Monrovia Handicap

Monrovia Handicap

Grade II race
Location	Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California, United States
Inaugurated	1968
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.santaanita.com
Race information
Distance	about 6 ^1⁄2 furlongs
Surface	Turf
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Fillies and mares four years old and older
Weight	Assigned
Purse	$200,000+

The Monrovia Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to fillies and mares, four years old and older, the six and one half furlong Grade II turf event is run on the downhill turf course. As a sprinter's race, it shares in importance with the Gr. III El Conejo Handicap for mainly males run at the same time.

Run either on the very end of the year or the very beginning of the year, the year of the race in this list of winners has been adjusted to reflect an annual event year when in reality there were two races in the calendar year 1999 and none in 2006. When it is run in January, race horses officially become one year older regardless of their date of birth.

The Monrovia is named for the local city near the track.

The race was contested at a distance of seven furlongs in 1969 in run in two divisions in 1979. It was transferred to the dirt track in 1969, 1970, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1989, 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2005.

Records

Speed record: (6.5 furlongs on turf)

• 1:11.14 Pontchatrain (2014)

Most wins:

• 2 - Winter Solstice (1976, 1977)
• 2 - Mizdirection (2012, 2013)

Most wins by an owner:

• 2 - William Haggin Perry (1969, 1979)
• 2 - Fred W. Hooper (1972, 1975)
• 2 - Bernard J. Ridder (1976, 1977)
• 2 - Ann & Jerry Moss (1985, 1988)
• 2 - William de Burgh (1991, 2010)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 4 - Kent Desormeaux (1991, 2000, 2001, 2015)
• 3 - Pat Valenzuela (1987, 1992, 1995)
• 3 - Garrett Gomez (2007, 2009, 2012)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 3 - Charles E. Whittingham (1979, 1981, 1989)
• 3 - Robert J. Frankel (1985, 1988, 2009)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2016	Prize Exhibit	4	Santiago Gonzalez	James M. Cassidy	DP Racing	1:12.96
2015	Shrinking Violet	5	Kent J. Desormeaux	Wesley A. Ward	Wesley A. Ward	1:12.56
2014	Pontchatrain	4	Gary L. Stevens	Thomas F. Proctor	Glen Hill Farm	1:11.14
2013	Mizdirection	5	Mike E. Smith	Michael Puype	Jungle Racing LLC, et al.	1:11.94
2012	Mizdirection	4	Garrett Gomez	Michael Puype	Jungle Racing LLC, et al.	1:11.64
2011	Unzip Me	5	Rafael Bejarano	Martin F. Jones	Harris Farms Inc., Valpredo et al.	1:12.72
2010	Tuscan Evening	5	Rafael Bejarano	Jerry Hollendorfer	William de Burgh	1:12.56
2009	Jibboom	5	Garrett Gomez	Robert J. Frankel	Juddmonte Farms	1:13.21
2008	Alexandra Rose	6	Rafael Bejarano	Neil D. Drysdale	Team Valor	1:12.86
2007	Society Hostess	5	Garrett Gomez	Christophe Clement	Moyglare Stud Farm	1:12.85
2006	Awesome Lady	4	Tyler Baze	Gary Stute	Cavanaugh & Stute	1:16.77
2005	Resplendency	3	Casey Fusilier	Bob Baffert	Robert & Beverly Lewis	1:15.34
2004	Icantgoforthat	4	Tyler Baze	Steve Knapp	Broberg & Knapp	1:13.07
2003	Lil Sister Stich	5	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Douglas F. O'Neill	Howard, Kilgor, Koser, et al.	1:13.81
2002	Paga	4	Mike E. Smith	Richard Mandella	E. C. Allred & R. D. Hubbard	1:15.09
2001	Evening Promise	4	Kent Desormeaux	Kathy Walsh	Duggan & Vreeland	1:12.62
2000	Show Me The Stage	3	Kent Desormeaux	Eric Guillot	Cain, Guillot & LeBlanc	1:15.14
1999	Desert Lady	4	Corey Nakatani	Wallace Dollase	The Thoroughbred Corp.	1:14.59
1998	Madame Pandit	5	Eddie Delahoussaye	Ron McAnally	Janis R. Whitham	1:15.80
1997	Grab The Prize	5	Alex Solis	Darrell Vienna	Ernest Auerbach	1:16.89
1996	Klassy Kim	5	Goncalino Almeida	Melvin F. Stute	Bill M. Thomas	1:14.48
1995	Rabiadella	4	Pat Valenzuela	Mike Orman	Stonehenge Stables	1:14.92
1994	Mamselle Bebette	4	Corey Nakatani	Jack Van Berg	Big Train Farm	1:15.35
1993	Glen Kate	6	Corey Black	Bill Shoemaker	W. Gretzky & B. McNall	1:12.89
1992	Middlefork Rapids	4	Pat Valenzuela	Terry Knight	Dame Construction Co., Inc.	1:12.55
1991	Wedding Bouquet	4	Kent Desormeaux	Gary F. Jones	William de Burgh (Lessee)	1:13.80
1990	Down Again	6	Corey Black	Richard L. Cross	Larry Robinson & Summa Stable	1:13.00
1989	Daloma	5	Fernando Valenzuela	Charles E. Whittingham	Enemy Stables & Mandysland Farm	1:16.20
1988	Aberuschka	6	Gary Stevens	Robert J. Frankel	Ann & Jerry Moss	1:14.60
1987	Sari's Heroine	4	Pat Valenzuela	Melvin F. Stute	Grinstead & Rochelle	1:15.00
1986	Water Crystals	5	Gary Stevens	Richard E. Mandella	Bruce Steinberg	1:15.60
1985	Lina Cavalieri	5	Eddie Delahoussaye	Robert J. Frankel	Ann & Jerry Moss	1:14.00
1984	Tangent	4	Julio A. Garcia	Wayne Murty	Bacchus, Harrison, McGee, et al.	1:14.60
1983	Matching	5	Ray Sibille	Steve Morguelan	Glencrest Farm & Morguelan	1:13.20
1982	Cat Girl	4	Chris McCarron	Edwin J. Gregson	Windblown Farm	1:14.60
1981	Kilijaro	5	Marco Castaneda	Charles E. Whittingham	Serge Fradkoff	1:12.40
1980	Fondre	5	Frank Olivares	John W. Fulton	Currin & Hawn	1:15.20
1979	Camarado	4	Bill Shoemaker	Charles E. Whittingham	Nelson Bunker Hunt	1:15.40
1979	Palmistry	4	Chris McCarron	Willard L. Proctor	William Haggin Perry	1:15.20
1978	Little Happiness	4	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Laz Barrera	Harbor View Farm	1:16.00
1977	Winter Solstice	5	Mark Sellers	Gordon C. Campbell	Bernard J. Ridder	1:13.60
1976	Winter Solstice	4	Jerry Lambert	Gordon C. Campbell	Bernard J. Ridder	1:17.60
1975	Special Goddess †	4	Sandy Hawley	Robert Smith	Fred W. Hooper	1:13.80
1974	Viva La Vivi	4	Donald Pierce	Harold Hodosh	Alix Brotman & Malibu Stable	1:15.00
1973	Tizna	4	Fernando Toro	Henry Moreno	Regal Enterprises Inc.	1:13.80
1972	Mia Mood	4	Victor Tejada	John W. Russell	Fred W. Hooper	1:13.00
1971	Atomic Wings	4	Robby Kilborn	James I. Nazworthy	Sledge Stable	1:13.40
1970	Beautiful Dream	5	Jerry Lambert	Joseph S. Dunn	J. T. Jones	1:16.20
1969	Morgaise	4	Donald Pierce	James W. Maloney	William Haggin Perry	1:22.20
1968	Mellow Marsh	5	Mario Valenzuela	Jay Saladin	Edward C. Flynn	1:13.40

• † In 1975, Viva La Vivi finished first but was disqualified to last.

References

• The 2010 Monrovia Handicap at Bloodhorse.com