The Los Alamitos Derby (formerly the Swaps Stakes) is a race for Thoroughbred horses run annually at Los Alamitos Race Course in Los Alamitos, California. The race is open to three-year-old horses and is contested at one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. A Listed event, it currently carries a purse of $100,000.

Before 2014, the race was called the Swaps Stakes and was run at Hollywood Park Racetrack before its closure in 2013. At that point, it moved to Los Alamitos.

Prior to 1973 Hollywood Park's stakes schedule included the Hollywood Derby (prior to 1959 named the Westerner), a 1 mile stakes run on dirt which tended to attract top 3 year olds. Horses such as Round Table, Bold Reason, and Riva Ridge won the Hollywood Derby after competing in the U.S. Triple Crown. When the Hollywood Derby changed to 1 miles on the turf in 1973, there was no 1 mile dirt race to attract top 3 year olds from the Triple Crown series. Management decided to add the Swaps Stakes, named in honor of the notable California-bred 1955 Kentucky Derby winner Swaps, to the 1974 July stakes schedule to fill that void. To lure top 3 year olds to enter the Swaps Stakes, at base a $100,000 added event, provisions were included to increase the purse substantially if one or more Triple Crown race winners participated. This came into play the following year when Belmont Stakes winner Avatar entered which triggered an increase of added purse money to $200,000. In 1977 a $300,000 purse attracted Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, who suffered the first loss of his career when he ran fourth to winner J O Tobin.

The Hollywood Derby continued as a 1 mile turf stakes through 1975, after which it was moved to earlier in the meeting to serve as a Kentucky Derby prep race at 1 miles on dirt. This prep would serve Affirmed well in 1978 as he would win the Hollywood Derby en route to becoming the 11th Triple Crown champion. The Hollywood Derby became a permanent turf stakes in 1981, contested first at the Hollywood Park Fall Meet, then moving to Del Mar racetrack in 2014 after the closing of Hollywood Park.

Although the inaugural running of the Swaps Stakes was ungraded, it would be contested as a Grade I event from 1975 through 1988. The race was downgraded to a Grade II event in 1989. It regained Grade I in 1999, but this was short-lived as it became a Grade II again in 2002. In 2017, the race was downgraded once more to a Grade III level. Downgraded to Listed in 2022.

Records Speed record: 1:59.20 @ 1 miles : Majestic Light (1976) 1:45.80 @ 1 miles : Free House (1997)

Most wins by a jockey: 5 - Chris McCarron (1982, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1998)

Most wins by a trainer: 15 - Bob Baffert (2000, 2001, 2003, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)

Most wins by an owner: 5 - Michael Pegram (2000, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2025)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Dist. (Miles) Time Win$ Grade2025Nevada Beach3Juan J. HernandezBob BaffertMichael Pegram, Karl Watson, & Paul Weitman11:47.59 $100,000Listed2024Wynstock3Kyle FreyBob Baffert Edward C. Allred & Jack Liebau11:50.51 $100,000Listed2023Reincarnate3Juan J. HernandezBob BaffertSF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan11:48.72$75,000Listed2022High Connection 3Juan J. HernandezBob BaffertHRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud11:48.98$75,000Listed2021Classier3Mike E. SmithBob BaffertSF Racing, Starlight Racing, & Madaket Stables11:49.15$90,000G32020Uncle Chuck3Luis SaezBob BaffertMichael Pegram, Karl Watson, & Paul Weitman11:47.65$90,000G32019Game Winner3Joel RosarioBob BaffertGary & Mary West11:48.30$90,000G32018Once On Whisky3Flavien PratBob BaffertMichael Pegram, Karl Watson, & Paul Weitman11:48.93$90,000G32017West Coast3Drayden Van Dyke Bob BaffertGary & Mary West 11:48.65$120,000G32016Accelerate3Tyler BazeJohn W. SadlerHronis Racing (Kosta & Pete Hronis)11:48.48$120,000G22015Gimme Da Lute3Martin GarciaBob BaffertMichael Pegram, Karl Watson, & Paul Weitman11:47.09$210,000G22014Shared Belief3Mike E. SmithJerry HollendorferJungle Racing LLC11:47.01$300,000G22013Chief Havoc3Rafael BejaranoPeter MillerPaul Makin11:50.17$90,000G22012Blueskiesnrainbows3Joe TalamoBob BaffertBad Boy Racing & Whizway Farms11:50.89$90,000G22011Dreamy Kid3Joe TalamoNeil DrysdaleRobert S. Evans11:50.43$90,000G22010Skipshot3Joel RosarioJerry HollendorferOlympia Star, Inc.11:49.94$120,000G22009Misremembered3Victor EspinozaBob BaffertBob Baffert & George Jacobs11:49.02$180,000G22008Tres Borrachos3Tyler BazeC. Beau GreelyJohn Greely IV & Phil Houchens11:49.29$217,650G22007Tiago3Mike E. SmithJohn ShirreffsAnn & Jerry Moss11:48.76$220,950G22006Arson Squad3Alex SolisBruce HeadleyJay Em Ess Stable (Samantha Siegel)11:48.45$217,050G22005Surf Cat3Alex SolisBruce HeadleyMarsha Naify & Aase Headley11:48.07$192,600G22004Rock Hard Ten3Corey NakataniJason OrmanMercedes Stable11:47.47$252,780G22003During3Jerry BaileyBob BaffertJames McIngvale11:49.38$240,000G22002Came Home3Mike E. SmithJ. Paco GonzalezFarish, McCaffery et al.11:48:28$300,000G22001Congaree3Gary StevensBob BaffertStonerside Stable11:48.61$300,000G12000Captain Steve3Corey NakataniBob BaffertMichael Pegram11:48.01$300,000G11999 Cat Thief3Pat DayD. Wayne LukasOverbrook Farm11:47.87$300,000G11998Old Trieste3Chris McCarronMike PuypeCobra Farm (Gary & Betty Biszantz)11:47.06$300,000G21997Free House3Kent DesormeauxJ. Paco GonzalezJohn Toffan & Trudy McCaffery11:45.80$300,000G21996Victory Speech3Jerry BaileyD. Wayne LukasSusan Magnier & Michael Tabor11:48.20$300,000G21995Thunder Gulch3Gary StevensD. Wayne LukasMichael Tabor11:49.00$275,000G21994Silver Music3Chris AntleyWallace DollaseLauren Cohen12:00.60$123,800G21993Devoted Brass3Laffit Pincay Jr.Noble ThreewittDon W. Jordens12:00.60$124,000G21992Bien Bien3Chris McCarronJ. Paco GonzalezTrudy McCaffery & John Toffan12:02.80$123,400G21991Best Pal3Pat ValenzuelaGary F. JonesGolden Eagle Farm12:00.60$120,000G21990Jovial3Gary StevensBruce L. JacksonJack Munari12:01.20$120,000G21989Prized3Eddie DelahoussayeNeil D. DrysdaleClover Racing & Meadowbrook Farm, et al.12:01.80$232,400G21988Lively One3Bill ShoemakerCharles E. WhittinghamThomas J. Curnes (Lessee)12:01.00$131,200G11987Temperate Sil3Bill ShoemakerCharles E. WhittinghamFrankfurt Stable & Charles E. Whittingham12:02.20$124,400G11986Clear Choice3Chris McCarronD. Wayne LukasEugene V. & Joyce F. Klein12:03.60$137,000G11985 Padua3Pat ValenzuelaGary F. JonesElmendorf Farm, Inc. (Maxwell Gluck)12:01.40$123,500G11984Precisionist3Chris McCarronL. Ross FenstermakerFred W. Hooper11:59.80$121,300G11983Hyperborean3Fernando ToroJerry M. FanningCraig B. Singer12:01.00 $97,500G11982Journey At Sea3Chris McCarronL. Ross FenstermakerFred W. Hooper12:00.20$91,300G11981Noble Nashua3Laffit Pincay Jr.Jose A. MartinFlying Zee Stable (Carl Lizza Jr. & Herbert Hochreiter)12:01.20$127,000G11980First Albert3Francisco MenaLaz BarreraCarmen Barrera12:00.80$162,200G11979Valdez3Laffit Pincay Jr.Laz BarreraAaron U. & Marie Jones11:59.40$124,250G11978Radar Ahead3Darrel McHargueGary F. JonesSidney Vail12:00.00$133,300G11977J. O. Tobin3Bill ShoemakerJohn H. AdamsEl Peco Ranch (George A. Pope)11:58.60$194,900G11976Majestic Light3Sandy HawleyJohn W. RussellOgden Mills Phipps11:59.20$98,200G11975Forceten3Donald PierceNeil D. DrysdaleSaron Stable11:59.80$119,800G11974Agitate3Bill ShoemakerJames R. JimenezMeeken Stable (John & Paula Kent Meeken)11:59.60$66,300G1

References

The 2008 Swaps Stakes at the NTRA