Shoemaker Mile Betting Guide

The Shoemaker Mile is often one of the most competitive races of the season and tends to take place in late May. You can find the runners that will be lining up for the Grade 1 this year here, as well as examining the betting markets that you can wager money on.


Shoemaker Mile Event Details


The Shoemaker Mile is a Grade 1 race in the United States. Horses that are at least three years old are able to enter the race, and it is run over a distance of one mile on turf. The race takes place at Santa Anita Park and has a purse of $300,000.


Shoemaker Mile Preview


The Shoemaker Mile is one of the standout races of the season at Santa Anita, and that looks to be no different in 2021. There is set to be a competitive renewal of the race, with quality entries looking set to be involved.


  • Smooth Like Strait

  • Restrainedvengence

  • Whisper Not


This Grade 1 is often a race that manages to draw a selection of the most talented mares in training. That looks to be no different this year, with three talented horses set to line up for the renewal. Whisper Not could be the most eye-catching of the runners, as he has enjoyed an excellent return to the track this year. He has already won in graded company this season, as the four-year-old won the San Francisco Mile in April. He was dominant in that run, as he was able to hold off the threat from Keeperofthestars. That success was a second straight win this year after he reappeared, finishing second in an allowance at Santa Anita. He also finished third in a graded race late last year, as she finished third in the Mathis Brothers Mile.


That Grade 2 race was won by another of the contenders that will be lining up for the Shoemaker Mile this weekend. Smooth Like Strait was an impressive winner in that race, as he held off both Storm The Court and Whisper Not to get the win. Those looking for a proven graded runner this weekend shouldn’t look past the four-year-old. He has placed in each of his last six graded races, including back-to-back thirds in consecutive Grade 1s. He has won four Graded races in his career and could be good value for another win this weekend.


Restrainedvengence will be the oldest horse involved in the Shoemaker Mile this weekend. The six-year-old may find it difficult to compete with the other two leading contenders, as he hasn’t won a graded race. The closest he came was in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile back in August last year. He was beaten narrowly by Mo Forza on that occasion. Since then, he has won just once in five starts. He finished second earlier in the season in the Santana Mile before finishing third behind Whisper Not in the San Francisco Mile back in April.

Shoemaker Mile Event Information


The Shoemaker Mile was previously known as the Premiere Handicap, and during the early years, it was staged at Hollywood Park in California. It has been run in two divisions on two separate occasions. The first time came in 1950, with one race in the spring and another in autumn. It was run on turf for the first time on the second occasion with two divisions in 1984 and 1985.


The race was renamed after Bill Shoemaker in 1990 and moved to its home at Santa Anita Park in 2014 after Hollywood Park closed down. The distance of the race has also been altered throughout its history, with the current distance being competed since 1993. Prior to that, the race was run over six furlongs, seven furlongs, and 1 1/16 miles.


Raging Bull was the winner of the race last year for trainer Chad Brown. Irish-bred horses have enjoyed success in this race since 2000, as five winners have been bred in Ireland. The most recent Irish-bred winner was Hunt in 2018. The oldest winner of the race was The Tin Man in 2007, who won aged nine.

Shoemaker Mile Betting Information


The Shoemaker Mile is one of the biggest races of the season at Santa Anita, and that means that it is a huge betting race for gamblers. Below, you can learn about the markets that you will be able to bet on.


  • Win: Predicting the winner of the Shoemaker Mile is the easiest way to make a bet on the Grade 1. Bets will be settled after the field have crossed the line.

  • Place: The quality on show also means that there is the option to wager on a horse to finish in a place position. Gamblers can wager on a selection, finishing in the first two.

  • Exacta: Gamblers can also place exacta bets on the Shoemaker Mile. To get winnings on this bet, you must wager on the first two runners in the correct order.