Santa Anita Park has officially unveiled its stakes schedule for the 2026 Autumn Meet, a high-stakes 19-day season that serves as a primary West Coast gateway to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The upcoming meet, which begins on Friday, September 25, and concludes on Sunday, November 1, will feature a robust lineup of 26 stakes races. Highlighting the calendar are seven "Win and You’re In" qualifying events, offering elite Thoroughbreds an automatic starting position and paid entry fees for the 2026 Breeders’ Cup, scheduled to take place at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on October 30 and 31.
The 2026 schedule represents a strategic effort by Santa Anita management to maintain its status as a premier destination for championship-caliber racing. By anchoring the meet with Grade I events in the opening weeks, the track ensures that trainers and owners have the ideal window to prepare their athletes for the cross-country trip to Kentucky. The meet’s structure balances juvenile developmental races, turf marathons, and high-speed sprints, catering to a wide cross-section of the North American racing population.
The Grade I Foundation: Goodwood and American Pharoah Stakes
The centerpiece of the Autumn Meet consists of two prestigious Grade I events, each carrying a $300,000 purse and immense historical significance. These races are positioned on the first two Saturdays of the meet to maximize their impact as final "prep" races for the Breeders’ Cup.
On Saturday, September 26, the Goodwood Stakes will take center stage. Contested at 1 1/8 miles on the main dirt track, the Goodwood is designed for older horses and serves as a premier stepping stone to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. Historically, the Goodwood—often referred to in the past as the Awesome Again Stakes—has been won by legendary champions such as Ferdinand, Tiznow, and Game On Dude. As a "Win and You’re In" event, the victor on September 26 will receive an automatic berth into the Classic, ensuring that California’s top-tier older horses are represented on the world stage.
The following weekend, on Saturday, October 3, the focus shifts to the next generation of stars with the Grade I American Pharoah Stakes. Presented by DK Horse, this 1 1/16-mile dirt test for 2-year-olds is named in honor of the 2015 Triple Crown winner who used Santa Anita as his primary training base. The American Pharoah Stakes is a critical qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and often serves as an early indicator of Kentucky Derby potential. The race provides a stern test of stamina for young colts and geldings transitioning from shorter sprints to two-turn routes.
Opening Weekend Blitz: Five Stakes and Multiple Qualifiers
The first Saturday of the meet, September 26, is not merely about the Goodwood. It is a "Super Saturday" format featuring five total stakes races, four of which are Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series events. This concentrated burst of high-level racing is intended to draw national attention to the Arcadia, California, oval.
Joining the Goodwood on the September 26 card is the Grade II Eddie D Stakes, presented by Estrella Jalisco. Named after Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, this race is contested at about 6 ½ furlongs on Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course. It serves as a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Also on the turf, the Grade II City of Hope Mile offers a "Win and You’re In" ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Mile, while the Grade II John Henry Turf Championship, run at 1 ¼ miles, provides a path to the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Rounding out the opening Saturday is the Grade III John C. Harris Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. While not a Breeders’ Cup qualifier, the 6 ½-furlong hillside turf sprint is a vital race for sophomores looking to establish their dominance in the turf sprint division.
The momentum continues into Sunday, September 27, with two Grade II "Win and You’re In" events. The Santa Anita Sprint Championship, a six-furlong dash on the dirt, will determine a direct qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Simultaneously, the Zenyatta Stakes, named after the iconic "Queen of Racing," will see fillies and mares compete at 1 1/16 miles for a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Juvenile Excellence and the Road to the Breeders Cup
As the meet enters its second week, the spotlight intensifies on 2-year-old talent. On Saturday, October 3, the American Pharoah Stakes is accompanied by the Grade II Oak Leaf Stakes, presented by the Oak Tree Racing Association. This 1 1/16-mile dirt race for 2-year-old fillies is a "Win and You’re In" for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
The significance of the Oak Leaf was underscored during the previous season when the winner, Super Corredora, parlayed her Santa Anita victory into a triumphant performance in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. This trend of Santa Anita-based juveniles dominating on the national stage is a point of pride for the local racing community and reinforces the quality of the dirt surface at "The Great Race Place."
The October 3 program also features the Grade II Rodeo Drive Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 ¼ miles on the turf, another "Win and You’re In" event. Supporting the card are the Grade III Chillingworth Stakes for female sprinters on the dirt and the Speakeasy Stakes, a listed event for 2-year-olds at five furlongs on the turf.
On Sunday, October 4, the juvenile turf stars take over. The Grade III Zuma Beach Stakes and the Grade III Surfer Girl Stakes (restricted to fillies) both offer one-mile turf tests. These races are essential for trainers looking to assess whether their young turf specialists are ready for the international competition they will face at Keeneland later in the month.
Strategic Shift: Returning Stakes and State-Bred Spotlights
A notable aspect of the 2026 schedule is the return of four stakes races that were temporarily moved to Del Mar in 2025 to coincide with that track’s hosting of the Breeders’ Cup. With the World Championships moving to Kentucky this year, Santa Anita resumes its traditional role as the host for the Senator Ken Maddy Stakes, the Grade III Goldikova Stakes, the Golden State Juvenile, and the Golden State Juvenile Fillies.
The Senator Ken Maddy, a hillside turf sprint for fillies and mares, is scheduled for Saturday, October 24. The remaining three races will be held on Saturday, October 31, providing a high-quality local alternative for fans and bettors during the second day of the Breeders’ Cup. The Goldikova Stakes offers a prestigious mile-long turf opportunity for fillies and mares, while the Golden State Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies focus on seven-furlong dirt sprints for California-bred or sired runners.
The inclusion of the California Flag Handicap and the California Distaff Handicap on the weekend of October 10-11 further emphasizes the importance of the state-bred program. Both races are part of the Golden State Series and are contested on the hillside turf course, providing lucrative opportunities for local owners and breeders to showcase the depth of the California Thoroughbred industry.
Management Perspective and Industry Implications
The 2026 Autumn Meet is a critical period for the Southern California racing circuit, which has faced increased competition from other regions. By offering seven automatic qualifiers, Santa Anita ensures that the best horses in the country must consider California as part of their championship path.
"We’re excited about the opportunities this schedule provides for horsemen throughout the Autumn Meet," said Jason Egan, Santa Anita’s Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. "The seven Breeders’ Cup Challenge races headline a strong stakes program and give connections the chance to earn automatic berths into the World Championships while competing at the highest level. Combined with a balanced schedule across all divisions, we believe this program will continue to attract outstanding horses and deliver another quality meet at Santa Anita."
Egan’s comments reflect a broader strategy of "quality over quantity." By concentrating the highest-graded races in the first half of the meet, Santa Anita accommodates the shipping schedules required for horses heading to Kentucky. Furthermore, the use of the hillside turf course—a unique feature of Santa Anita—provides a distinct "home-field advantage" and a specialized testing ground that attracts turf specialists from across the globe.
Closing Day and the Path Forward
The meet concludes on Sunday, November 1, with the Grade II Twilight Derby. As a 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-olds, the Twilight Derby often serves as the final major sophomore turf race of the year in California. It frequently attracts horses that competed in the Triple Crown series or the summer turf festivals in New York, providing a grand finale to the 19-day stand.
The economic implications of the Autumn Meet extend beyond the betting windows. The presence of world-class horses and trainers brings significant investment to the Arcadia area and supports thousands of jobs within the backstretch community. As the industry looks toward the 2026 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, the results at Santa Anita will be scrutinized by handicappers and analysts worldwide.
The 2026 Autumn Meet at Santa Anita Park stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of California racing. With a schedule built on the foundations of Grade I prestige and the practical incentives of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, the meet is poised to deliver a high-octane five weeks of Thoroughbred competition. From the lightning-fast sprints on the hillside turf to the grueling 1 1/8-mile tests on the main track, the road to the World Championships firmly runs through "The Great Race Place."
