Kona Gold Stakes
Grade III race
LocationSanta Anita Park
Arcadia, California, United States
Inaugurated1983 (as Potrero Grande Handicap)
Race typeThoroughbred – Flat racing
Websitewww.santaanita.com
Race information
Distance6+1⁄2 furlongs
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationThree-years-old and older
WeightBase weights with allowances:
4-year-olds and up: 126 lbs.
3-year-olds: 118 lbs.
PurseUS$100,000 (since 2021)

The Kona Gold Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses that are three years old or older with allowance conditions, over a distance of six and one half furlongs on the dirt held annually in April at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. The event currently carries a purse of $100,000.

History


The event was inaugurated on Wednesday, 2 March 1983 as the Potrero Grande Handicap for horses four year old and older and was won by Hi-Yu Stable's Washington State bred Chinook Pass who was ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. in a time of 1:143⁄5.[1] Chinook Pass would continue on a superb season with several more wins on the Southern California circuit culminating him being crowned as U.S. Champion Sprint Horse for that year.

The event was named after Rancho Potrero Grande, a Mexican land grant in present-day Los Angeles County, California today located nearby in Rosemead and South El Monte, about 6 miles from Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia.

The event was upgraded to a Grade III in 1988.[2] That year the event only attracted three starters with Gulch winning in an upset victory over the 1987 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner and 1/2 odds favorite Very Subtle by a 1+1⁄4 length margin.[3] Gulch won go on that year and win the Breeders' Cup Sprint and be crowned the U.S. Champion Sprint Horse.

With the seen quality of winners that were winning the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association upgraded the event to a Grade II in 1997.[4]

Between 1996 and 2007, the Breeders' Cup sponsored the event which reflected in the name of the event.[2]

The event was held on the All Weather synthetic track between 2008 and 2010.[2] On return to holding the event on the dirt track in 2011 the conditions of the event were modified from handicap to an allowance.[2]

In 2015 the administration of the Los Angeles Turf Club rename the event to the Kona Gold Stakes in honor of the dual winner of the event (2000 and 2001) Kona Gold[2] and third placegetter of the 2003 race.[5] Kona Gold had an outstanding record at Santa Anita Park with many wins on the Southern California circuit. His most important win was in the 2000 Breeders' Cup Sprint which was vital in him being awarded the U.S. Champion Sprint Horse.

In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Santa Anita closed their track and the event was cancelled.[6] In 2021 Cezanne defeated three other starters by a new record margin of 9+3⁄4 lengths[7] breaking a 31 year record that was set by Olympic Prospect in 1990 of seven lengths.[8]

Other fine horses that have won this event and have gone on to win the Breeders' Cup Sprint later in their career include Cardmania, Lit de Justice and Amazombie. The 2002 winner Kalookan Queen is the only mare to have won the event.[4]

Records

Speed record:

  • 1:13.71 – Son Of A Pistol (1998)

Margins:

  • 9+3⁄4 lengths – Cezanne (2021)

Most wins:

  • 2 – Kona Gold (2000, 2001)
  • 2 – Amazombie (2011, 2012)
  • 2 – Brickyard Ride (2022, 2023)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
Kona Gold Stakes
2023 Brickyard Ride 6 Juan Hernandez Craig Lewis Alfred A. Pais 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.84 $100,000 III [9]
2022 Brickyard Ride 5 Juan Hernandez Craig Lewis Alfred A. Pais 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.07 $98,000 III [10]
2021 Cezanne 4 Flavien Prat Bob Baffert Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor & St. Elias Stable 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.71 $98,000 III [7]
2020 Race not held
2019 Cistron 5 Victor Espinoza John W. Sadler Hronis Racing 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:16.33 $200,000 II [11]
2018 Bobby Abu Dhabi 4 Victor Espinoza Peter L. Miller Rockingham Ranch & David A Bernsen 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.40 $196,345 II [12]
2017 Ransom the Moon 5 Flavien Prat Philip D'Amato Agave Racing Stable & Jeffrey Wilke 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.10 $201,035 II [13]
2016 Wild Dude 6 Rafael Bejarano Jerry Hollendorfer Green Smith Jr & Jerry Hollendorfer 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.10 $201,035 II [14]
2015 Masochistic 5 Tyler Baze Ronald W. Ellis Los Pollos Hermanos Racing & Jay Em Ess Stable 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.69 $200,250 II [15]
Potrero Grande Stakes
2014 Big Macher 4 Tyler Baze Richard Baltas Thomas Mansor & Tachycardia Stables 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.97 $200,750 II [16]
2013 Jimmy Creed 4 Garrett K. Gomez Richard E. Mandella Spendthrift Farm 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.03 $150,250 II [17]
2012 Amazombie 6 Mike E. Smith William Spawr Thomas C. Sanford & William Spawr 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.16 $150,000 II [18]
2011 Amazombie 5 Mike E. Smith William Spawr Thomas C. Sanford & William Spawr 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.26 $150,000 II [19]
Potrero Grande Handicap
2010 Ventana 4 Garrett K. Gomez Bob Baffert Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.03 $150,000 II [20]
2009 Soul City Slew 6 Michael C. Baze Jack Carava La Canada Stables 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.79 $126,000 II [21]
2008 Greg's Gold 7 Victor Espinoza David E. Hofmans William R. Boswell 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.62 $200,000 II [22]
2007 Smokey Stover 4 Aaron Gryder Greg Gilchrist Harry J. Aleo 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.83 $192,000 II [23]
2006 Surf Cat 4 Alex O. Solis Bruce Headley Aase Headley & Marsha Naify 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.00 $128,000 II [24]
2005 Harvard Avenue 4 Garrett K. Gomez Doug F. O'Neill Ron Crockett 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:16.12 $194,000 II [25]
2004 McCann's Mojave 4 Jose Valdivia Jr. Leonard Dorfman Mike Willman 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.60 $122,488 II [26]
2003 Bluesthestandard 6 Mike E. Smith Ted H. West Jeffrey Sengara 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.86 $134,000 II [5]
2002 § Kalookan Queen 6 Alex O. Solis Bruce Headley Louis Asistio 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.31 $197,700 II [27]
2001 Kona Gold 7 Alex O. Solis Bruce Headley Bruce Headley, Irwin & Andrew Molasky, et al. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.03 $200,900 II [28]
2000 Kona Gold 6 Alex O. Solis Bruce Headley Bruce Headley, Irwin & Andrew Molasky, et al. 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.75 $200,998 II [29]
1999 Big Jag 6 Jose Valdivia Jr. Tim Pinfield Julius H. Zolezzi 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.09 $194,200 II [30]
1998 Son of a Pistol 6 Garrett K. Gomez Bruce Headley Luis Asistio, B.B.C. Stables & Jeff Davenport 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:13.71 $130,700 II [31]
1997 First Intent 8 Rene R. Douglas Jack Carava Lima Family Trust 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.75 $144,250 II [32]
1996 Abaginone 5 Gary L. Stevens Sanford Shulman Ronald L. Charles & Clear Valley Stables 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.59 $202,400 III [33]
1995 Lit de Justice 5 Corey Nakatani Jenine Sahadi Evergreen Farm 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.65 $100,000 III [34]
1994 Sir Hutch 4 Pat Valenzuela Bob Baffert Robert & Beverly Lewis 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.48 $106,100 III [35]
1993 Gray Slewpy 5 Kent J. Desormeaux Dan L. Hendricks Ed Friendly 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.91 $109,700 III [36]
1992 Cardmania 6 Eddie Delahoussaye Myriam Bollack Jean Couvercelle 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:17.16 $102,700 III [37]
1991 Jacodra 4 Corey Nakatani Hector O. Palma Paul & Andrena Van Doren 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.00 $107,300 III [38]
1990 Olympic Prospect 6 Pat Valenzuela John W. Sadler Gregg Alsdorf, Lawrence Opas & Frank Sinatra 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.20 $102,900 III [8]
1989 On the Line 5 Gary L. Stevens D. Wayne Lukas Eugene V. Klein 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.00 $111,500 III [39]
1988 Gulch 4 Eddie Delahoussaye D. Wayne Lukas Peter M. Brant 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.00 $70,300 III [3]
1987 Zabaleta 4 Laffit Pincay Jr. John Gosden Michael D. Riordan (Lessee) 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.00 $78,975 [40]
1986 Halo Folks 5 Chris McCarron Bruce Headley Betty, E.W. & Judy Johnston family & Kjell Qvale 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.60 $74,550 [41]
1985 Fifty Six Ina Row 4 Laffit Pincay Jr. Irv Guiney John Valpredo 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.40 $76,150 [42]
1984 Honeyland 5 Bill Shoemaker Charles E. Whittingham Summa Stable & Sidney L. Port 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.40 $67,450 [43]
1983 Chinook Pass 4 Laffit Pincay Jr. Laurie N. Anderson Hi-Yu Stable 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.60 $64,050 [1]

Legend:
  All Weather Track   Dirt

Notes:
§ Ran as part of an entry

See also

List of American and Canadian Graded races

References

  1. 1 2 "Chinook Pass Romps to Win – (race 8: held 2 March 1983)". Los Angeles Times. The Associated Press. 3 March 1983. p. 66. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Kona Gold Stakes (Gr. 2)". Equibase. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Gulch Beats Very Subtle in Field of 3 – (race 8: held 30 March 1988)". Los Angeles Times. 31 March 1988. p. 52. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 "KONA GOLD STAKES - MULTIPLE TRACKS". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  5. 1 2 "2003 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 29 March 2003. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  6. ↑ Crosby, Claire; King, Byron (27 March 2020). "Health Department Order Suspends Racing at Santa Anita". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  7. 1 2 "2021 Kona Gold Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 18 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  8. 1 2 "Olympic Prospect wins stakes race – (race 8: held 4 April 1990)". Palm Springs Desert Sun. The Associated Press. 5 April 1990. p. 20. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  9. ↑ "2023 Kona Gold Stakes Grade 3 - (race 5)". Equibase. 22 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  10. ↑ "2022 Kona Gold Stakes Grade 3 - (race 4)". Equibase. 30 April 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  11. ↑ "2019 Kona Gold Stakes Grade 2 - (race 5)". Equibase. 20 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  12. ↑ "2018 Kona Gold Stakes Grade 2 - (race 5)". Equibase. 21 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  13. ↑ "2017 Kona Gold Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 20 May 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  14. ↑ "2016 Kona Gold Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  15. ↑ "2015 Kona Gold Stakes Grade 2 - (race 5)". Equibase. 11 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  16. ↑ "2014 Potrero Grande Stakes Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 12 April 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  17. ↑ "2013 Potrero Grande Stakes Grade 2 - (race 7)". Equibase. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  18. ↑ "2012 Potrero Grande Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 7 April 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  19. ↑ "2011 Potrero Grande Stakes Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  20. ↑ "2010 Potrero Grande Handicap Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 3 April 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  21. ↑ "2009 Potrero Grande Handicap Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 4 April 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  22. ↑ "2008 Potrero Grande Handicap Grade 2 - (race 4)". Equibase. 5 April 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  23. ↑ "2007 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 5)". Equibase. 7 April 2007. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  24. ↑ "2006 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 4)". Equibase. 2 April 2006. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  25. ↑ "2005 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 3 April 2005. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  26. ↑ "2004 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 28 March 2004. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  27. ↑ "2002 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 30 March 2002. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  28. ↑ "2001 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 7)". Equibase. 1 April 2001. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  29. ↑ "2000 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 3)". Equibase. 8 April 2000. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  30. ↑ "1999 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 7)". Equibase. 3 April 1999. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  31. ↑ "1998 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 3)". Equibase. 4 April 1998. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  32. ↑ "1997 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 3)". Equibase. 5 April 1997. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  33. ↑ "1996 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 6 April 1996. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  34. ↑ "1995 Potrero Grande Handicap Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 11 March 1995. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  35. ↑ "1994 Potrero Grande Handicap Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 12 March 1994. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  36. ↑ "1993 Potrero Grande Handicap Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 27 March 1993. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  37. ↑ "1992 Potrero Grande Handicap Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 22 March 1992. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  38. ↑ "1991 Potrero Grande Handicap Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 3 April 1991. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  39. ↑ "On The Line equals record in winning Potrero Grande – (race 8: held 5 April 1989)". Lexington Herald-Leader. The Associated Press. 6 April 1989. p. 33. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  40. ↑ "Zabaleta Overtakes Zany Tactics To Win Potrero Grande Handicap – (race 8: held 11 February 1987)". Los Angeles Times. 12 February 1987. p. 60. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  41. ↑ "Thoroughbred Roundup; Santa Anita – (race 8: held 15 March 1986)". The Courier-Journal. 16 March 1986. pp. 61, 62. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  42. ↑ "Fifty Six Ina Row wins; Precisionist last – (race 8: held 9 March 1985)". Los Angeles Times. 10 March 1985. p. 56. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  43. ↑ "Honeyland wins at 'Anita – (race 8: held 29 February 1984)". San Bernardino County Sun. The Associated Press. 1 March 1984. p. 70. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
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