Monrovia Handicap

The Monrovia Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to fillies and mares, four -year-olds and up, the six and one half furlong Grade II turf event is run on the downhill turf course. As a sprinter's race, it shares in importance with the Gr. III El Conejo Handicap for mainly males run at the same time.

Run either on the very end of the year or the very beginning of the year, the year of the race in this list of winners has been adjusted to reflect an annual event year when in reality there were two races in the calendar year 1999 and none in 2006. When it is run in January, race horses officially become one year older regardless of their date of birth.

The Monrovia is named for the local city near the track.

The race was contested at a distance of seven furlongs in 1969 in run in two divisions in 1979. It was transferred to the dirt track in 1969, 1970, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1989, 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2005.

Records

Speed record: (6.5 furlongs on turf)

• 1:11.14 Pontchatrain (2014)

Most wins:

• 2 - Winter Solstice (1976, 1977)
• 2 - Mizdirection (2012, 2013)

Most wins by an owner:

• 2 - William Haggin Perry (1969, 1979)
• 2 - Fred W. Hooper (1972, 1975)
• 2 - Bernard J. Ridder (1976, 1977)
• 2 - Ann & Jerry Moss (1985, 1988)
• 2 - William de Burgh (1991, 2010)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 4 - Kent Desormeaux (1991, 2000, 2001, 2015)
• 3 - Pat Valenzuela (1987, 1992, 1995)
• 3 - Garrett Gomez (2007, 2009, 2012)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 3 - Charles E. Whittingham (1979, 1981, 1989)
• 3 - Robert J. Frankel (1985, 1988, 2009)

Winners

• † In 1975, Viva La Vivi finished first but was disqualified to last.

References

• The 2010 Monrovia Handicap at Bloodhorse.com