The Morvich Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide 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 National Hunt racing...

 run annually in late October at Santa Anita Park

Santa Anita Park

Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...

 in Arcadia, California

Arcadia, California

Arcadia is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and located approximately northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains....

 as part of the Oak Tree Racing Association

Oak Tree Racing Association

The Oak Tree Racing Association is an American not-for-profit corporation that exists to conduct live thoroughbred horse racing in Southern California.-History:...

 meet. Open to horses three years old and up, it is a Grade III

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

 stakes raced on the downhill turf

Grass

Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...

 course set at a distance of 6.5 furlongs

Furlong

A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....

. The event currently offers a purse of $100,000.

The race is named for Morvich

Morvich

Morvich was an American Thoroughbred who was the first California-bred racehorse to win the Kentucky Derby.Bred by sugar magnate Adolph B. Spreckels at his Napa Stock Farm, Morvich was sired by James R. Keene's stallion, Runnymede, and was out of the mare, Hymir by Dr. Leggo. He was sold to...

, an American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt who became the first California-bred racehorse to win the Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...

 in 1922.

In 2010, Oak Tree's meet moved to Hollywood Park and the race was shortened to six furlongs due to Hollywood Park's course configuration.

Records

Speed record:

• 1:11.10 - California Flag
  California Flag
  California Flag is a thoroughbred racehorse, foaled at Hi Card Ranch on February 19, 2004. He is sired by Avenue of Flags, a son of Seattle Slew, out of the Afleet mare Ultrafleet....
  
   (2008)

Most wins:

• California Flag
  California Flag
  California Flag is a thoroughbred racehorse, foaled at Hi Card Ranch on February 19, 2004. He is sired by Avenue of Flags, a son of Seattle Slew, out of the Afleet mare Ultrafleet....
  
   (2008, 2009, 2011)

Winners of the Morvich Handicap

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2011	California Flag California Flag California Flag is a thoroughbred racehorse, foaled at Hi Card Ranch on February 19, 2004. He is sired by Avenue of Flags, a son of Seattle Slew, out of the Afleet mare Ultrafleet....	7	Patrick Valenzuela	Brian Koriner	Hi Card Ranch	1:11.91
2010‡	Quick Enough	6	Patrick Valenzuela	Doug O'Neill	M. Bello LLC or Sarno or Suarez Racing, Inc.	1:08.42
2009	California Flag California Flag California Flag is a thoroughbred racehorse, foaled at Hi Card Ranch on February 19, 2004. He is sired by Avenue of Flags, a son of Seattle Slew, out of the Afleet mare Ultrafleet....	5	Joe Talamo	Brian Koriner	Hi Card Ranch	1:11.40
2008	California Flag California Flag California Flag is a thoroughbred racehorse, foaled at Hi Card Ranch on February 19, 2004. He is sired by Avenue of Flags, a son of Seattle Slew, out of the Afleet mare Ultrafleet....	4	Joe Talamo	Brian Koriner	Hi Card Ranch	1:11.10
2007	Get Funky	4	Martin Garcia Martin Garcia (jockey) Martin Garcia is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing who rides from a base in Southern California.He emigrated to the United States in 2003 and went to work at a delicatessen in Pleasanton, California...	John W. Sadler John W. Sadler John W. Sadler is an American horse trainer in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing.Sadler got his first win in 1979 at Golden Gate Fields racetrack in the San Francisco Bay Area...	Keith Abrahams	1:13.23
2006	Moth Ball	4	Michael Baze	James M. Cassidy	James Cassidy or Deron Peason	1:11.61
2005	Geronimo	6	Kent Desormeaux Kent Desormeaux Kent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...	John W. Sadler John W. Sadler John W. Sadler is an American horse trainer in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing.Sadler got his first win in 1979 at Golden Gate Fields racetrack in the San Francisco Bay Area...	Gary & Cecil Barber	1:12.10
2004	Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) Leroidesanimaux Leroidesanimaux is a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in Brazil and was a Eclipse Award winner in the United States.-Background:His name is four French language words combined...	4	Jon Court Jon Court Jon Kenton Court is an American jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing.Having grown up in Florida, Jon Court began riding in Colorado at the now closed Centennial Park in 1980....	Robert Frankel	TNT Stud	1:11.76
2003	King Robyn	3	Alex Solis	Jeff Mullins Jeff Mullins (racehorse trainer) Jeff Mullins is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer.-References:* * * *...	Cornejo Racing, Inc.	1:13.22
2002	Master Belt (NZ)	4	Tyler Baze Tyler Baze Tyler Baze is an American Champion jockey. Born into a racing family, both of his parents were jockeys as is his uncle, Gary Baze. His second cousin is U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey, Russell Baze....	Simon Bray	Thomas R. Hamilton	1:12.26
2001	El Cielo	7	Jose Valdivia, Jr. Jose Valdivia, Jr. Jose Valdivia, Jr. is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. The son of a top South American jockey, he is the nephew of retired jockey Fernando Toro and trainer, Juan Suarez. He and his family moved to the United States in 1989 and settled in the West Palm Beach, Florida area where his...	Craig Dollase	Carr, Miller Trust & Webber Trust	1:11.46
2000	El Cielo	6	Jose Valdivia, Jr. Jose Valdivia, Jr. Jose Valdivia, Jr. is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. The son of a top South American jockey, he is the nephew of retired jockey Fernando Toro and trainer, Juan Suarez. He and his family moved to the United States in 1989 and settled in the West Palm Beach, Florida area where his...	Craig Dollase	Carr, Miller Trust & Webber Trust	1:12.00
1999†	Riviera (FR)	5	Brice Blanc Brice Blanc Brice Blanc is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.Blanc attended a jockey's apprentice school in his native France then, encouraged by trainer Ben Cecil, in October 1993 emigrated to the United States where he settled in Southern California and began racing at area tracks...	Robert Frankel	Edmund A. Gann Edmund A. Gann Edmund A. Gann is an American businessman and Thoroughbred racehorse owner.-Early life and career:...	1:12.99
1998	Musafi	4	Garrett Gomez Garrett K. Gomez Garrett Keith Gomez is an American thoroughbred jockey.-Early career:Gomez learned to ride by watching his father, Louie, who was a jockey at many tracks in the Southwest United States...	Darrell Vienna	Red Baron's Barn	1:14.54
1997	Reality Road	5	Corey Nakatani Corey Nakatani Corey S. Nakatani is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He got his big break in 1990 when he rode Itsallgreektome to win big stakes races.Nakatani currently resides at Belmont Park...	Wallace Dollase Wallace Dollase Wallace A. "Wally" Dollase is an American trainer and owner of Thoroughbred racehorses.Among his numerous Graded stakes race wins, Dollase won the 1996 Breeders' Cup Distaff with Jewel Princess who was voted that year's Eclipse Award as the American Champion Older Female Horse.Wally Dollase and...	Pete & Dorothy Pelegrino	1:13.60
1996	Comininalittlehot	5	Kent Desormeaux Kent Desormeaux Kent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...	Mike Mitchell	Gary & Timothy Burke	1:11.57
1995	Score Quick	3	Goncalino Almeida Goncalino Almeida Gonçalino Feijó de Almeida is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. A riding champion in his native Brazil, he has been racing in the United States since 1990...	Melvin F. Stute Melvin F. Stute Melvin Frederick "Mel" Stute is an American trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses. On December 11, 2010 at Hollywood Park Racetrack he won the 2000th race of a career that includes a win in the second leg of the U.S...	Bill M. Thomas	1:14.64
1994	Rotsaluck	3	Fernando Valenzuela Fernando Valenzuela Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea is a Mexican former left-handed pitcher, most notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers.In 1981, the 20-year-old Valenzuela took Los Angeles by storm, winning his first 8 decisions and leading the Dodgers to the World Championship...	Vladimir Cerin	L. E. Crownover	1:13.66
1993	Western Approach	4	Kent Desormeaux Kent Desormeaux Kent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...	Robert Frankel	Juddmonte Farms Juddmonte Farms Juddmonte Farms is a famous and award-winning horse breeding farm, owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. A member of the Saudi Arabian royal family the successful businessman presides over the massive conglomerate Mawared...	1:12.12
1992±	Regal Groom	5	Martin Pedroza	Caesar Dominguez	Emilio & Joe Estrada	1:16.88
1991	Waterscape	5	Kent Desormeaux Kent Desormeaux Kent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...	Scott Henry	John & Yong Alpeza	1:11.95
1990	Yes I'm Blue	4	David Flores	Vladimir Cerin	King, Landsburg, Powell, et al.	1:12.40
1989	Basic Rate	4	Rafael Meza Rafael Meza Rafael Q. Meza is a retired jockey who competed in Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States.A native of Tijuana, Mexico, Meza began riding in California near the end of the 1970s. and would spend his career riding from a base in that State...	Neil French	Robert & Bonnie Walker	1:12.20
1988	Dr. Brent	3	Fernando Toro	Morris Soriano	Braverman & Colvin	1:15.80
1987	Sabona	5	Chris McCarron Chris McCarron Christopher John "Chris" McCarron is a retired American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. He is currently working as a racing analyst for TVG Network....	John Gosden John Gosden John Gosden is a racehorse trainer. Having trained over 2,000 winners since his return to England in 1989, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the King George, the 1,000 Guineas and the St. Leger, he is generally considered one of the most successful racehorse trainers of...	Sir Earnest Harrison	1:14.80
1986	River Drummer	4	Gary Stevens	Robert Frankel	Stavros Niarchos	1:13.80
1985	Dear Rick	4	Chris McCarron Chris McCarron Christopher John "Chris" McCarron is a retired American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. He is currently working as a racing analyst for TVG Network....	Jack Van Berg Jack Van Berg John Charles "Jack" Van Berg is an American Hall of Fame horse trainer. Born into a horse racing family, his father is Hall of Fame trainer, Marion Van Berg....	John R. Franks	1:14.20
1984	Tsunami Slew	3	Eddie Delahoussaye Eddie Delahoussaye Edward J. Delahoussaye is a retired American Thoroughbred jockey from New Iberia, Louisiana.He began his career in 1968 and ten years later became the top American jockey with 384 wins...	Edwin J. Gregson	Royal Lines (Lessee)	1:14.00
1983±	Kangroo Court	6	Joe Steiner	John Longden Johnny Longden John Eric Longden was an American Hall of Fame jockey. He was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England but his father wanted to build a better life for his family so in 1909 emigrated to Canada, settling in Taber, Alberta. By 1912 Longden Sr. had saved enough money to send for his wife and young son...	John Longden Johnny Longden John Eric Longden was an American Hall of Fame jockey. He was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England but his father wanted to build a better life for his family so in 1909 emigrated to Canada, settling in Taber, Alberta. By 1912 Longden Sr. had saved enough money to send for his wife and young son...	1:16.00
1982	Shanekite	4	Sandy Hawley Sandy Hawley Desmond Sanford "Sandy" Hawley, CM is a Hall of Fame jockey.Sandy Hawley started out as a plumber then later decided to be a jockey. He started his career as a jockey when he was a 17-year-old boy, hotwalking horses at a Toronto racetrack...	Dale Landers	Selma Udko	1:12.80
1981	Forlion	5	Marco Castaneda	Charles Whittingham	Seymour W. Brown	1:13.80
1980	To B. Or Not	4	Marco Castaneda	Ronald Ellis Ronald W. Ellis Ronald W. Ellis is an American Thoroughbred horse racing trainer. A November 8, 1997 Los Angeles Times article noted that he "is known for taking his time with horses and taking special care with those prone to injury." Ron Ellis only saw his first live Thoroughbred horse race at age sixteen but...	Bohm Stables, Inc.	1:13.80
1979	Arachnoid	6	Donald Pierce Donald R. Pierce Donald R. Pierce is a retired U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.Based in California, Pierce earned his first win in 1954 and went on to become a leading jockey in the 1960s and 1970s...	D. Wayne Lukas D. Wayne Lukas Darrell Wayne Lukas is a former educator who became one of the most successful horse trainers in American Thoroughbred horse racing history and a U.S...	Tartan Stable	1:12.60
1978	Impressive Luck	5	Fernando Toro	Robert Frankel	Albert Katz	1:13.20
1977	Impressive Luck	4	Fernando Toro	Robert Frankel	Albert Katz	1:13.60
1976	Cherry River	6	Laffit Pincay, Jr. Laffit Pincay, Jr. Laffit Alejandro Pincay, Jr. is a flat racing's all-time winningest jockey. He competed primarily in the United States.-Career:...	Doug Oliver	S. or D. Oliver	1:13.40
1975	Century's Envoy	4	Jerry Lambert Jerry Lambert (jockey) Jerry Lambert is a retired American jockey in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing best known as the jockey of Hall of Fame inductee, Native Diver.Jerry Lambert accomplished what Breeders' Cup Inc...	Jerry Dutton	Mr. & Mrs. John J. Elmore	1:13.40
1974±	Palladium	5	Alvaro Pineda Alvaro Pineda Alvaro Pineda was a Mexican jockey who competed in Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States.A top jockey in California, in 1966 Álvaro Pineda finished second in wins at Del Mar Racetrack to Donald Pierce then was the track's leading rider in 1968. He made one one appearance in the Kentucky...	David Hofmans David Hofmans David E. Hofmans is an American trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses. Born and raised in Los Angeles, as a boy his father brought him to watch horse racing at area tracks. While a student at Pasadena City College he became friends with Gary Jones...	Pearson's Barn Inc.	1:16.20

‡ In 2010 run at six furlongs at Hollywood Park.
† In 1999, Kahal finished first, was disqualified and placed second.
± Raced on main track in 1974, 1983 and 1992.