The Robert J. Frankel Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age three and older run over a distance of one and one-eighth miles (9 furlongs) on the turf track held annually in late December at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, USA. The event currently offers a purse of $100,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 4 January 1968 as the San Gorgonio Handicap, a sprint over the Downhill turf course over a distance of about furlongs for horses that were four years old or older. The event was won by Tumble Weed who was trained by US Hall of Fame trainer Charles E. Whittingham in a time of 1:13.

The event was named after a landmarks in Southern California, known as San Gorgonio Pass, San Gorgonio Mountain. a mountain in the San Bernardino Mountains and the former town of San Gorgonio now called Beaumont.

The following year the event was scheduled as a claiming stakes event held over a distance of miles and was called the San Gorgonio Claiming Stakes. In 1970 the event was not held.

In 1976 Santa Anita Track Administration changed the conditions of the event to a handicap for four-year-old fillies and mares and changing the name of the event back to San Gorgonio Handicap. The winner was the seven-year-old Chilean-bred mare Tizna, who carried a record weight of 132 lbs to victory by a nose as the 9/5 favorite.

In 1977 the event was run twice. Once in January and the second time in December when track administration scheduled the event earlier for the 1977–1978 Racing season. Hence, the event was not held in 1978 when the scheduled back in its January time slot.

In 1983 the American Graded Stakes Committee classified the event as Grade III and upgraded the race in 1985 to Grade II.

The event was renamed in 2010 to honor the late Hall of Fame trainer Robert J. Frankel who had trained eight winners of the event.i "Santa Anita Honors Legendary Trainer Frankel, San Gorgonio Becomes Gr. II Robert J. Frankel" , Santa Anita Park, December 27, 2010."Santa Anita Names Stakes After Frankel", The Blood-Horse, 27 December 2010.

In 2012 the event was downgraded back to Grade III.

The 2016 Robert J. Frankel Stakes lost its Grade III classification when, for safety reasons, the race was switched from the turf course to the dirt track.

In 2021 the event was scheduled to be held on the last day of the year but due to wet conditions Santa Anita administration moved the event to New Year's Day. Hence the conditions of the event were for four-year-olds and over.

Records Time record: miles: 1:46.40 – Castilla (1983), Invited Guest (1990)

Margins: 15 lengths – Miss Magnetic (1980)

Most wins by a jockey: 5 – Laffit Pincay Jr. (1971, 1973, 1978, 1987, 1994) 5 – Chris McCarron (1983, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2002) 5 – Corey Nakatani (1993, 1996, 1996, 1997, 2016)

Most wins by a trainer: 8 – Robert J. Frankel (1973, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – Sidney Craig (1992, 1998) 2 – Juddmonte Farms (1996, 2003) 2 – 3 Plus U Stable (1997, 2001) 2 – Stronach Stables (1994, 2007) 2 – Abbondanza Racing (2016, 2017)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefRobert J. Frankel Stakes2026Paradise Lake 5Juan J. HernandezPeter EurtonC R K Stable miles1:50.72$101,500III2025Race not held2024Mrs. Astor 4Frankie Dettori Jonathan ThomasAugustin Stable miles1:48.57$100,000III2023Angel Nadeshiko 4Antonio Fresu Patrick GallagherU.S. Equine miles1:50.69$100,500IIIQueen Goddess 4John R. Velazquez Michael McCarthyEclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Gary Barber miles1:48.35$102,500III2022 (Jan)Luck5Flavien PratRichard BaltasLNJ Foxwoods miles1:48.26$101,000III2021Race not held2020Mucho Unusual4John R. VelazquezTim YakteenGeorge Krikorian miles1:48.32$101,500III2019Mirth4Mike E. SmithPhilip D'AmatoLittle Red Feather Racing miles1:48.32$101,053III2018Fahan Mura4Edwin A. MaldonadoVladimir CerinBran Jam Stable miles1:46.85$151,035III20174Brice BlancRichard BaltasAbbondanza Racing & Medallion Racing miles1:48.10$100,345III2016Goodyearforroses (IRE)4Corey NakataniRichard BaltasAbbondanza Racing miles1:51.42$98,000 Listed 2015Gender Agenda (GB)4Rafael BejaranoCarla GainesKeith Brackpool, Alon Ossip, Timothy Ritvo miles1:50.29$101,750III2014Lady Pimpernel (GB)4Victor EspinozaCarla GainesTriton Racing miles1:49.96$101,000III2013Customer Base4Mike E. SmithThomas F. ProctorGlen Hill Farm miles1:46.45$101,000III2012Qaraaba (GB)5Julien R. LeparouxSimon CallaghanAlice Bamford & Michael B. Tabor miles1:49.20$151,000IIIDecemberBauble Queen4Garrett K. GomezJ. Eric KruljacClass Racing Stable miles1:48.22$150,000IIJanuary2011Spring Style (IRE)6Garrett K. GomezBen D. A. CecilKristy Cecil & Zillah Reddam miles1:51.08$147,000IISan Gorgonio Handicap2010Cat by the Tale5Joel RosarioNeil D. DrysdaleRaymond Keogh miles1:48.17$150,000II2009Tizfiz5Agapito DelgadilloRafael DeLeonBrian Kahn & Richard J. O'Neill Trust miles1:49.62$150,000II2008Wait A While5Garrett K. GomezTodd A. PletcherArindel Farm miles1:46.81$150,000II2007Citronnade4David R. FloresRobert J. FrankelStronach Stables miles1:46.80$150,000II2006Silver Cup (IRE)4Victor EspinozaPatrick L. BianconeMartin S. Schwartz miles1:47.46$150,000II2005Fencelineneighbor5Luis H. JaureguiMichael MachowskyAmerman Racing miles1:49.82$150,000III2004Megahertz (GB)5Alex O. SolisRobert J. FrankelMichael Bello miles1:49.51 $147,000II2003Tates Creek5Pat ValenzuelaRobert J. FrankelJuddmonte Farms miles1:46.91$150,000II2002Tout Charmant6Chris McCarronRon McAnallyStonerside Stable miles1:47.22$150,000II2001Uncharted Haven (GB)4Alex O. SolisRobert J. Frankel3 Plus U Stable miles1:50.02$150,000II2000Lady At Peace4Garrett K. GomezEdwin J. GregsonJon & Sarah Kelly miles1:48.75$150,000II1999See You Soon (FR)5Kent J. DesormeauxRobert J. FrankelCharles Kenis miles1:49.14$150,000II1998Golden Arches (FR)4Chris McCarronRon McAnallySidney H. Craig miles1:49.42$161,450II1997Sixieme Sens5Corey NakataniRobert J. Frankel3 Plus U Stable miles1:47.16$132,950II1996Wandesta (GB)5Corey NakataniRobert J. FrankelJuddmonte Farms miles1:49.13$130,550II1995Queens Court Queen6Corey NakataniRon McAnallyAlex G. Campbell Jr. miles1:48.70$107,000II1994Hero's Love6Laffit Pincay Jr.Rafael BecerraFrank Stronach miles1:47.65$111,800II1993Southern Truce5Corey NakataniRoger M. SteinRegal Rose Stable miles1:51.28$112,100II1992Paseana (ARG)5Chris McCarronRon McAnallySidney H. Craig miles1:53.88$130,375 II1991Royal Touch (IRE)6Chris McCarronCharles E. WhittinghamMohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum miles1:47.80$140,100II1990Invited Guest (IRE)6Russell BazeRichard E. Mandella Randall D. Hubbard miles1:46.40$140,000II1989No Review4Rafael Q. MezaChristopher SpeckertBuckland Farm miles1:48.80$136,200II1988Miss Alto5Jerry M. FanningJerry Arnold & Stan Huller miles1:49.20$108,200II1987Frau Altiva (ARG)5Laffit Pincay Jr.Henry M. MorenoNita Brooks, Louis Lee Brooks Jr. & Leigh Lawrence miles1:50.20$108,100II1986Mountain Bear (GB)5Eddie DelahoussayeDarrell ViennaBob Forgnone, Richard Levy, Chuck Marquis, Dean Stern, Joe Sharer & Jim Franklin miles1:48.40$112,500II1985Fact Finder6Fernando ToroNelson Bunker Hunt miles1:48.20$107,500II1984First Advance5Marco CastanedaFrank T. RappaMargaret & Frank Rappa miles1:48.80$89,950III1983Castilla4Chris McCarronCharles E. WhittinghamMary Jones Bradley miles1:46.40$84,550III1982Track Robbery6Eddie DelahoussayeRobert L. WheelerSumma Stable miles1:52.60$79,700 1981Kilijaro (IRE)5Bill ShoemakerCharles E. WhittinghamPeter M. Brant miles1:49.20$63,300 1980§ Miss Magnetic5Luis Enrique OrtegaRon McAnallyElmendorf Farm miles1:50.00$66,700 1979Via Maris (FR)4Angel Cordero Jr.Angel Penna Sr.Daniel Wildenstein miles1:52.60$56,500 1978Race not held1977Lucie Manet (ARG)4Bill ShoemakerJaime VillagomezJohn & Donald Valpredo miles1:50.80$52,750 DecemberMerry Lady III (ARG)4Laffit Pincay Jr.Henry M. MorenoRed Bee Ranch miles1:54.00$58,700 January1976Tizna (CHI)7Fernando AlvarezHenry M. MorenoNile Financial Corp. miles1:47.20$43,800 San Gorgonio Claiming Stakes1975Madison Palace (FRA)7Donald PierceFarrell W. JonesAlbert Sultan & Peter Valenti miles1:48.40$34,9001974Margum5Bill ShoemakerTom PrattLeone J. Peters miles1:50.60$36,0001973§ Extra Hand7Laffit Pincay Jr.Robert J. FrankelMarion R. Frankel miles1:49.00$36,7001972§ Tradesman8Eddie BelmontePancho MartinSigmund Sommer miles1:49.20$37,1001971Never Confuse5Laffit Pincay Jr.William J. HirschKing Ranch miles1:51.60$30,5501970Race not held1969Jimmy Peanuts4Walter BlumRoger LaurinEdward Sawyer miles1:52.00$24,900San Gorgonio Handicap1968Tumble Wind4John SellersCharles E. WhittinghamLlangollen Farm Stable & Rock Spring Stable1:13.60$23,150

Legend:

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

External links 2021 Santa Anita Media Guide

References