The Bel Air Handicap was a Thoroughbred horse race run in mid July at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. Open to horses age three and older, it was contested on dirt at a distance of a mile and a sixteenth. In its final year it was a Grade III event offering a purse of U.S$.$100,000.
First run in 1939, the Bel Air Handicap was not run again until 1968. From 1980 through 1982 there was no race run.
In 1997, winner Crafty Friend equaled the Hollywood Park track record for a mile and a sixteenth with a time of 1:40 flat.
Winners
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
| 2001 | Smile Again | 6 | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Ron McAnally | Sidney & Jenny Craig | 1:41.74 |
| 2000 | Euchre | 4 | Alex Solis | Robert J. Frankel | Frank Stronach | 1:41.76 |
| 1999 | River Keen | 7 | Chris Antley | Bob Baffert | Hugo Reynolds | 1:40.69 |
| 1998 | Free House | 4 | Chris McCarron | J. Paco Gonzalez | Toffan & McCaffery | 1:41.60 |
| 1997 | Crafty Friend | 4 | Alex Solis | Wallace Dollase | The Thoroughbred Corp. | 1:40.00 |
| 1996 | Cleante | 7 | Chris McCarron | Ron McAnally | Janis R. Whitham | nf |
| 1995 | Soul of the Matter | 4 | Gary Stevens | Richard Mandella | Burt Bacharach | 1:41.00 |
Earlier winners
- 1994 - Region
- 1993 - Marquetry
- 1992 - Renegotiable
- 1991 - Twilight Agenda
- 1990 - Prospectors Gamble
- 1989 - Rahy
- 1988 - Cutlass Reality
- 1987 - Judge Angelucci
- 1986 - Super Diamond
- 1985 - My Habitony
- 1984 - Bid Us
- 1983 - Poley
- 1979 - Sirlad
- 1978 - Vigors
- 1977 - Ancient Title
- 1976 - Riot In Paris
- 1975 - Stardust Mel
- 1974 - Finalista
- 1973 - Tri Jet
- 1972 - Dating
- 1971 - What Goes On
- 1970 - Summer Sorrow
- 1969 - Boughs O' Holly
- 1968 - Nevada Marga
- 1939 - Leading Article
References
- June 15, 1939 Los Angeles Times article on the Bel Air Handicap
- July 17, 1989 Los Angeles Times article titled "Bel Air Handicap Rahy Flirts With World Record, Settles for Win"
- July 8, 2001 Los Angeles Times article on the Bel Air Handicap