Californian Stakes

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The Californian Stakes is a race for thoroughbred horses of either gender run at Hollywood Park Racetrack late in the Spring of each year.

The Grade II Californian is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-eighth miles (9 furlongs) on the dirt and offers a purse of $250.000. This race serves as a key prep to the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup. In December 2007, Hollywood Park Racetrack announced that the Californian would be renamed the Lava Man Stakes upon Lava Man's retirement.

In the only start of his career on the West Coast, Dr. Fager (riden by Braulio Baeza) took the Californian in 1968. It was the only time that year he was not odds on. The great mare Gamely placed. (Gamely has a race run in her honor at Hollywood Park, the Gamely Breeders' Cup Handicap.)

[edit] Past Winners

2008 - Heatseeker (Rafael Bejarano) (Setting a 9 furlong track record of 1:47.06)
2007 - Buzzards Bay
2006 - Dixie Meister
2005 - Lava Man
2004 - Even the Score (David Flores)
2003 - Kudos
2002 - Milwaukee Brew
2001 - Skimming
2000 - Big Ten
1999 - Old Trieste
1998 - Mud Route
1997 - River Keen
1996 - Tinners Way
1995 - Concern
1994 - The Wicked North
1993 - Latin American
1992 - Another Review
1991 - Roanoke2
1990 - Sunday Silence
1989 - Sarbona
1988 - Cutlass Reality
1987 - Judge Angelucci
1986 - Precisionist
1985 - Greinton
1984 - Desert Wine
1983 - The Wonder
1982 - Erins Isle
1981 - Eleven Stitches
1980 - Spectacular Bid
1979 - Affirmed
1978 - J O Tobin
1977 - Crystal Water
1976 - Ancient Title
1975 - Ancient Title
1974 - Quack
1973 - Quack
1972 - Cougar2
1971 - Cougar2
1970 - Baffle
1969 - Nodouble
1968 - Dr. Fager
1967 - Biggs
1966 - Travel Orb
1965 - Viking Spirit
1964 - Mustard Plaster
1963 - Winonly
1962 - Cadiz3
1961 - First Balcony
1960 - Fleet Nasrullah
1959 - Hillsdale
1958 - Seaneen
1957 - Social Climber
1956 - Porterhouse
1955 - Swaps
1954 - Imbros