California Cup Derby
| Class | Restricted Stakes |
|---|---|
| Location | Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California United States |
| Inaugurated | 2014 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 1/16 Miles (8.5 Furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | 3-year-old |
| Weight | Assigned |
| Purse | $175,000 |
The California Cup Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 2014 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California run at a distance of 1 1/16 miles on a dirt track it. The race is one of the track’s annual California Cup Day series of races that form part of the day’s regular Racecard. Each of the races have varied conditions with the exception that all are restricted to horses bred in the state of California or were sired by a horse that had competed on California racetracks. [1] [2]
Records
Speed record:
- 1:43.22 – California Chrome (2014)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 2 - Victor Espinoza (2014, 2016)
- 2 - Tiago J. Pereira (2020, 2025)
- 2 - Juan J. Hernandez (2021, 2023)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 2 - Steve R. Knapp (2024, 2025)
Most wins by an owner:
- No owner won this race more than once.
Winners
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Dist. (miles) |
Time | Win $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | California Chrome | Victor Espinoza | Arthur Sherman | Perry Martin & Steve Coburn | 1+1⁄16 M | 1:43.22 | $140,000 |
| 2015 | Mischief Clem | Kent Desormeaux | Robert B. Hess Jr. | Griffin Thoroughbred Stables (Craig & Lorie Griffin) | 1+1⁄16 M | 1:44.82 | $137,500 |
| 2016 | Smokey Image | Victor Espinoza | Carla Gaines | Irvin Racing Stable (Betty & Diane Irvin) | 1+1⁄16 M | 1:43.49 | $137,500 |
| 2017 | Ann Arbor Eddie | Mario Gutierrez | Douglas F. O'Neill | Paul & Zillah Reddam | 1+1⁄16 M | 1:44.65 | $137,500 |
| 2018 | Heck Yeah | Mike E. Smith | Robert A. Baffert | Robert Baedeker, Michael Pageler, Michael Sigband | 1+1⁄16 M | 1:46.60 | $110,000 |
| 2019 | Galilean | Flavien Prat | Jerry Hollendorfer | West Point Thoroughbreds Inc., Denise Barker, William Sandbrook | 1+1⁄16 M | 1:43.43 | $110,000 |
| 2020 | Fast Enough | Tiago J. Pereira | Rafael Becerra | Craig Martin | 1+1⁄16 M | 1:45.23 | $200,000 |
| 2021 | Big Fish | Juan J. Hernandez | David Hofmans | Legacy Ranch Inc. | 1+1⁄16 M | 1:46.37 | $110,000 |
| 2022 | Fast Drawings Munnings | Drayden Van Dyke | Jeffrey L. Mullins | Emily Shields | 1+1⁄16 M | 1:46.99 | $110,000 |
| 2023 | Thirsty John | Juan J. Hernandez | Peter L. Miller | Terry C. Lovinger, Tom London, Eugene Zondlo | 1+1⁄16 M | 1:45.51 | $110,000 |
| 2024 | Micis Express | Umberto Rispoli | Steve R. Knapp | Tom Halasz | 1+1⁄16 M | 1:46.75 | $110,000 |
| 2025 | Whiskyginandbrandy | Tiago J. Pereira | Steve R. Knapp | Anthony J. Chacon, Victor M. Flores, Terry C. Lovingier | 1+1⁄16 M | 1:46.12 | $96,250 |
References
- ^ "Disqualification Lifts Whiskyginandbrandy To Victory In Saturday's $175,000 California Chrome California Cup Derby". santaanita.com. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ^ "Santa Anita Media Guide". santaanita.com. Retrieved 16 May 2025.