The Adoration Stakes (formerly known as the Milady Handicap) is an American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

run annually during May at

Santa Anita Park Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races ...

. The event is open to

fillies A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...

and

mares A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four y ...

, age three and up, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. The current purse is $100,000. The event lost its Grade III classification since it has not been run since 2018.

History

The race was founded in 1952 as the Milady Handicap at

Hollywood Park Racetrack Hollywood Park was a thoroughbred race course located in Inglewood, California, about 3 miles (5 km) from Los Angeles International Airport and adjacent to the Forum indoor arena. In 1994, the original Hollywood Park Casino was added to the ...

Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 107,762. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. The city is in the South Bay ...

. Usually run on the dirt, the Milady was run on an all-weather artificial dirt surface from 2007 to 2013. The race was renamed as the Marjorie L. Everett Handicap in 2012 to honor Marjorie L. Evereett, former chairman, president and

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

Hollywood Park Hollywood Park may refer to: Places United States * Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California * Hollywood Park, Chicago, a neighborhood in North Park, Chicago, Illinois * Hollywood Park, Inglewood, an entertainment complex and m ...

who died on March 23, 2012. When Hollywood Park was closed at the end of 2013, the race was moved to Santa Anita and renamed as the Adoration Stakes. The race was also changed from a handicap to allowance conditions, in which horses receive a specified reduction in weight if they satisfy certain conditions. It was a Grade I race from 1987 through 2004, during which years it was won by several

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

inductees including Bayakoa, Paseana and Azeri. Zenyatta won the race in both 2008 and 2009 as part of her 19 race win streak. The Milady was a Grade II event from 1974 (when grading was introduced) to 1986 and from 2005 to 2013. In 2014, it was stepped down to a Grade III event. The race has been run at a variety of distances: * miles – 1967–1969, 1973–1984, 1986 to present * 1 mile – 1954, 1958–1966, 1970–1972, 1985 * 7 furlongs – 1952-1953 * 6 furlongs – 1955-1957

Records

Speed Record: * Image of Reality (1980) - 1:40 Most wins: * 2 -

A Gleam A Gleam (foaled 1949 in Kentucky) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who set a Hollywood Park Racetrack record with five straight stakes races in 1952. Breeding A Gleam was bred and raced by Calumet Farm. Her sire was British born Blenh ...

(1952, 1953) * 2 - Adored (1984, 1985) * 2 -

Bayakoa Bayakoa (October 10, 1984 – June 14, 1997) was a Thoroughbred Champion racehorse bred in Argentina. After racing successfully in that country, Bayakoa was sold to Janis and Frank Whitham and subsequently raced in the United States, mainly in C ...

(1989, 1990) * 2 -

Paseana Paseana (August 23, 1987 – June 21, 2006) was an Argentine-bred Thoroughbred racemare who competed very successfully in Argentina and in the United States, where she won 10 Grade 1 races. She received two Eclipse Awards and was also elected t ...

(1992, 1993) * 2 - Azeri (2002, 2003) * 2 - Zenyatta (2008, 2009) * 2 - Beholder (2015, 2016)

Winners since 1989

Earlier winners

*1988 - By Land By Sea *1987 - Seldom Seen Sue *1986 - Dontstop Themusic *1985 - Adored *1984 - Adored *1983 - Marisma *1982 - Cat Girl *1981 - Save Wild Life *1980 - Image of Reality *1979 - Innuendo *1978 - Taisez Vou *1977 - Cascapedia *1976 - Bastonera *1975 - Modus Vivendi *1974 - Twixt *1973 - Minstrel Miss *1972 - Typecast *1971 - Opening Bid ( DH) *1971 - Street Dancer (DH) *1970 - Everything Lovely *1969 - Desert Law *1968 - Princessnesian *1967 - Desert Trial *1966 - Fleet Treat *1965 - Savaii *1964 - Jalousie *1963 - Fortunate Isle *1962 - Linita *1961 - Mountain Glory *1960 - Silver Spoon *1959 - Honey's Gem *1958 - Born Rich *1957 - Coverit *1956 - Speedy Edie *1955 - Countess Fleet *1954 - Flitting Past *1953 -

*1952 -

References

{{reflist
Hollywood Park official website

The Milady Handicap at Pedigree Query
Horse races in California Santa Anita Park Graded stakes races in the United States Mile category horse races for fillies and mares Recurring sporting events established in 1952