What is the Daytona Stakes?
The Daytona Stakes is a Grade III Thoroughbred race held annually at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Contested at about 6½ furlongs on Santa Anita's distinctive downhill hillside turf course for horses aged three and older, it is one of the premier open-company turf sprint tests on the West Coast and a key early-summer benchmark for older horses targeting Del Mar. Inaugurated in 1968 as the San Simeon Handicap, the race was renamed in 2017 to honor Daytona, the Irish-bred champion who won the Grade I Hollywood Derby as a 3-year-old and followed up with a Grade I Shoemaker Mile victory at Santa Anita as a 4-year-old. The race is run as part of the Memorial Day card and has been Grade III since 1984. Ron McAnally holds the all-time trainer record with six wins. The stakes record of 1:11.28 was set by Chips All In in 2013.
When is the Daytona Stakes in 2026?
The 2026 Daytona Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, June 13 at Santa Anita Park. Contested at about 6½ furlongs on the hillside turf course with a purse of $100,000, the race draws the top older turf sprinters on the West Coast targeting the summer stakes circuit at Del Mar.
Daytona Stakes History & Notable Winners
The Daytona Stakes has produced some of the most exciting hillside turf sprint finishes on the West Coast. Motorious (GB) gave trainer Phil D'Amato and jockey Antonio Fresu a 2025 wire-to-wire score in 1:13.13, the seven-year-old son of Iffraaj holding off a late charge to win for the second time in his career at Santa Anita. Mucho Del Oro gave trainer Doug O'Neill and jockey Kyle Frey a 2024 win in 1:11.37, the fastest recent renewal of the race. Fast Buck produced a 2023 upset for trainer Cesar DeAlba and jockey Hector Berrios in 1:11.68. Bran (FRA) gave trainer John Sadler and jockey Juan Hernandez a 2022 win in 1:12.44 for Hronis Racing. Bombard gave trainer Richard Mandella and jockey Flavien Prat a memorable 2021 score in 1:14.47, the eight-year-old gelding winning the Daytona in his final career start.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Motorious (GB) | Antonio Fresu | Philip D'Amato | 1:13.13 |
| 2024 | Mucho Del Oro | Kyle Frey | Doug F. O'Neill | 1:11.37 |
| 2023 | Fast Buck | Hector Isaac Berrios | Cesar DeAlba | 1:11.68 |
| 2022 | Bran (FR) | Juan J. Hernandez | John W. Sadler | 1:12.44 |
| 2021 | Bombard | Flavien Prat | Richard E. Mandella | 1:14.47 |
| 2020 | Wildman Jack | Mike E. Smith | Doug F. O'Neill | 1:01.10 |
The Daytona Stakes is one of the most exciting sprint events on the West Coast and a Memorial Day tradition on Santa Anita Park's hillside turf course each May.
