California Crown Stakes draws solid field of 7

California Crown Stakes draws solid field of 7

September 23, 2024

The $1 million California Crown Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday has attracted a lineup of seven horses led by Grade I winners National Treasure, Muth, Newgate and Senor Buscador.

The first three are trained by Bob Baffert, an eight-time winner of the 1⅛-mile race for 3-year-olds and up when it was called the Goodwood or the Awesome Again.

Refashioned this year with a new name and bigger purse, the Grade I California Crown will be the ninth race of a 10-race program Saturday. The 12:30 p.m. card will include the $750,000, Grade II John Henry Turf Championship, $750,000, Grade II Eddie D. Stakes and $200,000, Grade II City of Hope Mile. All four graded stakes have implications for races on the second day of the Nov. 1-2 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar.

Here’s the California Crown field, drawn Monday, from the rail out: Newgate, John Velazquez riding; Subsanador, Mike Smith; National Treasure, Flavien Prat; Katonah, Tiago Pereira; Muth, Juan Hernandez; Senor Buscador, Joe Talamo, and Indispensable, Hector Berrios.

Santa Anita’s one-month fall meet opens Friday.