965)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 6 - Chris McCarron (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999)
• 6 - Victor Espinoza (2002, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2016, 2017)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 5 - Charlie Whittingham (1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1989)
• 5 - Robert J. Frankel (1976, 1982, 1999, 2000, 2001)
• 5 - John W. Sadler (2003, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - E. O. Stice & Sons (1945, 1948, 1949)
• 3 - M/M Louis K. Shapiro (1963, 1964, 1965)

Winners

• † In 1976, Mark's Place finished first but was disqualified and set back to last.
• † In 1969, TripleTux finished first but was disqualified and set back to fourth.

References

• The 2009 San Diego Handicap at the NTRA