San Luis Rey Stakes

The San Luis Rey Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Usually held during the third week of March, the Grade II event is open to horses of either gender, age four and up, willing to race one and one-half miles (12 furlongs) on the turf.

Prior to 1955, the race was restricted to California-foaled three-year-olds and in 1958 and 1959 to three-year-olds and up. It was contested on dirt at 7 furlongs in 1952, 6 furlongs in 1953, one mile in 1954, and at 1 1/2 miles in 1962. The race was transferred to the dirt track in 1975 and in 1989 was started on the backstretch instead of its normal position on the hillside.

In its 61st running in 2012, the San Luis Rey Handicap was run in two divisions in 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1970. In the 1970 edition, Fiddle Isle won the first division, running the 1 1/2 miles in 2:23.00, setting a new North American record time.