San Luis Obispo Handicap
# San Luis Obispo Handicap

The San Luis Obispo Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The race is open to horses age four and up, willing to race one and one-half miles on the turf. A Grade II event, it offers a purse of $150,000.

Inaugurated as the Washington's Birthday Handicap in 1950, it was run on dirt until 1954 when it became a turf race. For 1973, 1980 and 2005, the race was transferred to the dirt track. There was no race from 1963 through 1967 but returned in 1968 as the San Luis Obispo Handicap, named for the city of San Luis Obispo further up the Central Coast of California from Santa Anita Park.

It was started on the turf course's backstretch, instead of the hillside, in 1990, 1992 and 1993. Since inception it has been contested at various distances:

* 7 furlongs : 1950, 1952–53
* 1+1⁄4 miles (10 furlongs) : 1951, 1954, 1970
* About 1+1⁄2 miles (about 12 furlongs) : 1968, 1972 and 1993
* 1+1⁄2 miles (12 furlongs) : 1955–1969, 1971, 1973–1992, 1994–present

The San Luis Obispo Handicap was run in two divisions in 1968, 1972, and 1974.

## Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 1+1⁄2 miles)

* 2:23.80 – Captain Cee Jay (1974)

Most wins:

* 2 – St. Vincent (1955, 1957)
* 2 – Great Communicator (1988, 1989)
* 2 – Spring House (2008, 2009)

Most wins by an owner:

* 3 – Johnny Longden and/or Alberta Ranches (1955, 1957, 1982)

Most wins by a jockey:

* 9 – Bill Shoemaker (1952, 1956, 1962, 1972 (2), 1977, 1980, 1983, 1987)

Most wins by a trainer:

* 8 – Charles Whittingham (1968, 1971, 1972 (2), 1977, 1983, 1987, 1990)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2011 | Champ Pegasus | 5 | Joel Rosario | Richard Mandella | Diamond A Racing Corporation and Arturo Vargas | 2:31.55 |
| 2010 | Bourbon Bay | 4 | Rafael Bejarano | Neil Drysdale | David and Jill Heerensperger | 2:28.89 |
| 2009 | Spring House | 7 | Alex Solis | Julio C. Canani | Randall D. Hubbard | 2:27.26 |
| 2008 | Spring House | 6 | Garrett Gomez | Julio C. Canani | Randall D. Hubbard | 2:27.21 |
| 2007 | Obrigado | 4 | Garrett Gomez | Neil D. Drysdale | G. Seidler & P. Vegso | 2:27.21 |
| 2006 | Atlando | 5 | Martin Pedroza | Darrell Vienna | Gary A. Tanaka | 2:23.95 |
| 2005 | License To Run | 5 | Patrick Valenzuela | Robert J. Frankel | TNT Stud | 2:28.72 |
| 2004 | Puerto Banus | 5 | Victor Espinoza | Kristin Mulhall | Noctis Stable et al. | 2:28.00 |
| 2003 | The Tin Man | 5 | Mike E. Smith | Richard Mandella | Aury & Ralph Todd | 2:31.22 |
| 2002 | Nazirali | 5 | Brice Blanc | Julio C. Canani | Michael House | 2:26.09 |
| 2001 | Persianlux | 5 | Tyler Baze | Wallace Dollase | Horizon Stable et al. | 2:27.70 |
| 2000 | Dark Moondancer | 5 | Chris McCarron | Ron McAnally | Charles J. Cella | 2:39.61 |
| 1999 | Kessem Power | 7 | Gary Stevens | Mike R. Mitchell | Robert J. Baron | 2:28.02 |
| 1998 | Bienvenido | 5 | Chris McCarron | Ron McAnally | Sidney Craig | 2:29.34 |
| 1997 | Shanawi | 5 | Brice Blanc | Jenine Sahadi | Ghanem & Sloan | 2:24.51 |
| 1996 | Windsharp | 5 | Ed Delahoussaye | Wallace Dollase | Richard & Martha Stephen | 2:30.33 |
| 1995 | Square Cut | 6 | Chris Antley | Joseph Devereux | E. W. Racing Stable | 2:26.04 |
| 1994 | Fanmore | 6 | Kent Desormeaux | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 2:27.03 |
| 1993 | Kotashaan | 5 | Kent Desormeaux | Richard Mandella | La Presle Farm | 2:27.64 |
| 1992 | Quest for Fame | 5 | Gary Stevens | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 2:28.79 |
| 1991 | Rial | 6 | Jorge Velásquez | Enrique Boelcke | Enrique Boelcke | 2:24.00 |
| 1990 | Frankly Perfect | 5 | Chris McCarron | Charles Whittingham | W. Gretzky/Summa Stable | 2:28.00 |
| 1989 | Great Communicator | 6 | Ray Sibille | Thad Ackel | Class Act Stable (George Ackel) | 2:30.20 |
| 1988 | Great Communicator | 5 | Ray Sibille | Thad Ackel | Class Act Stable (George Ackel) | 2:27.60 |
| 1987 | Louis Le Grand | 5 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles Whittingham | Allen E. Paulson | 2:28.40 |
| 1986 | Talakeno | 6 | Pat Valenzuela | Laz Barrera | Happy Valley Farm | 2:33.20 |
| 1985 | Western | 7 | Gary Stevens | Laz Barrera | Aaron U. Jones | 2:26.00 |
| 1984 | Sir Pele | 5 | Rafael Meza | Laz Barrera | Aaron U. Jones | 2:27.40 |
| 1983 | Pelerin | 6 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles Whittingham | Doherty & Snowden | 2:24.60 |
| 1982 | Regal Bearing | 6 | Joe Steiner | Johnny Longden | Longden & Carr Stables | 2:27.20 |
| 1981 | John Henry | 6 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Ron McAnally | Dotsam Stable | 2:24.00 |
| 1980 | Silver Eagle | 6 | Bill Shoemaker | Thomas Bell Jr. | Gayno Stable et al. | 2:30.20 |
| 1979 | Fluorescent Light | 5 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Angel Penna Sr. | Ogden Mills Phipps | 2:28.20 |
| 1978 | Copper Mel | 6 | Sandy Hawley | Tommy Doyle | Cathryn Charles | 2:28.00 |
| 1977 | Royal Derby II | 8 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles Whittingham | Fogelson/Whittingham | 2:24.80 |
| 1976 | Announcer | 4 | Fernando Toro | Vincent Clyne | Elmendorf Farm | 2:30.80 |
| 1975 | Madison Palace | 7 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Farrell W. Jones | Sultan & Valenti | 2:30.20 |
| 1974 | Captain Cee Jay | 4 | Fernando Alvarez | Syl Veitch | Saron Stable | 2:23.80 |
| 1974 | Astray | 5 | Jacinto Vásquez | David A. Whiteley | William Haggin Perry | 2:24.40 |
| 1973 | Queen's Hustler | 4 | Rudy Rosales | Gene Cleveland | Laguna Seca & Ward | 2:27.20 |
| 1972 | Practicante | 6 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles Whittingham | Claiborne Farm | 2:26.40 |
| 1972 | Lord Derby | 5 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles Whittingham | Llangollen Farm | 2:27.40 |
| 1971 | Daryl's Joy | 5 | Johnny Sellers | Charles Whittingham | Robert K. C. Goh | 2:29.20 |
| 1970 | Quilche | 6 | Jerry Lambert | Steve Ippolito | Kerr Stable | 1:58.00 |
| 1969 | Quicken Tree | 6 | Bill Hartack | Clyde Turk | L. R. Rowan/W. Whitney Jr. | 2:37.60 |
| 1968 | Dr. Isby | 4 | Walter Blum | Bob R. Roberts | Bent Tree Ranch | 2:27.80 |
| 1968 | Tumble Wind | 4 | Johnny Sellers | Charles Whittingham | Rock Spring & Langollen | 2:27.00 |
| | no race 1963–1967 | | | | | |
| 1962 | The Axe II | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Robert L. Wheeler | Greentree Stable | 2:37.00 |
| 1961 | Geechee Lou | 5 | Johnny Longden | Gilbert Guariglia | Lawrence J. Krakower | 2:26.00 |
| 1960 | Twentyone Guns | 5 | George Taniguchi | T. F. M. Smith | Eyrauds & Sandahl | 2:26.00 |
| 1959 | Hakuchikara | 6 | Raymond York | Robert L. Wheeler | Hiroshi Nishi | 2:32.40 |
| 1958 | Tall Chief II | 6 | Johnny Longden | William Molter | Golden Gate Stables | 2:30.20 |
| 1957 | St. Vincent | 6 | Johnny Longden | Vance Longden | Gardiner/Alberta Ranches | 2:26.00 |
| 1956 | Blue Volt | 7 | Bill Shoemaker | Edward D. Cox | Altandor Stable & Cox | 2:26.80 |
| 1955 | St. Vincent | 4 | Johnny Longden | Vance Longden | Gardiner/Alberta Ranches | 2:25.40 |
| 1954 | 13 of Diamonds | 5 | Johnny Longden | Vance Longden | Alberta Ranches, Ltd. | 2:00.00 |
| 1953 | Reighs Bull | 5 | Jack Westrope | Allen Drumheller Sr. | Tom Ross & Asa Brunk | 1:22.80 |
| 1952 | Pet Bully | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | Howard Hoffman | Ada L. Rice | 1:22.40 |
| 1951 | Be Fleet | 4 | Nick Wall | George E. Mayberry | Andrew J. Crevolin | 2:01.80 |
| 1950 | But Why Not | 6 | William Boland | William J. Hirsch | King Ranch | 1:23.20 |
