City of Hope Mile Stakes

The City of Hope Mile Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old or older over the distance of one mile on the turf scheduled annually in September at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The event currently carries a purse of $200,000.

History The event was inaugurated on 4 October 1986 as the Colonel F. W. Koester Handicap at the Oak Tree Racing Association meeting at Santa Anita Park as the eighth race on the racecard and was won by the US Hall of Fame, Charles E. Whittingham trained Palace Music who broke the track record for the distance that was set by Pettrax in 20 April 1986. Palace Music in his next start would just fail winning the Breeders' Cup Mile finishing a head second to Last Tycoon. Colonel F. W. Koester was part of 1932 US Equestrian team, later was the General Manager of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association from 1955 to 1969 and was elected into the California Racing Hall of Fame in 1988.

In 1989 the event was classified by the American Graded Stakes Committee as Grade III and was upgraded to Grade II status the following year.

In 1996 the event was renamed to the Oak Tree Mile Handicap and at the same time was downgraded to Grade III. Between 1996 and 2006 the event had Breeders' Cup incentives which reflected in the name of the event. In 2003 the event was upgraded back to Grade II.

In 2013 the name of the event was changed to the City of Hope Stakes in honor of the cancer treatment center in Los Angeles.Arroyo Seco Stakes changed to City of Hope Stakes

In 2017 the event was run as a Black Type event with a much lower purse as the Obviously Mile Stakes. The Irish bred Obviously won this event in 2012 when it was run as the Arroyo Seco Stakes and was fourth in 2013 and was third in 2016.

Records Time record: 1:31.84 – No Jet Lag (2013)

Margins: 4 lengths - Double Feint (1987), Urgent Request (IRE) (1996)

Most wins: 2 – Mo Forza (2020, 2021) 2 – Johannes (2024, 2025)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – Bardy Farm & OG Boss (2020, 2021)

Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Gary Stevens (1986, 1988, 2000, 2018)

Most wins by a trainer: 6 – Neil D. Drysdale (1989, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2010)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Santa Anita Park – City of Hope Mile Stakes2026Cabo Spirit7Mike E. SmithGeorge PapaprodromouKretz Racing1 mile1:33.06$200,000II2025Johannes5Umberto Rispoli Tim YakteenCuyathy1 mile1:34.13$200,500II2024Johannes 4Umberto Rispoli Tim YakteenCuyathy1 mile1:32.45$201,500II20236Juan J. HernandezPhillip D'AmatoScott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa & Tony Valazza1 mile1:33.77$202,000II2022Beyond Brilliant 4Victor EspinozaJohn ShirreffsC R K Stable 1 mile1:32.61$200,500II2021Mo Forza5Flavien PratPeter L. MillerBardy Farm & OG Boss1 mile1:32.45$200,000II2020Mo Forza 4Flavien PratPeter L. MillerBardy Farm & OG Boss1 mile1:32.09$201,000II2019True Valour (IRE)5Drayden Van DykeSimon CallaghanQatar Racing Limited1 mile1:32.82$202,106II2018Sharp Samurai4Gary L. StevensMark GlattRed Baron's Barn, Rancho Temescal & Mark Glatt1 mile1:32.47$201,380IIObviously Mile Stakes2017Blackjackcat 4Kent J. DesormeauxMark GlattAl & Saundra Kirkwood1 mile1:33.70 $79,695 City of Hope Mile Stakes2016Vyjack6Flavien PratPhilip D'AmatoPick Six Racing1 mile1:31.69$201,725II2015Alert Bay4Martin GarciaBlaine D. WrightPeter Redekop B. C.1 mile1:33.58$200,750II2014Big Bane Theory5Joseph TalamoCarla GainesScott Gross & Mark Devereaux1 mile1:32.38$201,500II2013No Jet Lag3Mike E. SmithSimon CallaghanAnthony Ramsden1 mile1:31.84$150,750IIArroyo Seco Mile Stakes2012Obviously (IRE)4Joseph TalamoMike R. MitchellAnthony Fanticola & Joseph Scardino1 mile1:31.95$150,000IIOak Tree Mile Stakes2011Jeranimo5Martin GarciaMichael PenderRobert J. Wright1 mile1:32.61$150,000IIAt Hollywood Park – Oak Tree Mile Stakes2010Liberian Freighter5Martin GarciaNeil D. DrysdaleShawn L. Dugan, King Edward Racing Stable & Charles N. Winner1 mile1:33.24$150,000IIAt Santa Anita Park – Oak Tree Mile Stakes2009Cowboy Cal4Garrett K. GomezTodd A. PletcherRobert C. & Janice McNair1 mile1:33.12$150,000II2008Hyperbaric5Garrett K. GomezJulio C. CananiPrestonwood Farm1 mile1:33.62$200,000II2007Out of Control (BRZ)4Michael C. BazeRobert J. FrankelT N T Stud1 mile1:34.16$252,000II2006Aragorn (IRE)4Corey NakataniNeil D. DrysdaleBallygallon Stud 1 mile1:32.87$249,000 II2005Singletary5David R. FloresDon ChatlosLittle Red Feather Racing1 mile1:34.54$249,000II2004Musical Chimes4Kent J. DesormeauxNeil D. DrysdaleSheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum1 mile1:33.29$246,000 II2003Designed for Luck6Pat ValenzuelaVladimir CerinDavid & Holly Wilson1 mile1:32.61$300,000II2002Night Patrol6Jose Valdivia Jr.Nick CananiEverest Stables1 mile1:32.93$234,000II2001Val Royal (FR)5Jose Valdivia Jr.Julio C. CananiDavid S. Milch1 mile1:33.21$219,000II2000War Chant3Gary L. StevensNeil D. DrysdaleIrving & Marjorie Cowan1 mile1:33.75$249,000II1999Silic (FR)4Corey NakataniJulio C. CananiTerrence Lanni, Ken Poslosky, Bernard C. Schiappa, et al1 mile1:33.76$200,000IIIOak Tree Mile Handicap1998Hawksley Hill (IRE)5Alex O. SolisNeil D. DrysdaleDavid & Jill Heerensperger1 mile1:36.72$274,000III1997Fantastic Fellow3Alex O. SolisD. Wayne LukasThe Thoroughbred Corporation1 mile1:36.23$200,000III1996Urgent Request (IRE)6Chris McCarronCharles E. WhittinghamStewart Aitken1 mile1:32.44$180,300IIIColonel F. W. Koester Handicap19955Goncalino AlmeidaWallace DollaseBonilla, Carr & Horizon Stable1 mile1:35.30$133,100II1994Bon Point (GB)4Eddie DelahoussayeRobert J. FrankelJuddmonte Farms1 mile1:33.86$107,050II1993Johann Quatz (FR)4Eddie DelahoussayeRon McAnallyTadahiro Hotehama1 mile1:36.28$107,350II1992Twilight Agenda6Chris McCarronD. Wayne LukasMoyglare Stud1 mile1:33.36$110,300II1991Ibero (ARG)4Alex O. SolisRon McAnallyIvan Pavlovsky & Frank Whitham1 mile1:33.77$112,000II1990Notorious Pleasure4Laffit Pincay Jr.Hector O. PalmaRobert, Karen, Marc, Michael & Richard Levy1 mile1:33.00$113,700II1989Political Ambition5Neil D. DrysdaleClover Racing Stable (lessee), Kinkade, Wolfe, et al1 mile1:33.40$112,800III1988Mohamed Abdu (IRE)4Gary L. StevensRichard W. MulhallMeyer & Molly Gaskin Trust – Markovic1 mile1:34.40$110,550 1987Double Feint4Fernando ToroLeRoy JolleyPeter M. Brant1 mile1:37.00$107,200 1986Palace Music5Gary L. StevensNelson Bunker Hunt & Allen E. Paulson1 mile1:35.00$82,300

Legend:

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References

External links City of Hope Cancer Research Hospital & Cancer Treatment