- Inauguration: The race was first held in 1952 as the Malibu Sequet Stakes; it was renamed to its current style in 1958.
- The Strub Series: Historically, the Malibu served as the first leg of Santa Anita’s prestigious “Strub Series” for four-year-olds, followed by the San Fernando Stakes and the Charles H. Strub Stakes at increasing distances.
- Format Changes: In 1984, the race underwent a major shift: it was moved from January to December and restricted to three-year-olds only. This allowed the race to serve as a year-end championship for late-developing sophomores or a return for stars from the Triple Crown or Breeders’ Cup.
- Distance: The race is a sprint contested at 7 furlongs on the dirt
Note: The race was not held in 1960, 1964, 1967, or 1970. In certain years (1972, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1984), the race was run in multiple divisions.
Year: 2025 Horse – Goal Oriented, Jockey – Joel Rosario, Trainer – Bob Baffert
Year: 2024 Horse – Raging Torrent, Jockey – Frankie Dettori, Trainer – Doug O’Neill
Year: 2023 Horse – Speed Boat Beach, Jockey – Flavien Prat, Trainer – Bob Baffert
Year: 2022 Horse – Taiba, Jockey – Mike E. Smith, Trainer – Bob Baffert
Year: 2021 Horse – Flightline, Jockey – Flavien Prat, Trainer – John Sadler
Year: 2020 Horse – Charlatan, Jockey – Mike E. Smith, Trainer – Bob Baffert
Year: 2019 Horse – Omaha Beach, Jockey – Mike E. Smith, Trainer – Richard Mandella
Year: 2018 Horse – McKinzie, Jockey – Mike E. Smith, Trainer – Bob Baffert
Year: 2017 Horse – City of Light, Jockey – Drayden Van Dyke, Trainer – Michael W. McCarthy
Year: 2016 Horse – Mind Your Biscuits, Jockey – Joel Rosario, Trainer – Robert N. Falcone Jr.
Year: 2015 Horse – Runhappy, Jockey – Gary Stevens, Trainer – Laura Wohlers
Year: 2014 Horse – Shared Belief, Jockey – Mike E. Smith, Trainer – Jerry Hollendorfer
Year: 2013 Horse – Shakin It Up, Jockey – David Flores, Trainer – Bob Baffert
Year: 2012 Horse – Jimmy Creed, Jockey – Garrett Gomez, Trainer – Richard Mandella
Year: 2011 Horse – The Factor, Jockey – Martin Garcia, Trainer – Bob Baffert
Year: 2010 Horse – Twirling Candy, Jockey – Joel Rosario, Trainer – John W. Sadler
Year: 2009 Horse – M One Rifle, Jockey – Mike E. Smith, Trainer – Bruce Headley
Year: 2008 Horse – Bob Black Jack, Jockey – David Flores, Trainer – James Kasparoff
Year: 2007 Horse – Johnny Eves, Jockey – David Flores, Trainer – Jay M. Robbins
Year: 2006 Horse – Latent Heat, Jockey – Edgar Prado, Trainer – Robert J. Frankel
Year: 2005 Horse – Proud Tower Too, Jockey – David Cohen, Trainer – Sal Gonzalez
Year: 2004 Horse – Rock Hard Ten, Jockey – Gary Stevens, Trainer – Richard Mandella
Year: 2003 Horse – Southern Image, Jockey – Victor Espinoza, Trainer – Mike Machowsky
Year: 2002 Horse – Debonair Joe, Jockey – Julie Krone, Trainer – Juan Silva
Year: 2001 Horse – Mizzen Mast, Jockey – Kent Desormeaux, Trainer – Robert J. Frankel
Year: 2000 Horse – Dixie Union, Jockey – Alex Solis, Trainer – Richard Mandella
Year: 1999 Horse – Love That Red, Jockey – Garrett Gomez, Trainer – Leonard Duncan
Year: 1998 Horse – Run Man Run, Jockey – Mike Luzzi, Trainer – Anthony Margotta Jr.
Year: 1997 Horse – Lord Grillo, Jockey – Ed Delahoussaye, Trainer – Mike Puype
Year: 1996 Horse – King of the Heap, Jockey – Kent Desormeaux, Trainer – Wallace Dollase
Year: 1995 Horse – Afternoon Deelites, Jockey – Kent Desormeaux, Trainer – Richard Mandella
Year: 1994 Horse – Powis Castle, Jockey – Pat Valenzuela, Trainer – Rodney Rash
Year: 1993 Horse – Diazo, Jockey – Laffit Pincay Jr., Trainer – Bill Shoemaker
Year: 1992 Horse – Star Of The Crop, Jockey – Gary Stevens, Trainer – Willard Proctor
Year: 1991 Horse – Olympio, Jockey – Ed Delahoussaye, Trainer – Ron McAnally
Year: 1990 Horse – Pleasant Tap, Jockey – Alex Solis, Trainer – Chris Speckert
Year: 1989 Horse – Music Merci, Jockey – Laffit Pincay Jr., Trainer – Craig C. Lewis
Year: 1988 Horse – Oraibi, Jockey – Laffit Pincay Jr., Trainer – Richard Mandella
Year: 1987 Horse – On The Line, Jockey – Ángel Cordero Jr., Trainer – D. Wayne Lukas
Year: 1986 Horse – Ferdinand, Jockey – Bill Shoemaker, Trainer – Charlie Whittingham
Year: 1985 Horse – Banner Bob, Jockey – Gary Baze, Trainer – Charlie Whittingham
Year: 1984 Horse – Precisionist, Jockey – Chris McCarron, Trainer – L. R. Fenstermaker
Year: 1984 Horse – Glacial Stream, Jockey – Chris McCarron, Trainer – Gordon C. Campbell
Year: 1984 Horse – Pac Mania, Jockey – Pat Valenzuela, Trainer – Michael Whittingham
Year: 1983 Horse – Time To Explode, Jockey – Laffit Pincay Jr., Trainer – Gary F. Jones
Year: 1982 Horse – Island Whirl, Jockey – Laffit Pincay Jr., Trainer – D. Wayne Lukas
Year: 1981 Horse – Doonesbury, Jockey – Sandy Hawley, Trainer – Barney Willis
Year: 1981 Horse – Raise a Man, Jockey – Laffit Pincay Jr., Trainer – Chay R. Knight
Year: 1980 Horse – Spectacular Bid, Jockey – Bill Shoemaker, Trainer – Bud Delp
Year: 1979 Horse – Little Reb, Jockey – Frank Olivares, Trainer – Jerry M. Fanning
Year: 1978 Horse – J. O. Tobin, Jockey – Steve Cauthen, Trainer – Laz Barrera
Year: 1977 Horse – Cojak, Jockey – Bill Shoemaker, Trainer – Hubert Hine
Year: 1977 Horse – Romantic Lead, Jockey – Bill Shoemaker, Trainer – Stephen A. DiMauro
Year: 1976 Horse – Forceten, Jockey – Donald Pierce, Trainer – Neil D. Drysdale
Year: 1975 Horse – Lightning Mandate, Jockey – Álvaro Pineda, Trainer – Farrell W. Jones
Year: 1975 Horse – Princely Native, Jockey – Braulio Baeza, Trainer – Laz Barrera
Year: 1974 Horse – Ancient Title, Jockey – Fernando Toro, Trainer – Keith L. Stucki Sr.
Year: 1973 Horse – Bicker, Jockey – Glenn Brogan, Trainer – Robert Wingfield
Year: 1972 Horse – Wing Out, Jockey – Bill Shoemaker, Trainer – John Sullivan
Year: 1972 Horse – Kfar Tov, Jockey – Jerry Lambert, Trainer – John W. Pappalardo
Year: 1971 Horse – King of Cricket, Jockey – Danny Velasquez, Trainer – Noble Threewitt
Year: 1969 Horse – First Mate, Jockey – Jerry Lambert, Trainer – Buster Millerick
Year: 1968 Horse – Damascus, Jockey – Bill Shoemaker, Trainer – Frank Whiteley Jr.
Year: 1966 Horse – Buckpasser, Jockey – Braulio Baeza, Trainer – Edward A. Neloy
Year: 1966 Horse – Terry’s Secret, Jockey – Alex Maese, Trainer – Carl A. Roles
Year: 1965 Horse – Power of Destiny, Jockey – Kenneth Church, Trainer – Hirsch Jacobs
Year: 1963 Horse – More Megaton, Jockey – Raymond York, Trainer – Jerry Wallace II
Year: 1962 Horse – Native Diver, Jockey – Ralph Neves, Trainer – Buster Millerick
Year: 1961 Horse – Olden Times, Jockey – Bill Shoemaker, Trainer – Mesh Tenney
Year: 1959 Horse – Hillsdale, Jockey – Tommy Barrow, Trainer – Martin L. Fallon
Year: 1958 Horse – Round Table, Jockey – Willie Shoemaker, Trainer – William Molter
Year: 1957 Horse – Seaneen, Jockey – Ismael Valenzuela, Trainer – Hurst Philpot
Year: 1956 Horse – Porterhouse, Jockey – Eddie Arcaro, Trainer – Charlie Whittingham
Year: 1955 Horse – Determine, Jockey – Raymond York, Trainer – William Molter
Year: 1954 Horse – Imbros, Jockey – Raymond York, Trainer – William Molter
Year: 1953 Horse – Guandajo, Jockey – Ralph Neves, Trainer – Robert L. Wheeler
Year: 1952 Horse – Fedora, Jockey – Henry Moreno, Trainer – Robert L. Wheeler
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