The Robert B. Lewis Stakes is a Grade III 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 ...

for three year old horses at the distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt held annually in late January or early February 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 ...

Arcadia, California Arcadia is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located about northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. It contains a series of adjacent parks consisting of th ...

History

Inaugurated as the Santa Catalina Handicap in 1935, there was no race in 1936. Upon its return in 1937, it was run as the Santa Catalina California-Bred Championship Stakes until 1940 when it was renamed the Santa Catalina Nursery Stakes and was a three-furlong race for two-year-olds. In 1941 it reverted to its original name, the Santa Catalina Handicap and remained as that until 1964 when it became the Santa Catalina Stakes. In 2007, the race was renamed again in order to honor the prominent racehorse owner

Robert B. Lewis Robert B. "Bob" Lewis (May 12, 1924 – February 17, 2006) was an American businessman who owned a number of champion Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorses during the 1990s and 2000s. Life and career Bob Lewis was born in Minneapolis and gr ...

, who had died in 2006. Due to restrictions and consolidations during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, there was no race held from 1942 through 1944. Until 1964, the race was open to horses three years of age and older with the exception of 1940. The race has been run at a variety of distances: * 1935 : 1 mile * 1937-1938, 1941, 1945-1946, 1953, 1964-1969, 1971-2010, 2012 to present : miles * 1939, 1947-1952, 1954-1963, 2011 : miles * 1940 : 3 furlongs (for 2-year-olds) * 1970 : 7 furlongs The Robert B. Lewis Stakes is one of the key prep races leading to the

Santa Anita Derby The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is currently run at a distance of miles on the dirt and carries a purse of $400,000. It is on ...

each year and is part of the

Road to the Kentucky Derby The Road to the Kentucky Derby is a points system by which horses qualify for a position in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby. It features dozens of stakes races for 2 and 3-year-old Thoroughbreds – the number and specific races have chang ...

Records

Time record: (at the current distance of miles) * 1:40.76 -

Crown of Thorns According to the New Testament, a woven crown of thorns ( or grc, ἀκάνθινος στέφανος, akanthinos stephanos, label=none) was placed on the head of Jesus during the events leading up to his crucifixion. It was one of the instru ...

(2008) Most wins by an owner: * 3 -

Elmendorf Farm Elmendorf Farm is a Kentucky Thoroughbred horse farm in Fayette County, Kentucky, involved with horse racing since the 19th century. Once the North Elkhorn Farm, many owners and tenants have occupied the area, even during the American Civil War. M ...

(1977, 1980, 1982) 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 ...

: * 7 -

Bill Shoemaker William Lee Shoemaker (August 19, 1931 – October 12, 2003) was an American jockey. For 29 years he held the world record for total professional jockey victories. Early life Referred to as "Bill", "Willie," and "The Shoe", William Lee Sh ...

(1962, 1969, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1986, 1988) * 7 -

Laffit Pincay Jr. Laffit Alejandro Pincay Jr. (born December 29, 1946, in Panama City, Panama) was once flat racing's winningest all-time jockey, still holding third place many years after his retirement. He competed primarily in the United States. Career Pinca ...

(1971, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1981, 1985, 1989) Most wins by a trainer: * 11 -

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 ...

(1999, 2003, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

Winners

*Run in two divisions in 1980. In 1981, Minnesota Chief won the race in record time but was disqualified and set back to second.

References

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* ttp://www.pedigreequery.com/index.php?query_type=stakes&search_bar=stakes&field=view&id=106 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Pedigree Query 1935 establishments in California Horse races in California Santa Anita Park Flat horse races for three-year-olds Triple Crown Prep Races Graded stakes races in the United States Grade 3 stakes races in the United States Recurring sporting events established in 1935

History

Records

Winners

See also

References