Los Alamitos Derby

The Los Alamitos Derby (formerly the Swaps Stakes) is a race for Thoroughbred horses run annually at Los Alamitos Race Course in Los Alamitos, California. The race is open to three-year-old horses willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. A Grade III event, it currently carries a purse of $200,000.

Before 2014, the race was called the Swaps Stakes and was run at Hollywood Park Racetrack, before its closure in 2013.

Run in mid July, this race was named for the notable California-bred 1955 Kentucky Derby winner, Swaps, before moving to Los Alamitos.

In 1977, U.S. Triple Crown champion Seattle Slew suffered the first loss of his career when he ran fourth to winner J O Tobin.

From the race's inauguration in 1976 as the Swaps Stakes until 1988, the race was run as a Gr.I. Losing it's Gr.I status in 1989, it was run as a Gr.II until 1998, regaining it's former Gr.I glory in 1999. This was short-lived, however, as it became a Gr.II once again in 2002. In 2017, the race was downgraded once more to Gr.III status.

Records

Most wins by trainer:

• 7- Bob Baffert (2000, 2001, 2003, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2017)

Most wins by jockey:

• 3- Mike Smith (2002, 2007, 2014)

Winners since 1997

Earlier winners

References

• The 2008 Swaps Stakes at the NTRA
• Video at YouTube of J O Tobin winning the 1977 Swaps Stakes