2023 Awesome Again Stakes Preview

Nine horses will line up on Saturday, September 30, for the Grade 1 Awesome Again at Santa Anita Park. The race not only offers a $300,000 purse, but also an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The Awesome Again predates the Breeders’ Cup by two years; it was first contested as the Goodwood Handicap in 1982, and later renamed the Goodwood Stakes. The race was renamed in 2012 to honor 1998 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Awesome Again, who capped an undefeated season with a win in that race.

Though Awesome Again never won this race, he broke his maiden on the west coast at Hollywood Park and went on to annex major races like the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), Stephen Foster Handicap (G1), Whitney Handicap (G1), and Hawthorne Gold Cup (G3) before winning at the Breeders’ Cup. Though Awesome Again never won this race, he sired Game On Dude, winner in both 2011 and 2012.

Two Breeders’ Cup winners have come out of this race to win the Classic in the last ten years: Mucho Macho Man won in 2013, while Accelerate swept the pair in 2018. Other stars to win the Awesome Again during its history include Lord at War (1984-1985), Ferdinand (1987), Silver Charm (1998), Tiznow (2000), Pleasantly Perfect (2002-2003), and California Chrome (2016).

Awesome Again Stakes Information

• Race Date: Saturday, September 30
• Track: Santa Anita
• Post Time: 4:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time
• Distance: 1 1/8 miles on the dirt
• Age/Sex: three-year-olds and upward
• Where to Watch: FanDuel TV and TVG.com
• Where to Bet: FanDuel Racing and TVG.com

2023 Awesome Again Draw and Odds

These are the entrants in the 2023 edition of the Awesome Again, arranged by post position. Trainers and jockeys are included, and morning-line odds will be added when the track releases them.

Awesome Again Prep Race Results

Though racing schedules are typically so stretched-out nowadays that no more than a small handful of horses come out of one prep, this year’s edition of the Awesome Again bucks that trend. Of the nine horses in the field, six were last seen in the Pacific Classic (G1) on September 2 at Del Mar. It makes sense: the Pacific Classic also offered a Breeders’ Cup Classic bid, so they are both important goals for connections mapping a road to that race.

The top finisher among the Pacific Classic contingent was Slow Down Andy, who made an early bid but flattened late to run third, beaten 1 ½ lengths behind a pair of leading three-year-olds, Arabian Knight and Geaux Rocket Ride. Senor Buscador finished a belated fourth. Skinner, Defunded, and Piroli were fifth, sixth, and seventh respectively, while Stilleto Boy was eased and distanced after an awkward start.

The other three runners each come out of different races. Bye Bye Bobby stretches back out to a route distance after finishing a late-flying second in the Pat O’Brien (G2). National Treasure was last seen finishing fifth in the Travers (G1). Celestial Moon, who makes his stakes debut in the Awesome Again, comes out of a second-level allowance win on September 3 at Del Mar.

Awesome Again Stakes Contenders

These are the nine runners in the 2023 Awesome Again, in order of post position.

1. Senor Buscador: Whether he can handle Santa Anita as well as he handles Del Mar is a question, since his one try in the Gold Cup (G1) three back showed him finishing an even fifth. But, he started poorly, and the 1 ¼ miles may have been too long. If he can work a decent start from the rail and run on more like he has in 1 1/16-mile races, he has a good chance in a race where many of the runners prefer being on or near the lead.
2. Defunded: He stole this race on the front end last year, marshaling in about eight months of dependable form in strong handicap races. It is a point in his favor that he does not need to make the top to be effective, since he overcame a less-than-good start to win the Californian (G2) earlier this year. However, these are better foes than he faced in that race, and he will have to handle a lot of other speed outside of him. Perhaps he can still perform well: he likes Santa Anita a lot better than Del Mar, and he has been able to keep on with a contested pace before. But, as he will probably be a defined favorite, the price will be underlaid.
3. Slow Down Andy: Few horses try as hard as Slow Down Andy. And, though he has only won four times in 13 outings (and has not won in over a year), he keeps showing up for shares. He ran third in the Pacific Classic last out, and second in the San Diego (G2) before that. He has been similarly effective at Santa Anita, Del Mar, or virtually any track he visits, and the cut back from 1 ¼ miles to nine furlongs should move him forward. A win would require a light to come on, but he is a dependable choice for underneath rungs of exotics.
4. Skinner: In a race with so much speed signed on, Skinner should get a good pace setup. It is a concern that he has yet to win a stakes race: despite hitting the board in both the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and getting a try in the Pacific Classic this year, his only win so far has come in maiden company. But, he has run fast enough to suggest that a winning race would only need an achievable improvement, and barring a heavy speed bias, he stands to get the right trip.
5. Bye Bye Bobby: Not often does a horse cut back from 1 ½ miles to seven furlongs, but he handled both distances with aplomb in his last two starts. He may perhaps be better at extended one-turn distances than this two-turn trip, though he did thrash inferior company at SunRay three back over this trip, so it is not impossible. His best chance may be to tap into the running style he showed last out: try settling off the pace even though this is a longer trip, and make a sharp late run into the contested pace.
6. Celestial Moon: This three-time winner is the only horse in the field without any stakes experience so far. He moved forward sharply in a second-level allowance last out, his first start since moving from the barn of Bill Mott to that of Mark Glatt. Glatt’s runners win at a robust 18% rate second off the layoff, but he will be one of many runners who prefer being on or near the lead. He is not yet proven at 1 ⅛ miles, and he will not have an easy time of things on or near the lead.
7. National Treasure: The most consistent west-coaster in the juvenile and early sophomore preps, he got a cozy front-end trip and won the Preakness three starts back. Neither the Belmont nor the Travers went so well. And now, he faces older for the first time. Perhaps he punches his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup if it’s a speed-biased track, and he can take them all the way around. But, without a massive speed bias, he looks to be in trouble with all of the other horses who will keep him more than honest up front.
8. Piroli: He ran a strong second in the Gold Cup last out in his stakes debut, beaten only a length behind Defunded. However, he has not run back to that in his last two starts. He could still be the price to try again, however: he is tactically versatile, and he is third off the lay for Michael McCarthy, a 25% win proposition. And, some horses are not as effective at Del Mar compared to Santa Anita. Demand a price, but there’s still some upside.
9. Stilleto Boy: Toss the Pacific Classic; he started poorly and was eased. With that, he does not often win at this level or distance, but he does frequently run on well enough to get a piece. The concern is the pace scenario, however: he does his best when he gets a good trip on or near the lead, and there is a lot of pace signed on for this. If the track is playing speed-biased, it could be worth considering him, especially since he shined in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) earlier this year. If it is playing more fairly, lower rungs of trifectas or superfectas appear to be the ceiling.

Awesome Again FAQ

Q: When and where is the Awesome Again?

A: The Awesome Again happens on Saturday, September 30 at 4:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This Breeders’ Cup Classic prep race is carded as the eighth of ten on the day at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Q: Which trainer has the most wins in the Awesome Again?

A: Trainer Bob Baffert has a dominant eight wins in the Awesome Again. His first was Silver Charm back in 1998. Although his next did not come until 2010 with Richard’s Kid, he has ruled over the race in recent years, winning seven of the last 13 editions. He entered two this year, defending champion Defunded as well as Preakness winner National Treasure.

Q: Who is the favorite for the Awesome Again?

A: The 2-1 morning line favorite for the 2023 Awesome Again is Defunded. He won the race last year, he is proven at the trip, and he does his better work at Santa Anita compared to Del Mar.

Q: Who is the best Awesome Again jockey?

A: Gary Stevens leads all jockeys with five wins in the Awesome Again between 1998 and 2013. However, he is retired. Among jockeys competing in this year’s edition of the race, Kent Desormeaux leads with four victories. Though his most recent triumph came in 2001 with Freedom Crest, he can tie Stevens’ record if he pilots Stilleto Boy to victory.

Q: Who won the Awesome Again in 2022?

A: Defunded won the Awesome Again in 2022 for trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Edwin Maldonado. Baffert and Maldonado return behind Defunded this year as well.

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