San Juan Capistrano Handicap

The San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap is an American invitational handicap thoroughbred horse race run annually on turf at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. In its 70th running in 2009, it was first run as an invitational handicap in 1965 and as a Grade II It currently offers a purse of $250,000.

The race is run at a distance of one 1 3/4 miles on turf. However, snce inception it has been raced at various distances:
* 1 1/8 miles prior to 1939
* 1 1/16 miles in 1940
* 1 1/2 miles in 1939, 1941, 1945, 1946 and 1949
* 1 3/4 miles from 1950 to 1953
* 1 1/2 miles on turf in 1954

The San Juan Capistrano Handicap, the longest grass race in America, is open to horses, age three and up, except in 1940 when it was limited to three-year-olds. At age 8, Nearcos (1968) and Mashkour (1991) are the oldest horses to win the event.

Since 2007, the winner of the San Juan Capistrano has received ballot free entry into Australia's greatest horse race and the staying championship of the world, the Melbourne Cup. As of 2008, no San Juan Capistrano winner has made the trip to Flemington for the Melbourne Cup

Past winners

*2008 : Big Booster
*2007 : On the Acorn
*2006 : T. H. Approval
*2005 : T. H. Approval
*2004 : Meteor Storm
*2003 : Passinetti
*2002 : Ringaskiddy
*2001 : Bienamado
*2000 : Sunshine Street
*1999 : Single Empire
*1998 : Amerique
*1996 : Raintrap
*1995 : Red Bishop
*1994 : Bien Bien
*1993 : Kotashaan
*1992 : Fly Till Dawn
*1991 : Mashkour
*1990 : Delegant
*1989 : Nasr El Arab
*1988 : Great Communicator
*1987 : Rosedale
*1986 : Dahar
*1985 : Prince True
*1984 : Load The Cannons
*1983 : Erins Isle
*1982 : Lemhi Gold
*1981 : Obraztsovy
*1980 : John Henry
*1979 : Tiller
*1978 : Exceller
*1977 : Properantes
*1976 : One on the Aisle
*1975 : La Zanzara
*1975 : La Zanzara
*1974 : Astray
*1973 : Queen's Hustler
*1972 : Practicante
*1971 : Cougar II
*1970 : Fiddle Isle & Quicken Tree †
*1969 : Petrone
*1968 : Niarkos
*1967 : Niarkos
*1966 : George Royal
*1965 : George Royal
*1964 : Cedar Key (1st div)
*1964 : Mr. Consistency (2nd div)
*1963 : Pardao
*1962 : Olden Times
*1961 : Don't Alibi
*1960 : Amerigo
*1959 : Royal Living
*1958 : Promised Land
*1957 : Corn Husker
*1956 : Bobby Brocato
*1955 : St. Vincent
*1954 : By Zeus
*1953 : Intent
*1952 : Intent
*1951 : Be Fleet
*1950 : Noor
*1949 : Miss Grillo
*1948 : No race
*1947 : No race
*1946 : Triplicate
*1945 : Bric-A-Bac
*1944 : WW II - no race
*1943 : WW II - no race
*1942 : WW II - no race
*1941 : Mioland
*1940 : Mioland
*1939 : Cravat
*1938 : Indian Broom
*1937 : Seabiscuit
*1936 : Whopper
*1935 : Head Play

† Dead heat for first place