What is the Hollywood Gold Cup?
The Hollywood Gold Cup is a Grade II Thoroughbred race held annually at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Contested at 1¼ miles on the dirt for horses aged four and older, it is one of the most storied dirt races in American racing history and a Breeders' Cup Classic "Win and You're In" qualifier. The race was inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park, where the legendary Seabiscuit won the inaugural running under jockey George Woolf. Among the greatest names in racing history have won the Hollywood Gold Cup: Citation, Swaps, Round Table, Affirmed, Cigar, Skip Away, Real Quiet, and Lava Man, who won three consecutive editions. Following the closure of Hollywood Park in 2013, the race moved permanently to Santa Anita and has been run on Memorial Day each year since, retaining its standing as the premier older dirt horse race on the West Coast.
When is the Hollywood Gold Cup in 2026?
The 2026 Hollywood Gold Cup is scheduled for Monday, May 25 at Santa Anita Park as part of the Memorial Day program. Contested at 1¼ miles on the main track with a purse of $200,000, the race draws the top older dirt horses on the West Coast targeting a Breeders' Cup Classic berth later in the fall.
Hollywood Gold Cup History & Notable Winners
Trainer Bob Baffert has dominated the modern era of the Hollywood Gold Cup with 10 victories, winning four of the past five editions from 2021 through 2024. Country Grammer battled back from a length down in deep stretch to beat Royal Ship by a head in 2:02.23 under Flavien Prat in 2021. There Goes Harvard pulled off an 8-1 upset under Irad Ortiz Jr. in 2022, stopping the clock in 2:02.66. Defunded led gate-to-wire for Baffert in 2023 under Juan Hernandez in 2:02.85. Mr Fisk gave Baffert a record 10th Gold Cup win in 2024 under Kazushi Kimura in 2:03.01, before suffering a condylar fracture in the gallop-out that ended his career. Skippylongstocking completed a memorable Memorial Day double for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. in 2025, winning by three-quarters of a length in 2:01.64 — the fastest Gold Cup in recent memory.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Skippylongstocking | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 2:01.64 |
| 2024 | Mr Fisk | Kazushi Kimura | 2:03.01 |
| 2023 | Defunded | Juan Hernandez | 2:02.85 |
| 2022 | There Goes Harvard | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 2:02.66 |
| 2021 | Country Grammer | Flavien Prat | 2:02.23 |
Last Updated on 05/18/2026
The Hollywood Gold Cup is one of the most historic dirt races in American racing and the centerpiece of Santa Anita Park's prestigious Memorial Day program.
