Sham Stakes

The Sham Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old over the distance of one mile on the dirt scheduled annually in January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The event currently carries a purse of $100,000.

Sham Stakes

Grade III race
Location	Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California, United States
Inaugurated	2001
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.santaanita.com/
Race information
Distance	1 mile (8 furlongs)
Surface	Dirt
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-olds
Weight	124 lbs with allowances
Purse	$100,000 (since 2012)

History

The event was inaugurated on 9 February 2001 over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles and was won by the US Hall of Fame trained Bob Baffert's Wild and Wise who was entered as an entry with Special Times. He was ridden by the entry with Special Times. He was ridden by the US Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza winning by half a length in a time of 1:50.51.^[1]

The event is named in honor for the racehorse Sham, winner of the 1973 Santa Anita Derby and remembered for his battles with Secretariat in that year's U.S. Triple Crown Races.

The event was upgraded to Grade III in 2006.^[2]

In 2011 distance for the event was decreased to 1+1⁄16 miles and once again the following year was decreased to 1 mile.^[3] Since 2011 the event has been held early in January.

An official prep race for the Kentucky Derby with qualification points.

Records

Speed record:

• 1 mile – 1:34.56 - Out of Bounds (2012)
• 1+1⁄8 mile – 1:47.86 - The Pamplemousse (2009)

Margins:

• 7+3⁄4 lengths – Authentic (2020)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 4 - Alex Solis (2003, 2004, 2009, 2010)
• 4 - Garrett Gomez (2007, 2008, 2011, 2012)
• 4 - Victor Espinoza (2001, 2005, 2006, 2017)
• 4 - Mike E. Smith (2014, 2018, 2019, 2021)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 9 - Bob Baffert (2001, 2006, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - Golconda Stable (2020, 2022, 2023)
• 3 - Madaket Stables (2020, 2022, 2023)
• 3 - SF Racing (2020, 2022, 2023)
• 3 - Starlight Racing (2020, 2022, 2023)

Winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance	Time	Purse	Grade	Ref
2024	Race Not Held
2023	Reincarnate	Juan J. Hernandez	Bob Baffert	Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables, SF Racing, Siena Farm, Starlight Racing, Stonestreet Stables, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Robert E. Masterson & Jay A. Schoenfarber	1 mile	1:35.87	$100,000	III	[4]
2022	Newgrange	John Velazquez	Bob Baffert	Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables, SF Racing, Siena Farm, Starlight Racing, Stonestreet Stables, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Robert E. Masterson & Jay A. Schoenfarber	1 mile	1:38.32	$100,000	III	[5]
2021	Life Is Good	Mike E. Smith	Bob Baffert	China Horse Club & WinStar Farm	1 mile	1:36.63	$100,000	III	[6]
2020	Authentic	Drayden Van Dyke	Bob Baffert	SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, F. Hertrich III, J.D. Fielding & Golconda Stables	1 mile	1:37.57	$100,500	III	[7]
2019	Gunmetal Gray	Mike E. Smith	Jerry Hollendorfer	Jerry Hollendorfer, Pearl Racing & West Point Thoroughbreds	1 mile	1:38.96	$100,702	III	[8]
2018	McKinzie	Mike E. Smith	Bob Baffert	Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman	1 mile	1:36.58	$100,345	III	[9]
2017	Gormley	Victor Espinoza	John Shirreffs	Mr. & Mrs. Jerome Moss	1 mile	1:35.89	$100,690	III	[10]
2016	Collected	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	Speedway Stable	1 mile	1:38.00	$100,750	III	[11]
2015	Calculator	Elvis Trujillo	Peter L. Miller	Richard C. Pell	1 mile	1:34.88	$100,750	III	[12]
2014	Midnight Hawk	Mike E. Smith	Bob Baffert	Hill 'n' Dale Farms, Mike Kitchen, Michael E. Pegram, Mike Tice & Joel Quenneville	1 mile	1:36.48	$98,000	III	[13]
2013	Goldencents	Kevin Krigger	Doug F. O'Neill	W.C. Racing, Dave Kenney & RAP Racing	1 mile	1:36.50	$100,000	III	[14]
2012	Out of Bounds	Garrett K. Gomez	Eoin G. Harty	Darley Stud	1 mile	1:34.56	$100,000	III	[15]
2011	Tapizar	Garrett K. Gomez	Steven M. Asmussen	Winchell Thoroughbreds	1+1⁄16 miles	1:40.38	$100,000	III	[16]
2010	Alphie's Bet	Alex O. Solis	Alexis Barba	Teresa McWilliams & Peter O. Johnson Sr.	1+1⁄8 miles	1:48.72	$150,000	III	[17]
2009	The Pamplemousse	Alex O. Solis	Julio C. Canani	Jeffrey Strauss, Bienstock and Winner Stables, Alex Solis II, Tom Lenner & Skyline Stables	1+1⁄8 miles	1:47.86	$200,000	III	[18]
2008	Colonel John	Garrett K. Gomez	Eoin G. Harty	WinStar Farm	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.15	$200,000	III	[19]
2007	Ravel	Garrett K. Gomez	Michael W. McCarthy	Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith	1+1⁄8 miles	1:48.91	$101,500	III	[20]
2006	Bob and John	Victor Espinoza	Bob Baffert	Stonerside Stable	1+1⁄8 miles	1:49.15	$102,500	III	[21]
2005	Going Wild	Victor Espinoza	D. Wayne Lukas	Robert & Beverly Lewis	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.18	$102,300	Listed	[22]
2004	Master David	Alex O. Solis	Robert J. Frankel	Georgica Stable, Stephen Mack & Andrew Rosen	1+1⁄8 miles	1:49.20	$81,400	Listed	[23]
2003	Man Among Men	Alex O. Solis	Gary Mandella	Randell D. Hubbard & Constance Sczesny	1+1⁄8 miles	1:48.39	$81,000	Listed	[24]
2002	U S S Tinosa	Kent J. Desormeaux	Jerry Hollendorfer	Peter Abruzzo & Barry Thiriot	1+1⁄8 miles	1:49.11	$78,650	Listed	[25]
2001	§ Wild and Wise	Victor Espinoza	Bob Baffert	Golden Eagle Farm	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.51	$96,750		[1]

Legend:
  All Weather Track   Dirt
Notes:
§ Ran as an entry

See also

• List of American and Canadian Graded races
• Road to the Kentucky Derby

References

1. "2001 Sham Stakes Black Type - (race 7)". Equibase. 9 February 2001. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
2. "Sham Stakes (Gr. 2)". Equibase. 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
3. "SHAM STAKES - SANTA ANITA PARK, CA". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
4. "2023 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
5. "2022 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
6. "2021 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 2 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
7. "2020 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 5)". Equibase. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
8. "2019 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 5 January 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
9. "2018 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 5)". Equibase. 6 January 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
10. "2017 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 7 January 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
11. "2016 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 6)". Equibase. 9 January 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
12. "2015 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 6)". Equibase. 10 January 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
13. "2014 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 5)". Equibase. 11 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
14. "2013 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 3)". Equibase. 5 January 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
15. "2012 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 3)". Equibase. 7 January 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
16. "2011 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 3)". Equibase. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
17. "2010 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 6 March 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
18. "2009 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 28 February 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
19. "2008 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 1 March 2008. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
20. "2007 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 3 February 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
21. "2006 Sham Stakes Grade 3 - (race 3)". Equibase. 4 February 2006. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
22. "2005 Sham Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 5 February 2005. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
23. "2004 Sham Stakes Listed - (race 8)". Equibase. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
24. "2003 Sham Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 7 February 2003. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
25. "2002 Sham Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 8 February 2002. Retrieved 2 January 2021.