Inaugurated as the Washington's Birthday Handicap in 1950, it was run on dirt until 1954 when it became a turf race. For 1973, 1980 and 2005, the race was transferred to the dirt track. There was no race from 1963 through 1967 but returned in 1968 as the San Luis Obispo Handicap, named for the city of San Luis Obispo further up the Central Coast of California from Santa Anita Park.
