THE CALIFORNIA CROWN ANNOUNCES GRYFFIN, LIL YACHTY, SHABOOZEY, FRANK WALKER, ZACK BIA AND MORE FOR INAUGURAL EVENT

The California Crown marks the second race in 1/ST’s Grand 3 $25 million racing and incentive series connecting Preakness 149, The California Crown and the 2025 Pegasus World Cup. The California Crown race day will offer $3,000,000 in elevated purses, including the $1,000,000 California Crown (GI) that will replace the Awesome Again Stakes for 3-year-olds & up run on 1 1/8 mile. The day will also feature the $750,000 California Crown John Henry Turf (GII) along with the $750,000 California Crown Eddie D. Turf Sprint (GII), taking place on Santa Anita Park’s famed downhill turf course featuring the only right-hand turn in American racing.

1/ST joins forces with Los Angeles-based hospitality and lifestyle marketing company The h.wood Group, known globally for its portfolio of luxury venues and work as one of the most reputable event producers in the world, to return Santa Anita Park to the era of old Hollywood glamor with luxury hospitality experiences curated by Delilah, Funke by Chef Evan Funke and Wally’s.

Chrome Hearts, Los Angeles luxury goods company renowned for its sophisticated life-inspired designs, has partnered with 1/ST as the Official Trophy Purveyor to create the California Crown championship trophy.  

“The California Crown is the premier event Santa Anita Park has been waiting for!” said Belinda Stronach, Chairman and CEO, 1/ST. “Working with partners like The h.wood Group and Chrome Hearts, 1/ST has set the stage for a new California tradition for entertainment, lifestyle and hospitality to complement the best-in-class Thoroughbred racing and wagering synonymous with 1/ST and this iconic venue.”

The h.wood Group will create VIP spaces that deliver the elegance of one of their most beloved hotspots, Delilah. The Delilah Trackside Terrace Box Seats will feature a curated menu and an all-day sponsored open bar with dedicated access to wagering and views of the finish line and first turn. Tickets are available for $1,500 and can be purchased at www.californiacrown.com. 

For the ultimate experience located trackside at the finish line, the Delilah VIP Dining and Bottle Service Tables will feature Delilah’s signature gourmet food and beverage offerings with direct stage views of the live performances. Tables begin at $15,000. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

“We are thrilled to partner with 1/ST for The California Crown, signaling a new era of premier race-day experiences through our luxury hospitality lens,” said John Terzian and Brian Toll, Co-Founders of The h.wood Group. “We’ve wanted to bring something like this to the market for a long time now, and it’s an honor to infuse our signature approach to service into this moment alongside Belinda Stronach and the team at 1/ST – as well as a prestigious array of heritage Los Angeles brands much like us. We are excited to deliver a reimagined trackside experience at the intersection of sports, entertainment and the arts to the West Coast market.”

1/ST has tapped acclaimed Chef Evan Funke to curate two unique and connected guest spaces. Funke Premium Box Seats will offer an all-inclusive upgraded race day experience with panoramic track views and the opportunity to see Chef Funke in action in an outdoor kitchen activation. As an exclusive bonus for Funke ticket holders, the VIP Mezzanine Experience Curated by Funke is an elevated lounge and concessions area that will feature unique partner activations, Funke-inspired culinary pop-ups and complimentary select beer, wine and spirits. Tickets for Funke Premium Box Seats are available for $1,200 and can be purchased at www.californiacrown.com.

Combining race-day excitement with fine wines and gourmet culinary offerings, beloved Beverly Hills establishment Wally’s introduces Wally’s Experience at The California Crown, located balcony level at Santa Anita Park. Access to the open-air dining space includes an all-day menu featuring signature Wally’s California-French inspired dishes with complimentary select beer, wine and spirits. Known for their coveted collection of revered wines from around the world, Wally’s Experience invites participating guests to enter “The Vault” with the option to pre-order rare wines from their coveted collection to enjoy on race day. Wally’s Experience offers wagering and access to the full park grounds. Tickets for Wally’s Experience range from $750 – $1,000 per person for tables of 4, 6 or 8 guests (not inclusive of rare wine pre-orders) and are available at www.californiacrown.com.

All-inclusive Luxury Suites accommodating up to 40 guests are available by visiting www.californiacrown.com.

Dedicated to ticket holders of the premium hospitality areas, Delilah, Funke, Wally’s and Luxury Suites, The California Crown Premium Compound is an exclusive VIP pop-up activation where guests will be able to mingle and experience complimentary food and beverage courtesy of the event’s culinary partners. Access to The California Crown Premium Compound is included with the purchase of a premium hospitality ticket.

Individual tickets for The California Crown are available for $25 for the General Admission Park Pass with access to the trackside apron, Exacta Eats food and concessions, the paddock gardens, wagering and multiple partner activations. Tickets can be purchased at www.californiacrown.com.

Fusing fashion with race day excitement, The California Crown will introduce a ‘Photo Finish’ best-dressed competition open to all guests offering $25,000 in prizes and encouraging attendees to showcase their unique race day chic style.

1/ST’s Grand 3 $25 million racing and incentive series includes a $5 million bonus, in addition to the respective purses, to the winning owner(s) of the horse who wins the 149th Preakness Stakes (GI), The California Crown (GI) and the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (GI). For turf stars, 1/ST will award a $2.5 million bonus to the connections who win the Dinner Party Stakes (GIII), The California Crown John Henry Turn (GII) and the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (GII). While contenders are not yet confirmed, both owner bonuses are still in play for The California Crown race day.

Earlier this year, 1/ST introduced the 1/ST GRAND 3 $5,000,000 Pick’ Em Challenge to successfully pick the first four finishers in order, for the 149th Preakness Stakes, The California Crown and the 2025 Pegasus World Cup Invitational. There are currently five entries that are still in the running for the $5,000,000 grand prize after successfully selecting the superfecta in the Preakness Stakes. The Pick’ Em Challenge re-opens for submission on September 26 in advance of The California Crown with the $100,000 consolation prize still on the line. The Pick’ Em challenge is free to enter at www.1st.com/contest.

1/ST BET, the official betting app of The California Crown, will provide an exclusive wagering offering to all attendees. Through advanced AI technology, the 1/ST BET app is designed to make betting more accessible, easy to understand, and fun for first-time wagerers and advanced handicappers alike.

First post for The California Crown on Saturday, September 28 is 12:30 p.m. PST. NBC Sports will produce a two-hour telecast beginning at 3:00 p.m. PST/6:00 p.m. EST airing on CNBC and Peacock.

To stay connected on The California Crown, visit @californiacrownofficial on Instagram, TikTok and @Calicrownofficial on X. 

To download the 1/ST BET app or for more information on the $5 Million Coast-to-Coast Pick’ Em Sweepstakes Challenge, visit www.1stbet.com.

Press and Media Contact:
SEQUEL, [email protected]

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST
The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The Stronach Group’s 1/ST business (pronounced “First”) is North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company and includes the 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY and 1/ST EXPERIENCE businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, The Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing on and off the track. The Stronach Group’s TSG Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, play and work communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). For more information, visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.

About The h.wood Group
The h.wood Group is a Los Angeles-based, hospitality and lifestyle marketing company with an iconic portfolio of luxury nightlife and restaurant venues. The vision of longtime friends John Terzian and Brian Toll, The h.wood Group was founded in 2008 as a way for the consummate hosts and entrepreneurs to bring their high-end, thoughtful concepts and passion for service to life. From Delilah and The Nice Guy, to Bootsy Bellows and Harriet’s, The h.wood Group is responsible for some of the most iconic brands in the world. With eleven venues in Los Angeles, three across the country and six new ones on the horizon, The h.wood Group is rapidly expanding thanks to its multi-concept portfolio uniquely positioned to cater to different markets. This growth is guided by the brand’s core values – distinct design, exceptional service and palpable atmosphere – which combine to create extraordinary moments for every guest. The h.wood Group experience is known well beyond the walls of their brick-and-mortar locations, through its work as one of the most reputable event producers in the world. With passions for art, fashion, sports and entertainment, The h.wood Group’s signature approach to service and storytelling unites brands, consumers and talent at some of the world’s most iconic cultural events including Coachella, F1, Cannes, Art Basel and more. The h.wood Group offers corporate branding, catering, event production and marketing services at both private events and international pop-ups, reflecting and shaping popular culture on both local and global scales.

For more information, visit https://hwoodgroup.com/

SOURCE 1/ST