Honeymoon Handicap
| Grade IIT race | |
| Location | Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California, USA |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1952 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | Santa Anita Park |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-old fillies |
| Weight | Assigned |
| Purse | $200,000 (in 2014) |
The Honeymoon Handicap is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually in the Spring at Santa Anita Park (it ran at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California until that track closed in 2013). The race is open to three-year-old fillies, willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the turf. The Honeymoon is a major leading prep race for the Grade I American Oaks run during the first part of July.
Inaugurated in 1952 as the Sea Breeze Stakes, the name was changed to the Honeymoon Stakes in 1956 then the Honeymoon Handicap in 1975. It honors the outstanding California bred mare, Honeymoon.
Since inception, the race has been contested at a variety of distances:
- 1 mile : 1964
- 1 1⁄16 miles : 1971-1995
- 1 1⁄8 miles : 1996-1999, 2002–present
- 1 1⁄4 miles : 1952-1963, 1965–1970, 2001
Winners since 1997
| Year |
Winner |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Spanish Queen | Brice Blanc | Richard Baltas | Nakkashian/Bederian/Kamberian | 1:47.24 |
| 2014 | Nashoba's Gold | Joe Talamo | Carla Gaines | Warren B. Williamson | 1:48.61 |
| 2013 | Sarach | Martin Garcia | Richard E. Mandella | Wertheimer & Frere | 1:48.73 |
| 2012 | My Gi Gi | Rafael Bejarano | Peter Eurton | Conner/DeBruycker/Jacobsen | 1:49.22 |
| 2011 | Sarah's Secret | Rafael Bejarano | Kathy Walsh | Joan Hadley Thoroughbreds/Kirkwoods | 1:50.04 |
| 2010 | Evening Jewel | Victor Espinoza | James M. Cassidy | Braly Family Trust | 1:48.87 |
| 2009 | Well Monied | Joel Rosario | Howard L. Zucker | Carl T. Grether | 1:48.35 |
| 2008 | Misty Ocean | Joel Rosario | Jerry Hollendorfer | Jim Plemmons | 1:47.56 |
| 2007 | Valbenny | Alex Solis | Paddy Gallagher | A racing partnership | 1:48.17 |
| 2006 | Attima | Victor Espinoza | Julio C. Canani | Fanticola/Scardino | 1:47.36 |
| 2005 | Three Degrees | Gary Stevens | Paddy Gallagher | Harlequin Ranches et al. | 1:46.84 |
| 2004 | Lovely Rafaela | Victor Espinoza | Paulo Lobo | TNT Stud | 1:49.96 |
| 2003 | Quero Quero | Tyler Baze | Paulo Lobo | Old Friends Inc. | 1:49.34 |
| 2002 | Megahertz | Pat Valenzuela | Robert J. Frankel | Michael Bello | 1:51.97 |
| 2001 | Innit | Chris McCarron | Ron McAnally | Richard Duchossois | 2:01.28 |
| 2000 | Clasy Cara | Iggy Puglisi | Douglas F. O'Neill | D. Stathatos/J. Zamora | 1:48.05 |
| 1999 | Sweet Ludy | Gary Stevens | Jenine Sahadi | Team Valor | 1:48.05 |
| 1998 | Country Garden | Kent Desormeaux | Walter Greenman | Ed McGrath | 1:48.74 |
| 1997 | Famous Digger | Brice Blanc | Barry Abrams | Let It Ride Stable | 1:47.68 |
Earlier winners
- 1996 - Antespend
- 1995 - Auriette
- 1994 - Work The Crowd
- 1993‡- Likeable Style
- 1992 - Pacific Squall
- 1991 - Masake
- 1990 - Materco
- 1989 - Hot Option
- 1988 - Do So
- 1987 - Pen Bal Lady
- 1986 - An Empress
- 1985 - Sharp Ascent
- 1984 - Vagabond Gal
- 1983 - Stage Door Canteen
- 1982 - Castilla
- 1981 - Amber Ever
- 1980 - Lady Roberta
- 1979 - Variety Queen
- 1978 - Country Queen
- 1977 - Joyous Ways
- 1976 - Cascapedia
- 1975 - Katonka
- 1974 - Bedknob
- 1973 - Meilleur
- 1972 - Le Cle
- 1971 - Turkish Trousers
- 1970 - Street Dancer
- 1969 - Marjorie's Theme
- 1968 - Miss Ribot
- 1967 - Spinning Around
- 1966 - April Dawn
- 1965 - Rullahline
- 1964 - Gim Mah
- 1963 - Molly O'Malley
- 1962 - Refanute
- 1961 - Bushel-N-Peck
- 1960 - Solid Thought
- 1959 - Cellyar
- 1958 - Foreverett
- 1957 - Great Pride
- 1956 - Triple Jay
- 1955 - Madam Jet
- 1954 - Miz Clementine
- 1953 - Fleet Khal
- 1952 - Tonga
‡ In 1993, the race was run off the turf, but retained its GIII status.
