December 26 promises to be one of the most important days in the history of 1/ST Racing. It’s opening day of the Classic Meet at Santa Anita, opening day of the Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park and host date of the Christmastide Day stakes card at Laurel Park. All month, 1/ST BET will prepare you for a 26th of December to Remember with special content.

The Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on December 26 may be the most anticipated of the 14 stakes across the 1/ST family on this special day. Malibu winners have staked a major claim in racing lore over the years from Spectacular Bid in 1980 to Ferdinand in 1986 to more contemporaries like Runhappy in 2015 and Flightline a year ago.

But the most influential Malibu runner of recent decades was ‘busted’ as the 2008 favorite to a horse named Bob Black Jack. His name: Info Mischief.

The Richard Mandella trainee raced only 6 times, winning 3 and finishing second 3 times, including his career finale in the Malibu. The Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity winner at age 2 was knocked off the Kentucky Derby trail after a runner-up in the San Vicente in February 2008. And while the Malibu did not give him a ticker-tape sendoff to an early retirement, the parade of winners Into Mischief has delivered at stud is second to none. Simply put, he’s the top sire in the game today.

Info Mischief at stud:

- Sired 7 Breeders’ Cup champions (tied for most all-time)
- Set an all-time, single-season progeny earnings record in 2021
- Set an all-time, single-season progeny earnings record in 2020
- Nation’s top sire by progeny earnings in 2019, 2020, 2021
- 12 yearlings sold in 2022 for $1 million-plus (most since 2005)
- Sired Kentucky Derby winners Authentic and Mandaloun
- Has potential ’23 Kentucky Derby winter favorite Extra Anejo and Kentucky Oaks favorites Hoosier Philly and Wonder Wheel

And to bring it full circle, the potential runners in the December 26 Malibu include Into Mischief’s son Strobe.

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The 26th of December to Remember Stakes Lineup

Gulfstream Park | Championship Meet | Opening Day
$100K Tropical Park Derby
$100K Tropical Park Oaks

Santa Anita | Classic Meet | Opening Day
$300K G1 Malibu
$300K G1 American Oaks
$300K G1 La Brea
$200K G2 Mathis Mile
$200K G2 San Antonio
$200K G2 San Gabriel

Laurel Park | Christmastide Day Stakes
$100K Carousel
$100K Dave’s Friend
$100K Gin Talking
$100K Heft
$100K Robert Manfuso
$100K Willa On the Move