10 Stakes highlight Memorial Day Weekend at Santa Anita

A massive Memorial Day weekend is planned at Santa Anita featuring 10 stakes including two Grade I’s and the 86th running of the historic GII Hollywood Gold Cup.

The stakes action will kick off next Saturday with a quintet of stakes for horses bred or sired in California. The following day, Santa Anita will host both the GII Santa Margarita for older fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on dirt and the GIII Daytona for older horses on the hillside turf course.

On Memorial Day, May 27, the Hollywood Gold Cup will be joined by the GI Shoemaker Mile on turf and the GI Gamely, which is for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Expected to take a starring role next Saturday is the current king of California-breds, The Chosen Vron. The millionaire gelding, a 16-time stakes winner, is slated to defend his title in the $100,000 Thor’s Echo Stakes for trainer and co-owner Eric Kruljac.

The other stakes next Saturday are the $125,000 Melair for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on dirt, $100,000 Fran’s Valentine at a mile on turf for fillies and mares, $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes at a mile on turf and $125,000 Snow Chief presented by Citi National Bank for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf.