The Starlet Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old fillies run over a distance of one and one sixteenth miles ( furlongs) on the dirt held annually in early December at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, California. The event currently offers a purse of $200,000.
History
The inaugural running of the event was during the spring meeting of 1979, on 13 April at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California as a 6 furlong sprint for three-year-olds. The event was won by Eloquent who was ridden by the US Hall of Fame jockey Donald Pierce and trained by US Hall of Fame trainer Lazaro S. Barrera in a time of 1:09 flat.
The event was not run the following. In 1981 the administration of Hollywood Park Racetrack decided to hold two new two-year-old events at the end of the racing season with one for colts and geldings, Hollywood Futurity and for fillies the Hollywood Starlet Stakes. The races were held on consecutive weekends with the Hollywood Starlet Stakes run on 21 November while the Futurity was held on 28 November.
With high stakes that were offered for the race the event attracted many fine two-year-old fillies. Within two years, in 1983 the American Graded Stakes Committee classified the event with the highest grading of Grade I. That year the US Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas saddled the first of eight victories in the event with Althea winning and US Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. in the reins. Althea would be voted an Eclipse Award as the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly for 1983.
In 1984 the Breeders' Cup was initiated and held at Hollywood Park, the winner by protest of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Outstandingly would three weeks later confirm her dominance with another win over Fran's Valentine to win the Hollywood Starlet and capture US Champion Two-Year-Old Filly honors.
In 1985 the distance of the event was decreased to one mile. After six runnings the distance was reverted back to a distance of miles.
In 2003, Hollywood Story became the first maiden to win the Starlet in the history of the event.
In 2006 the event was run on a new synthetic Cushion Track which was installed at Hollywood Park.
With the closure of Hollywood Park Racetrack in 2013 the event was moved Los Alamitos Race Course and renamed to the Starlet Stakes.
The Starlet Stakes is the final major race of the year in California for young fillies, and is frequented by horses coming out of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
As a supplementary entry of $10,000 Abel Tasman started at 13-1 and won the event in 2016. The following year Abel Tasman had an excellent season winning three Grade I events including the Kentucky Oaks and was voted US Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.
In 2023 the event was downgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Grade II status.
Trainer Bob Baffert has won the Starlet twelve times, more than any other conditioner. The Into Mischief filly Consequent won in 2025 to give Baffert his ninth consecutive win in the race.
Records Speed record: miles (dirt): 1:41.82 - Splendid Blended (2004) miles (synthetic): 1:40.54 - Country Star (2007) 1 mile: 1:35.00 – Stocks Up (1998)
Margins: 11 lengths – Love Lock (1997)
Most wins by an owner: 4 – Baoma Corporation/Baoma Corp (2019, 2020, 2021, 2024)
Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Corey Nakatani (1992, 1994, 1995, 1996) 4 – Drayden Van Dyke (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
Most wins by a trainer: 12 – Bob Baffert (1998, 2001, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Los Alamitos – Starlet Stakes2025ConsequentKazushi KimuraBob BaffertJuddmonte miles1:44.03$200,000II2024TenmaJuan J. HernandezBob BaffertBaoma Corp miles1:44.16$200,500II2023Nothing Like You Juan J. HernandezBob BaffertGeorgia Antley Hunt, Jeff Giglio & John L. Rogitz miles1:44.78$200,500II2022FaizaFlavien PratBob BaffertMichael Lund Petersen miles1:44.49$300,500I2021EdaJuan J. HernandezBob BaffertBaoma Corporation miles1:44.51$300,500I2020VardaDrayden Van DykeBob BaffertBaoma Corporation miles1:44.53$300,500I2019BastDrayden Van DykeBob BaffertBaoma Corporation miles1:43.36$300,000I2018Chasing YesterdayDrayden Van DykeBob BaffertSummer Wind Equine miles1:42.59$300,345I2017Dream TreeDrayden Van DykeBob BaffertPhoenix Thoroughbred III miles1:43.87$294,000I2016Abel TasmanJoseph TalamoSimon CallaghanClearsky Farms miles1:42.25$301,380I2015Street FancyMike E. SmithPhilip D'AmatoAgave Racing Stable miles1:44.42$301,000I2014Take Charge BrandiVictor EspinozaD. Wayne Lukas Willis D. Horton miles1:42.18$350,500IAt Hollywood Park – Hollywood Starlet Stakes2013StreamingMartin GarciaBob Baffert Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings & Edward McGhee miles1:44.96$500,500I2012Pure FunGarrett K. GomezKenneth G. McPeekMagdalena Racing miles1:44.65$500,000I2011Killer GracesJoseph TalamoJerry HollendorferJerry Hollendorfer, Daniel Borislow, Gillian Campbell & Steve Melen miles1:44.09$402,000I2010Turbulent DescentDavid R. FloresMike PuypeBlinkers On Racing, Aurelio, Strauss, Butler, Coons, Lapso, et al miles1:44.18$409,250I2009Blind LuckRafael BejaranoJerry HollendorferJerry Hollendorfer, Mark DeDomenico & John Carver miles1:41.96$405,250I2008LaraghEdgar S. PradoJohn P. Terranova IIIEAH Stables, Gary Tolchin & Pegasus Holding Group Stables miles1:41.96$438,500I2007Country StarRafael BejaranoRobert J. FrankelStonerside Stable miles1:40.54$425,500I2006Romance Is DianeDavid R. FloresMike R. MitchellSenji Nishimura miles1:42.61$459,250I2005Diplomat LadyTyler BazeChristopher S. PaaschCharles Cono miles1:43.89$456,000I2004Splendid BlendedKent J. DesormeauxNeil D. Drysdale Peter Vegso miles1:41.82$389,000I2003Hollywood StoryPat ValenzuelaJohn ShirreffsGeorge Krikorian miles1:42.87$349,500I2002ElloluvPat ValenzuelaCraig DollaseJ. Paul Reddam miles1:42.88$356,500I2001HabibtiVictor EspinozaBob BaffertThe Thoroughbred Corporation miles1:43.12$358,000I2000I Believe in YouAlex O. SolisPaul J. McGeeSamantha, Jan & Mace Siegel miles1:43.57$341,750I1999SurfsidePat DayD. Wayne LukasOverbrook Farm miles1:43.51$380,250I1998Excellent MeetingKent J. DesormeauxBob BaffertGolden Eagle Farm miles1:42.14$400,000I1997§ Love LockKent J. DesormeauxD. Wayne LukasMichael Tabor miles1:42.17$281,000I1996Sharp CatCorey NakataniD. Wayne LukasThe Thoroughbred Corporation miles1:44.69$276,000I1995Cara RafaelaCorey NakataniD. Wayne Lukas Gonzalo Borges Torrealba miles1:43.10$250,000I1994Serena's SongCorey NakataniD. Wayne LukasRobert & Beverly Lewis miles1:41.96$250,000I1993SardulaBrian A. MayberryAnn & Jerry Moss miles1:42.34$252,900I1992Corey NakataniRobert J. FrankelPatrizio Cozzi miles1:43.73$250,000I1991Magical MaidenGary L. StevensWarren StuteClement L. Hirsch miles1:42.74$251,100I1990CuddlesGary L. StevensD. Wayne LukasOverbrook Farm1 mile1:36.20$500,000I 1989Cheval VolantAlex O. SolisKenneth J. JumpsKenneth J. Jumps, Steve Shapiro & David Stark1 mile1:35.60$500,000I 1988Stocks UpAlex O. SolisTed WestAlan Prible, John Coehlo, Charles Johnson & Pete Valenti1 mile1:35.00$581,250I 1987Goodbye HaloJorge VelasquezAlex Campbell Jr. & Arthur B. Hancock III1 mile1:36.20$549,100I 1986Very SubtlePat ValenzuelaMelvin F. StuteCarl Grinstead & Ben Rochelle1 mile1:37.00$500,000I 1985I'm SplendidChris McCarronJames J. TonerCaesar P. Kimmel1 mile1:36.00$625,850I1984OutstandinglyWalter GuerraFrank Martin Sr.Harbor View Farm miles1:44.00$702,500I 1983AltheaLaffit Pincay Jr.D. Wayne LukasHelen Alexander, David Aykroyd & Helen Groves miles1:43.00$500,000I1982Fabulous NotionDonald PierceJames JordanPine Meadow Thoroughbreds miles1:42.40$518,850 1981Skillful JoyChris McCarronFred W. Hooper miles1:43.20$427,250 1980Race not heldStarlet Stakes1979EloquentDonald PierceLaz BarreraHarbor View Farm 6 furlongs1:09.00$43,200
Legend:
Notes:
§ Ran as an entry
See also List of American and Canadian Graded races Road to the Kentucky Oaks
References