Santa Maria Stakes

The Santa Maria Stakes is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late May at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A race for fillies and mares age four and older, it is contested on Pro-Ride synthetic dirt over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles (8.5 furlongs).

Since the inaugural running in 1934, the Santa Maria Stakes has been contested at various distances:

• 6 furlongs: 1934–1936, 1938–1940
• 3 furlongs: 1941
• 8 furlongs (1 mile): 1946, 1947, 1952–1953
• 7 furlongs: 1954–1956
• 8.5 furlongs ( miles): 1957–present

The Santa Maria was run as a handicap from 1952 through 2010 and was raced in two divisions in 1983 and 1984.

There was no race in 1937, nor from 1948 through 1951.

The Santa Maria has been downgraded from a Grade I to a Grade II stakes race.

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of miles)

• 1:40.95 – Exotic Wood (1998) (on natural dirt)

Most wins:

• 2 – Gay Style (1975, 1976)
• 2 – Star Parade (2004, 2006)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 6 – Laffit Pincay, Jr. (1973, 1974, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1985)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 7 - Bob Baffert (2002, 2012, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2025)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 – Gary A. Tanaka (2001, 2004, 2006)

Winners

References

• The 2008 Santa Maria Handicap at the NTRA
• Ten Things You Should Know about the Santa Maria Stakes at Hello Race Fans!