One of Southern California’s signature races will be held with a new name and a significantly boosted purse in 2024 as the rebranded $1 million California Crown Stakes Presented by SirDavis American Whisky anchors a robust card Sept. 28 at Santa Anita Park.

Encouraged by the success of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes card every January at Gulfstream Park, the Stronach Group’s 1/ST Racing organized a fall social celebration at Santa Anita Park built around amazing food, great entertainment, and elite horse racing. The racing lineup features five stakes races, including four graded stakes and two Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series qualifying races, and is anchored by the 1 1/8-mile California Crown.

Previously called the Goodwood Stakes and then renamed the Awesome Again Stakes in 2012 in honor of the 1998 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, Saturday’s marquee race is well-established as a major steppingstone to the Longines Classic. Ferdinand (1987), Tiznow (2000), Pleasantly Perfect (2003), Mucho Macho Man (2013), and Accelerate (2018) swept both races in the same year since the start of the Breeders’ Cup in 1984. The California Crown winner will earn an expenses-paid berth to the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 2 at Del Mar via the “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series.

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The California Crown drew a talented group of seven contenders. Read on to learn more about each of the horses entered for this year’s race.

1. Newgate

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Owners: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan

Career record: 10 starts – 3 wins – 4 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $535,775

Earnings per start: $53,578

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 111

Pedigree: Into Mischief – Majestic Presence, by Majestic Warrior 

Age: 4

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Newgate has been working steadily since Aug. 9 for his first race since a disappointing ninth-place finish in the $12 million Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline March 30. The Into Mischief colt was one of the logical win candidates in that race after scoring by a head in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap Presented by Yaamava’ Resort & Casino March 3. It’s difficult to predict what type of performance to expect from a racehorse in his first start in six months, but Newgate has the talent to win the California Crown for a trainer who holds the record with eight wins in this race. It’s also possible that his connections could view this race as a true prep and a quality effort would give them the confidence to move on to the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. If that’s the case, Newgate might be more likely to fill out the exacta or trifecta than find himself in the winner’s circle. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert has won this race when it was the Goodwood or Awesome Again Stakes with Silver Charm (1998), Richard’s Kid (2010), Game On Dude (2011, 2012), Mubtaahij (2017), Improbable (2020), Medina Spirit (2021), and Defunded (2022). Part-owner SF Racing also was a co-owner of 2020 winner Improbable; jockey John Velazquez won the race for Baffert aboard Medina Spirit in 2021.

Bet Newgate in the California Crown Stakes

2. Subsanador

Jockey: Mike Smith

Trainer: Richard Mandella

Owner: Wathnan Racing

Career record: 16 starts – 8 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $403,124

Earnings per start: $25,195

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 124

Pedigree: Fortify – Save the Date, by Hurricane Cat 

Age: 5

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Subsanador earned a monster Equibase Speed Figure for winning the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes Aug. 17 at Monmouth Park by 1 ½ lengths over Il Miracolo. The 124 speed figure for that win is the best in the field by a significant margin but it also was the Argentine multiple Group 1 winner’s first win in the U.S and a 13-point jump from his previous career-best, indicating it could be an outlier. Prior to that he had run fourth twice with a runner-up finish by a head in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap Presented by Yaamava’ Resort & Casino in March sandwiched in between. Trainer Richard Mandella gave the 5-year-old six weeks to recover from the fast Iselin victory and he must be respected here as a racehorse with back class in his home country, tactical speed, and improving form entering the California Crown. His close second in the Big ’Cap indicates that he can handle the step back up to Grade 1 competition in Southern California for a pair of Hall of Famers in Mandella and jockey Mike Smith. Mandella has won this race four times previously as the Goodwood or Awesome Again Stakes with Soul of the Matter (1995), Pleasantly Perfect (2002, 2003), and Rock Hard Ten (2005); Smith won aboard Tiago (2007) and Shared Belief (2014).

Bet Subsanador in the California Crown Stakes

3. National Treasure

Jockey: Flavien Prat

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Owners: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan

Career record: 14 starts – 4 wins – 2 seconds – 2 thirds

Career earnings: $5,378,000

Earnings per start: $384,143

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 115

Pedigree: Quality Road – Treasure, by Medaglia d’Oro

Age: 4

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: The 2023 Preakness Stakes winner finished fourth in this race a year ago and then followed up with a second-place finish by a nose to eventual Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish in the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. National Treasure maintained that momentum right into 2024 and kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a neck victory in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Baccarat Jan. 27. After running fourth in the $20 million Saudi Cup, National Treasure earned another marquee win by 6 ¼ lengths in the Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap that cemented his status as one of the best older dirt horses in training. National Treasure’s disappointing sixth-place finish, beaten by 10 lengths as the odds-on favorite, in the Whitney Stakes Aug. 3 at Saratoga creates a bit of uncertainty heading into the California Crown. It’s important to note the Whitney was held on a muddy track and National Treasure is winless in three tries on “off” (wet) tracks. If you toss out the Whitney dud, National Treasure looks like one of most likely winners of this race along with stablemate Muth. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won this race a record eight times when it was the Goodwood or Awesome Again Stakes with Silver Charm (1998), Richard’s Kid (2010), Game On Dude (2011, 2012), Mubtaahij (2017), Improbable (2020), Medina Spirit (2021), and Defunded (2022). Part-owner SF Racing also was a co-owner of 2020 winner Improbable.

Bet National Treasure in the California Crown Stakes

4. Katonah

Jockey: Tiago Pereira

Trainer: Doug O’Neill

Owner: R3 Racing

Career record: 13 starts – 4 wins – 3 seconds – 2 thirds

Career earnings: $270,680

Earnings per start: $20,822

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 113

Pedigree: Klimt – Ctimene, by Consolidator

Age: 5

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Stalker/Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: If you can overlook a disappointing seventh-place finish in the 1 ¼-mile FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic Stakes Aug. 31, there are several positive indicators for Katonah. Since he returned as a gelding in January 2023, his only unplaced finish in eight starts before the Pacific Classic came on turf. In his seven dirt races in that span, he finished in the top three in all of them with four wins and two seconds. Another plus is that three of his four career wins have come on the main track at Santa Anita. It’s also fair to expect that a racehorse who had never raced beyond 1 1/16 miles and had spent much of his career sprinting might have been overextended in terms of stamina in the Pacific Classic, in which he weakened late. While it’s fair to have concerns about his ability to compete at this Grade 1 level, cutting back in distance by an eighth of a mile and returning to his favorite track should boost Katonah’s chances. He finished second by a length in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap in his final prep for the Pacific Classic and filling out the exacta or trifecta in the California Crown at appealing odds would not be a shocker. Trainer Doug O’Neill first won this race in 2006 with future Hall of Famer Lava Man and added a win last year with Slow Down Andy.

Bet Katonah in the California Crown Stakes

5. Muth

Jockey: Juan Hernandez

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Owner: Zedan Racing Stables

Career record: 7 starts – 5 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $1,579,100

Earnings per start: $225,586

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 115

Pedigree: Good Magic – Hoppa, by Uncle Mo

Age: 3

Color: Bay

Running style: Press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: The 2024 California Crown will showcase the talented 3-year-old Muth making his first start against older horses for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Muth returned from a long layoff with a facile two-length win in the Shared Belief Stakes Sept. 1 at Del Mar. Prior to that, he had not raced since an eye-catching, two-length win March 30 in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby that made Muth a leading candidate for the Preakness Stakes. Unfortunately, an illness knocked the Good Magic colt out of consideration for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Muth’s career-best 115 Equibase Speed Figure, earned for winning the Arkansas Derby, paired with a sparkling record of five wins in seven starts with nothing worse than a second make him a logical candidate (along with stablemate National Treasure) to leave the starting gate as the favorite in the California Crown. Baffert has won this race a record eight times when it was the Goodwood or Awesome Again Stakes with Silver Charm (1998), Richard’s Kid (2010), Game On Dude (2011, 2012), Mubtaahij (2017), Improbable (2020), Medina Spirit (2021), and Defunded (2022). Owner Zedan Racing Stables campaigned 2021 winner Medina Spirit, who won this race as a 3-year-old like Muth is attempting to do.

Bet Muth in the California Crown Stakes

6. Senor Buscador

Jockey: Joe Talamo

Trainer: Todd Fincher

Owner: Peacock Family Racing Stable

Career record: 20 starts – 7 wins – 2 seconds – 3 thirds

Career earnings: $12,711,427

Earnings per start: $635,571

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 113

Pedigree: Mineshaft – Rose’s Desert, by Desert God 

Age: 6

Color: Bay

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: You could make a compelling argument that no U.S. racehorse had a better winter than Senor Buscador. He earned $573,000 for running second in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Baccarat in January before winning the $20 million Saudi Cup in February and finishing second in the $12 million Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline in March. That’s more than $11.7 million in purse earnings in three starts for those counting at home. His owner and trainer subsequently gave the 6-year-old by Mineshaft plenty of time to recover from his trip to the Middle East and brought him back 4 ½ months later in the Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar going seven-eighths of a mile, significantly shorter than the distances at which he’s had the majority of his success. He rallied from near the back of the field to finish fourth in that race, which should serve as a solid steppingstone to the 1 1/8-mile California Crown. Senor Buscador is a deep closer who benefits greatly from a solid pace in front of him to set up his finishing kick, so he is dependent upon others and his record at Santa Anita (one third-place finish in three starts) is unspectacular. Senor Buscador rarely runs a poor race and should be passing horses in the stretch, but it’s possible this is yet another building block for the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic and we see his best effort five weeks later at Del Mar. Senor Buscador finished third in this race a year ago for his connections.

Bet Senor Buscador in the California Crown Stakes

7. Indispensable

Jockey: Hector Berrios

Trainer: John Sadler

Owners: Talla Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Edwin S. Barker

Career record: 10 starts – 1 win – 3 seconds – 4 thirds

Career earnings: $130,200

Earnings per start: $13,020

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 105

Pedigree: Constitution – High Performer, by Candy Ride

Age: 3

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker/Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Indispensable needed nine starts to earn his first career win, prevailing by three-quarters of a length in a one-mile race July 25 at Del Mar. Prior to the breakthrough victory, the Constitution colt had finished second twice and third four times. Trainer John Sadler gave him a class test after the July win and entered him in the Shared Belief Stakes Sept. 1 at Del Mar. Indispensable rallied from fifth in the early stages for a runner-up finish, two lengths behind highly regarded odds-on favorite Muth. Indispensable earned a career-top 105 Equibase Speed Figure for the Shared Belief second and most likely will need to improve by about 10 points to be a win candidate with a chance to turn the tables on Muth in the California Crown. Racehorses can take big steps in terms of physical and mental maturation late in their 3-year-old seasons, but the quality of this field probably makes rallying again for a minor award the best-case scenario for Indispensable. Indispensable was cross-entered in the Oklahoma Derby, a Grade 3 race Sunday at Remington Park, so it’s possible he will be pointed to the easier spot by Sadler, who won the California Crown/Awesome Again in 2018 with Accelerate.

Bet Indispensable in the California Crown Stakes