What a Pleasure Stakes
| Ungraded Stakes race | |
| Location | Miami Gardens, Florida United States  |
|---|---|
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Two-year-olds |
The What a Pleasure Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds held annually at Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, Florida. It is currently an ungraded stakes race run over a distance of 8.5 furlongs on dirt.
The race has traditionally been held during the Tropical at Calder meet, from late October through early January. This meet normally has some of the strongest stakes programs of Calder’s eight-month season. Due to permit disputes with Hialeah Park Race Track, the race was pushed back in 1987 and 1991 into the following year. Both of those races were subsequently run for three-year-olds and were won by Zie World (1988) and Sir Pinder (1992).[1]
The race has served as a springboard for Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled as well as such graded-stakes winners as Suave Prospect, Alydeed, Primal, Creme Fraiche, Certain and Morning Bob.
Winners since 1991
| Year |
Winner |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Time |
Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Check It Twice | Manoel Cruz | Kathleen O'Connell | 1:46.19 | |
| 2006 | Drums of Thunder | Manoel Cruz | William Kaplan | 1:48.08 | |
| 2005 | Saint Augustus | Ramón Domínguez | Todd Pletcher | 1:47.94 | |
| 2004 | Better Than Bonds | Brice Blanc | Robert Reinacher | 1:48.90 | |
| 2003 | Second of June | Cornelio Velásquez | William Cesare | 1:45.79 | |
| 2002 | Trust N Luck | Cornelio Velásquez | Ralph Ziadie | 1:44.07 | |
| 2001 | O'Rocky | Cornelio Velásquez | Edward Plesa Jr. | 1:47.08 | |
| 2000 | Radical Riley | Eduardo Núñez | James Hatchett | 1:48.33 | III |
| 1999 | Tahkodha Hills | Eibar Coa | Ralph Ziadie | 1:46.91 | III |
| 1998 | Certain | Javier Castellano | Leo Azpurua Jr. | 1:47.01 | III |
| 1997 | Sweetsouthernsaint | Abdiel Toribio | Leo Azpurua Jr. | 1:47.35 | III |
| 1996 | Arthur L. | Eibar Coa | Luis Olivares | 1:46.17 | III |
| 1995 | Cat On Tour | Gary Boulanger | Ronald Spatz | 1:47.26 | III |
| 1994 | Suave Prospect | René Douglas | Lee Sherman | 1:46.88 | III |
| 1993 | Gator Back | Marco Castaneda | Thomas Heard Jr. | 1:47.06 | III |
| 1992 | Virgil Cain | Eduardo Núñez | Daniel Hurtak | 1:48.31 | III |
Earlier winners
- 1990 - Gizmo's Fortune
- 1989 - Unbridled
- 1988 - Reaffirming
- 1986 - Schism
- 1986 - Baldski's Star
- 1985 - Master Cho
- 1984 - Creme Fraiche
- 1983 - Morning Bob
The race was run in two divisions in 1986.