Strub Stakes

The Strub Stakes was an annual Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for four-year-olds, which was last run in 2014 and has since been discontinued.

Race Information

• • Location: Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, United States.
• • Qualification: Four-year-olds.
• • Surface: Dirt track.
• • Distance: 1 1/8 miles.
• • Purse: The purse was typically around $200,000 in its later years.
• • Status: The race held Grade I and II status for much of its history.
• • Significance: The race traditionally served as an early-season test for older horses aiming for major Grade I events later in the year.

Strub Stakes History

The Strub Stakes was inaugurated in 1948 at Santa Anita Park as the Santa Anita Maturity. In 1963, it was renamed the Charles H. Strub Stakes in honor of Dr. Charles H. Strub, a key figure in Santa Anita’s creation. In 1994, the name was shortened to the Strub Stakes to honor both Charles H. Strub and his son, Robert P. Strub.

The race was contested at multiple distances over its history, including long periods at 1 1/4 miles, before later being run at 1 1/8 miles. It was a Grade I event for many years, but in 1998 it was downgraded from Grade I to Grade II. The Strub Stakes remained an important part of Santa Anita’s winter stakes calendar for older horses and was historically associated with the broader “Strub Series” at the track. The final running of the Strub Stakes took place in 2014, after which the race was discontinued.