In hopes of creating a new “Triple Crown” of horse racing on the West Coast, officials of Southern California’s three major tracks and the MGM Grand Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas announced plans Thursday for the MGM Grand Classic Crown.
A sweep of all three $1-million races–the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Park’s Gold Cup and Del Mar’s Pacific Classic–would mean a payoff of $3.8 million, thanks to a $2 million bonus from the casino.
Although negotiations for the series began in June 1995, much of the urgency surrounding the discussions–held up by insurance concerns–centered around the possible participation of Cigar. Owner Allen Paulson, after pressing for a bonus linking the three races, said Thursday that Cigar would run in the March 2 Santa Anita “Big ‘Cap,” “if he comes out of the Donn (Handicap) OK” at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 10.
All three events are Grade 1 races for older horses at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles. The Big ‘Cap and Gold Cup are handicaps, while the Pacific Classic is a weight-for-age race.
