Awesome Again Stakes

Breeders' Cup Challenge Series > Awesome Again Stakes

Awesome Again Stakes Race Facts

  • Location: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA
  • Inaugural Race: 1982
  • Distance: 1 and 1/8th mile (9 furlongs)
  • Track Type: Left-handed, Dirt
  • Age Qualifications: Three Year Olds and up
  • 2023 Purse: $300,000
  • 2023 Race Date: Saturday, September 30th

2023 Awesome Again Stakes Race Results

POST
HORSE
JOCKEY / TRAINER
WIN / PLACE / SHOW
3
Slow Down Andy
Mario Gutierrez / Doug F. O'Neill
$6.00 / $3.60 / $2.80
2
Defunded
Edwin A. Maldonado / Bob Baffert
$4.60 / $3.40
1
Senor Buscador
Geovanni Franco / Todd W. Fincher
$4.40
7
National Treasure
Juan J. Hernandez / Bob Baffert
4
Skinner
Mike E. Smith / John A. Shirreffs
5
Bye Bye Bobby
Drayden Van Dyke / Todd W. Fincher
6
Celestial Moon
Antonio Fresu / Mark Glatt
8
Piroli
Umberto Rispoli / Michael W. McCarthy
9
Stilleto Boy
Kent J. Desormeaux / Ed Moger, Jr.

Exotic Payoffs:

  • $1.00 Exacta (3-2) Paid: $13.50
  • $0.50 Trifecta (3-2-1) Paid: $31.70
  • $0.10 Superfecta (3-2-1-7) Paid: $22.14

Watch the 2023 Awesome Again Stakes

Awesome Again Stakes Race History

The Awesome Again stakes is a Grade I horse race run each year at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Inaugurated in 1982 as the Goodwood Handicap, the race was re-named in honor of the 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic and Canadian hall of fame thoroughbred Awesome Again. Previous winners of the race include a bevy of notable horses, including:

  • Ferdinand (1987) - 1986 Kentucky Derby and 1987 Breeders' Cup Classic winner
  • Bertrando (1994) - 1993 U.S. Champion Older Male Horse and California Horse of the Year
  • Sliver Charm (1998) - 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner and Hall of Fame inductee
  • Tiznow (2000) - 2000 and 2001 Breeders' Cup Classic winner (only horse to win the race twice) and Hall of Fame inductee
  • Lava Man (2006) - Seattle Slew grandsire and Hall of Fame inductee
  • Mucho Macho Man (2013) - 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic winner
  • Shared Belief (2014) - 2013 American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse
  • California Chrome (2016) - 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner and North American all-time earnings leader
  • Accelerate (2018) - 2018 Breeders' Cup Classic winner
  • Improbable (2020) - 2020 American Champion Older Male Horse

Currently three horses are tied for most wins with two a piece: Lord At War (1984, 1985), Pleasantly Perfect (2002, 2003), and Game On Dude (2011, 2012). Game On Dude's wins are particularly notable as Awesome Again is his sire. In 2013, Gary Stevens set the record for most wins by a jockey by capturing his fifth win. Bob Baffert currently holds the title for most wins by a trainer with his eight wins, including a three-peat between 2010 and 2012.

As part of the Breeder's Cup Challenge Series, the winners of the race gain an automatic bid to race in the Breeder's Cup Classic.

Awesome Again Stakes Past Winners

Year
Winner
Jockey / Trainer
Distance / Time
2023
Slow Down Andy
Mario Gutierrez / Doug F. O'Neill
1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.62
2022
Defunded
Edwin A. Maldonado / Bob Baffert
1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.38
2021
Medina Spirit
John R. Velazquez / Bob Baffert
1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.67
2020
Improbable
Drayden Van Dyke / Bob Baffert
1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.01
2019
Mongolian Groom
Abel Cedillo / Enebish Ganbat
1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.27
2018
Accelerate
Joel Rosario / John W. Sadler
1 1⁄8 M / 1:50.38
2017
Mubtaahij (IRE)
Drayden Van Dyke / Bob Baffert
1 1⁄8 M / 1:51.32
2016
California Chrome
Victor Espinoza / Art Sherman
1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.07
2015
Smooth Roller
Tyler Baze / Victor L. Garcia
1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.08
2014
Shared Belief
Mike E. Smith / Jerry Hollendorfer
1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.58