The Affirmed Stakes is a Listed American

thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

for three-year-old horses over a distance of miles on the dirt held at

Santa Anita Park Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious race ...

Arcadia, California Arcadia is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located about northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. It contains a series of adjacent parks consisting of t ...

in late-June. The race currently offers a purse of $100,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 30 June 1979 at

Hollywood Park Racetrack Hollywood Park was a thoroughbred horse racing, race course located in Inglewood, California, about 3 miles (5 km) from Los Angeles International Airport and adjacent to The Forum (Inglewood, California), the Forum indoor arena. In 1994, t ...

as the Silver Screen Handicap at a distance of miles and was won by the promising three year old Valdez who won by 10 lengths, which continues to be the longest winning margin in the event. The event inherited the grading classification which was

Grade II In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

from the Argonaut Handicap which some sources believe is the predecessor to the event. However, the former Hollywood Park Media Guide management organization and the current Santa Anita management consider the event to have no connection. In 1993 the race was renamed to the Affirmed Handicap in honor of the 1978 U.S. Triple Crown champion,

Affirmed Affirmed (February 21, 1975 – January 12, 2001) was a champion American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who is the eleventh winner of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States), American Triple Crown. Affirmed was well known ...

. In 1995 the distance of the event was decreased to miles. After

was closed in 2013 the race was moved to Santa Anita Park. In 2020 due to the

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States On December 31, 2019, China announced the discovery of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan. The first American case was reported on January 20, and United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health and Human Services Secreta ...

, Santa Anita closed their track and the event was cancelled In 2023 the

American Graded Stakes Committee The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) is an American trade organization for Thoroughbred racehorse owners and breeders, which is based in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1961, TOBA's stated mission is to "improve the economics, in ...

downgraded the event to a Listed race.

Records

Speed record: * miles – 1:40.83 General Challenge (1999) * miles – 1:46.80 Journey At Sea (1982) Largest margin of victory: * 10 lengths – Valdez (1979) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

: * 5 – Laffit Pincay, Jr. (1979, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1992) Most wins by a trainer: * 7 –

Bob Baffert Robert A. Baffert (born January 13, 1953) is an American racehorse trainer. He has trained two Triple Crown winners: American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018. Baffert's horses have won the Kentucky Derby six times, tying the record with ...

(1999, 2006, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2024) Most wins by an owner: * 2 – Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman (2011, 2015)

Winners

''Legend:''

''Notes:''
ƒ Filly or Mare

References

{{reflist, 2 Flat horse races for three-year-olds Horse races in California Horse races established in 1979 Santa Anita Park 1979 establishments in California Previously graded stakes races in the United States

History

Records

Winners

See also

References