San Diego Handicap

The San Diego Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late July/early August at the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. This Grade II race is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. It is considered the track's key prep race for its foremost attraction, the $1-million Pacific Classic Stakes.

San Diego Handicap

Grade II race
Location	Del Mar Racetrack Del Mar, California, United States
Inaugurated	1937
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Race information
Distance	1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs)
Surface	Dirt
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three-years-old & up
Weight	Assigned
Purse	$200,000

Inaugurated in 1937, it was first run on July 3 as part of the first-ever racecard at Del Mar Racetrack. Since inception it has been contested at various distances:

• 6 furlongs : 1937, 1945, 1946, 1947
• 1 mile : 1941
• 1+1⁄8 miles : 1991-1993
• 1+1⁄16 miles : 1938, 1948–1990, 1994–present

The race was not run in 1939-1940 and from 1942 through 1944.

From 2007 to 2014, the race was run on a Polytrack artificial dirt surface.

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 1+1⁄16 miles)

• 1:40.00 - Windy Sands (1962)
• 1:40.00 - Native Diver (1965)

Most wins:

• 3 - Native Diver (1963, 1964, 1965)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 6 - Chris McCarron (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999)
• 6 - Victor Espinoza (2002, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2016, 2017)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 5 - Charlie Whittingham (1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1989)
• 5 - Robert J. Frankel (1976, 1982, 1999, 2000, 2001)
• 5 - John W. Sadler (2003, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - E. O. Stice & Sons (1945, 1948, 1949)
• 3 - M/M Louis K. Shapiro (1963, 1964, 1965)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2023	Senor Buscador	5	Geovanni Franco	Todd W. Fincher	Peacock Family Holdings LP	1:42.54
2022	Royal Ship	6	Mike E. Smith	Richard E. Mandella	Fox Hollow Racing LLC and Siena Farm LLC	1:42.75
2021	Express Train	4	Juan Hernandez	John Shirreffs	CRK Stable, LLC	1:43.37
2020	Maximum Security	4	Abel Cedillo	Bob Baffert	Mary E. & Gary L. West, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith	1:44.54
2019	Catalina Cruiser	5	Joel Rosario	John W. Sadler	Hronis Racing LLC (Kosta & Pete Hronis)	1:44.20
2018	Catalina Cruiser	4	Drayden Van Dyke	John W. Sadler	Hronis Racing LLC (Kosta & Pete Hronis)	1:42.95
2017	Accelerate	4	Victor Espinoza	John W. Sadler	Hronis Racing LLC (Kosta & Pete Hronis)	1:42.15
2016	California Chrome	5	Victor Espinoza	Art Sherman	California Chrome, LLC	1:40.84
2015	Catch a Flight	5	Gary Stevens	Richard E. Mandella	Haras Santa Maria de Araras	1:43.08
2014	Fed Biz	5	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	Kaleem Shah/Fed Biz	1:41.00
2013	Kettle Corn	6	Victor Espinoza	John W. Sadler	C R K Stable	1:41.83
2012	Rail Trip	7	Jose Valdivia Jr.	Ronald W. Ellis	Jay Em Ess Stable (Samantha Siegel)	1:43.14
2011	Tres Borrachos	6	Rafael Bejarano	Martin F. Jones	George Hicker	1:42.71
2010	Dakota Phone	5	Joel Rosario	Jerry Hollendorfer	Hollendorfer/Todaro/Carver/Halo Farms	1:43.55
2009	Informed	5	Tyler Baze	Douglas F. O'Neill	Bob & Beverly Lewis Trust	1:41.91
2008	Well Armed	5	Aaron Gryder	Eoin G. Harty	WinStar Farm	1:41.57
2007	Sun Boat	5	Michael Baze	Mike R. Mitchell	Bongo Racing Stable	1:45.39
2006	Giacomo	4	Mike E. Smith	John Shirreffs	Ann & Jerry Moss	1:42.15
2005	Choctaw Nation	5	Victor Espinoza	Jeff Mullins	Robert D. Bone	1:42.40
2004	Choctaw Nation	4	Victor Espinoza	Jeff Mullins	Robert D. Bone	1:42.32
2003	Taste Of Paradise	4	Victor Espinoza	John W. Sadler	Abrahams & Bloom	1:42.62
2002	Grey Memo	5	Eddie Delahoussaye	Warren Stute	Manzani, Ridgeley Farm	1:43.48
2001	Skimming	5	Garrett Gomez	Robert J. Frankel	Juddmonte Farms	1:41.62
2000	Skimming	4	Garrett Gomez	Robert J. Frankel	Juddmonte Farms	1:41.06
1999	Mazel Trick	4	Chris McCarron	Robert J. Frankel	Jones & 3+U Stable	1:40.60
1998	Mud Route	4	Chris McCarron	Ron McAnally	Janis Whitham	1:41.00
1997	Northern Afleet	4	Chris McCarron	David E. Hofmans	Anderson & Waranch	1:41.80
1996	Savinio	6	Chris Antley	Walter Greenman	Biszantz/Greenman/Vandeweghe	1:40.80
1995	Blumin Affair	4	Chris McCarron	Jack Van Berg	Bowman & Vogel	1:41.20
1994	Kingdom Found	4	Chris McCarron	Gary F. Jones	Ray Dilbeck	1:41.20
1993	Fanatic Boy	6	Chris McCarron	Ron McAnally	Charles J. Cella	1:48.40
1992	Another Review	4	Laffit Pincay Jr.	Chris Speckert	Buckland Farm	1:47.00
1991	Twilight Agenda	5	Corey Nakatani	D. Wayne Lukas	Moyglare Stud	1:47.60
1990	Quiet American	4	Kent Desormeaux	Gary F. Jones	Sheikh Mohammed	1:40.40
1989	Lively One	4	Robbie Davis	Charlie Whittingham	John G. Sikura	1:40.80
1988	Cutlass Reality	6	Gary Stevens	Craig A. Lewis	H. Crash & J. Hankoff	1:41.40
1987	Super Diamond	7	Laffit Pincay Jr.	Edwin J. Gregson	Roland Sahm	1:40.80
1986	Skywalker	4	Laffit Pincay Jr.	Michael Whittingham	Oak Cliff Stable	1:40.80
1985	Super Diamond	5	Rafael Meza	Edwin J. Gregson	Roland Sahm	1:41.40
1984	Ancestral	4	Eddie Delahoussaye	Jerry M. Fanning	C. B. Singer	1:41.20
1983	Bates Motel	4	Terry Lipham	John Gosden	Jacqueline Getty & M. Riordan	1:41.00
1982	Wickerr	7	Eddie Delahoussaye	Robert J. Frankel	Edmund A. Gann	1:41.40
1981	Summer Time Guy	5	Sandy Hawley	Willard L. Proctor	William R. Hawn	1:41.00
1980	Island Sultan	5	Marco Castaneda	David E. Hofmans	David Ringler	1:41.80
1979	Always Gallant	5	Darrel McHargue	David La Croix	Joseph W. La Croix	1:41.00
1978	Vic's Magic	5	Fernando Toro	Randy Winick	M. & R. Harpenau	1:40.20
1977	Mark's Place	5	Bill Shoemaker	John G. Canty	Bob D. Bird	1:40.60
1976	Good Report †	6	Laffit Pincay Jr.	Robert J. Frankel	Dr. A. J. Chlad	1:42.40
1975	Chesapeake	6	Frank Olivares	T. F. Richardson	Mrs. C. J. Dorfman	1:40.60
1974	Matun	5	Bill Shoemaker	Charlie Whittingham	M. L. Everett	1:41.00
1973	Kennedy Road	5	Bill Shoemaker	Charlie Whittingham	Helen G. Stollery	1:41.40
1972	Figonero	7	Fernando Alvarez	Warren Stute	Clement L. Hirsch	1:40.80
1971	Advance Guard	5	Bill Shoemaker	Charlie Whittingham	Burt Bacharach	1:41.00
1970	T.V. Commercial	5	Donald Pierce	Charlie Whittingham	Bwamazon Farm	1:41.40
1969	Kissin' George †	6	William Mahorney	Buster Millerick	DeCourcy Graham	1:41.40
1968	Rivet	4	Miguel Yanez	Dale Landers	Pierce Doty	1:40.80
1967	French Fox	5	Dean Hall	Mort Lipton	Vicgray Farm	1:41.60
1966	Old Mose	4	Donald Pierce	Joe Manzi	Robert E. Hibbert	1:41.40
1965	Native Diver	6	Jerry Lambert	Buster Millerick	M/M Louis K. Shapiro	1:40.00
1964	Native Diver	5	Jerry Lambert	Buster Millerick	M/M Louis K. Shapiro	1:41.20
1963	Native Diver	4	Ralph Neves	Buster Millerick	M/M Louis K. Shapiro	1:40.60
1962	Windy Sands	5	Raymond York	Jack M. Phillips	Connie M. Ring	1:40.00
1961	New Policy	4	Robert Mundorf	John H. Adams	Ralph Lowe	1:41.00
1960	Eddie Schmidt	7	Alex Maese	Frank L. Carr	Elobee Farm	1:41.20
1959	Twentyone Guns	4	George Taniguchi	Fred M. Smith	M/M John Eyraud	1:42.00
1958	How Now	5	Willi Harmatz	Cecil Jolly	George C. Newell	1:42.00
1957	Eddie Schmidt	4	Ismael Valenzuela	Frank L. Carr	Elobee Farm	1:42.00
1956	Honeys Alibi	4	Raymond York	Willie F. Alvarado	W-L Ranch Co.	1:41.40
1955	Trigonometry	4	Rogelio Trejos	Howard Long	Owl Stable	1:41.20
1954	Stranglehold	5	Billy Pearson	Red McDaniel	N. Gordon Phillips	1:41.80
1953	Goose Khal	4	Bill Shoemaker	Willie F. Alvarado	Harry Brown	1:42.80
1952	Moonrush	6	Ralph Neves	Willie F. Alvarado	King & Luellwitz	1:42.20
1951	Blue Reading	4	Billy Pearson	Red McDaniel	M/M Clement L. Hirsch	1:41.60
1950	Manyunk	5	George Moore	Allen Drumheller Sr.	Foster & Collins	1:42.40
1949	Prevaricator	6	Mike Caffarella	Lyle Sechrest	E. O. Stice & Sons	1:42.00
1948	Prevaricator	5	Alan Gray	William Molter	E. O. Stice & Sons	1:42.60
1947	Ended	8	Jimmy Nichols	W. Robertson	W. Robertson	1:11.00
1946	Lovonsite	3	Nick Wall	L. Meirpol	Mildred Factor	1:10.40
1945	High Resolve	4	William Bailey	William Molter	E. O. Stice & Sons	1:10.00
1941	Step By	6	J. Robertson	W. Osborne	Fair Hill Stable	1:37.20
1938	King Saxon	7	John Adams	Richard F. Carman Jr.	Richard F. Carman Jr.	1:45.20
1937	Clean Out	5	D. Smith	William B. Finnegan	Vera S. Bragg	1:12.00

• † In 1976, Mark's Place finished first but was disqualified and set back to last.
• † In 1969, TripleTux finished first but was disqualified and set back to fourth.

References

• The 2009 San Diego Handicap at the NTRA