The Angels Flight Stakes is an American

Thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

held annually 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 ...

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 ...

. A Grade III event open to three-year-old

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 ...

, it is contested on dirt over a distance of a six and one-half

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...

s. Inaugurated in 1963 as the Railbird 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 ...

, it was a race for three-year-old horses of either sex until 1964 when it was changed to a race for fillies only. The event was originally named for ''railbirds,'' honoring those fans and/or handicappers who line the racetrack rail to be close to the race. In 1965 the race was run in two divisions.

Records

Speed record: * 1:20.38 - Fantastic Style (2015) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

: * 5 -

Pat Valenzuela Patrick Angel Valenzuela (born October 17, 1962, in Montrose, Colorado) is an American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. Born into a racing family, his father plus three of his uncles, including Ismael Valenzuela, were jockeys. He rode his first ...

(1986, 1994, 2002, 2004, 2005) Most wins by a trainer: * 5 -

Richard Mandella Richard Eugene Mandella (born November 5, 1950 in Altadena, California), is a Thoroughbred horse trainer and a member of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame. Mandella's father, a blacksmith, introduced him to horses at an early age and while still in ...

(1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2009) * 5 -

Bob Baffert Robert A. Baffert (born January 13, 1953) is an American racehorse trainer who trained the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Baffert's horses have won a record six Kentucky Derbies, seven Preakne ...

(2011, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020) Most wins by an owner: * 3 - Ellwood B. & Elizabeth E. Johnston (1966, 1967, 1972)

Winners

* † 2019: Sneaking Out was disqualified from first for interfering with Miss My Rose when coming down the stretch. * † 2000: Abby Girl finished first but was disqualified to fifth.

References

{{reflist
The 2009 Railbird stakes at Bloodhorse.com
Horse races in California Flat horse races for three-year-old fillies Santa Anita Park Ungraded stakes races in the United States Hollywood Park Racetrack Previously graded stakes races in the United States Recurring sporting events established in 1963 1963 establishments in California