Stephen Foster Stakes
Grade I race | |
![]() Curlin on his way to winning the Stephen Foster Handicap 2008 | |
Location | Churchill Downs Louisville, Kentucky, USA |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1982 |
Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
Website | Churchill Downs |
Race information | |
Distance | 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) |
Surface | Dirt |
Track | Left-handed |
Qualification | Three-Year-Olds and Up |
Weight | Handicap |
Purse | $500,000 added |
The Stephen Foster Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run in mid-June near the end of the Churchill Downs Spring Meet in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is named in honor of famed composer Stephen Foster, who wrote numerous melodies including "My Old Kentucky Home" which is the song that is annually played as the Kentucky Derby field parades on the track. It is run on the dirt at a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles for three-year-olds and up.
History
The Stephen Foster Handicap was created in 1982 and has progressed from Grade III status in 1988 to Grade II in 1995 to Grade I in 2002.[1] It is currently the last Grade I event held at the Churchill Downs spring meeting. Currently offering a purse of $500,000 added, the race draws some of the top older horses from various parts of the United States. It is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" event, offering the winner an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic.[2]
The race was restricted to horses four years of age an older in 1983 and from 1985 through 1987.
The 2006 edition of the Stephen Foster Handicap produced its biggest upset ever when jockey Calvin Borel aboard 91-1 longshot Seek Gold defeated the favored 2003 winner, Perfect Drift.[3]
Three horses used victories in the Stephen Foster as part of their resumes in Horse of the Year campaigns. The three are Black Tie Affair (1991), Saint Liam (2005) and Curlin (2008). Four horses have won the Stephen Foster and the Breeders' Cup Classic in the same year. Black Tie Affair (1991), Awesome Again (1998) and Blame (2010) won both races at Churchill Downs. Saint Liam won his running of the Classic at Belmont Park. Curlin (2008) carried the highest impost of any Stephen Foster winner: 128 pounds. Colonial Colony (2004) carried the lightest winning Foster impost at 111 pounds.
Records
- Speed record
- 1:47.28 - Victory Gallop (1999)
- Most wins
- Vodika Collins (1982, 1983)
- Recoup the Cash (1994, 1995)
- Most wins by a jockey
- 3 - Robby Albarado (2007, 2008, 2009)
- 3 - Pat Day (1985, 1998, 2003)
- Most wins by a trainer
- 2 - Forrest Kaelin (1982, 1983)
- 2 - Jere Smith, Jr. (1994, 1995)
- 2 - Patrick B. Byrne (1997, 1998)
- 2 - Mark Casse (2011, 2015)
- Most wins by an owner
- 2 - M.B. Collins (1982, 1983)
- 2 - Richard E. Trebat (1994, 1995)
- 2 - Stronach Stables (1998, 2000)
- 2 - West Point Thoroughbreds (2007, 2009)
Winners of the Stephen Foster Handicap since 1982
Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Dist. |
Time |
Purse | Grade |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Bradester | 6 | Joe Bravo | Eddie Kenneally | Joseph Sutton | 1-1/8 | 1:48.85 | $500,000 | I |
2015 | Noble Bird | 4 | Shaun Bridgmohan | Mark Casse | John C. Oxley | 1-1/8 | 1:47.94 | $500,000 | I |
2014 | Moonshine Mullin | 6 | Calvin Borel | Randy L. Morse | Randy Patterson | 1-1/8 | 1:49.66 | $500,000 | I |
2013 | Fort Larned | 5 | Brian Hernandez, Jr. | Ian R. Wilkes | Janis R. Whitham | 1-1/8 | 1:47.45 | $500,000 | I |
2012 | Ron the Greek | 5 | Jose Lezcano | Bill Mott | Brous Stable/Wachtel Stable/Hammer | 1-1/8 | 1:50.51 | $437,200 | I |
2011 | Pool Play | 6 | Miguel Mena | Mark E. Casse | William S. Farish, Jr. | 1-1/8 | 1:50.52 | $561,300 | I |
2010 | Blame | 4 | Garrett Gomez | Albert M. Stall, Jr. | Claiborne Farm/Dilschneider | 1-1/8 | 1:49.37 | $671,700 | I |
2009 | Macho Again | 4 | Robby Albarado | Dallas Stewart | West Point Thoroughbreds | 1-1/8 | 1:49.75 | $660,000 | I |
2008 | Curlin | 4 | Robby Albarado | Steve Asmussen | Stonestreet Stables et al. | 1-1/8 | 1:49.68 | $1,000,000 | I |
2007 | Flashy Bull | 4 | Robby Albarado | Kiaran McLaughlin | West Point Thoroughbreds | 1-1/8 | 1:48.63 | $829,500 | I |
2006 | Seek Gold | 6 | Calvin Borel | Ronald Moquett | Bowman Couch Racing, LLC | 1-1/8 | 1:49.24 | $844,500 | I |
2005 | Saint Liam | 5 | Edgar Prado | Robert J. Frankel | M/M William Warren, Jr. | 1-1/8 | 1:47.52 | $828,000 | I |
2004 | Colonial Colony | 6 | Rafael Bejarano | Walter Binder, Jr. | Lakeside Farms, LLC (Chris Nolan) | 1-1/8 | 1:50.40 | $893,725 | I |
2003 | Perfect Drift | 4 | Pat Day | Murray Johnson | Stonecrest Farm | 1-1/8 | 1:47.55 | $856,500 | I |
2002 | Street Cry | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin Racing | 1-1/8 | 1:50.44 | $833,250 | I |
2001 | Guided Tour | 5 | Larry Melancon | Niall O'Callaghan | Morton Fink | 1-1/8 | 1:47.74 | $831,000 | II |
2000 | Golden Missile | 5 | Kent Desormeaux | Joe Orseno | Stronach Stables | 1-1/8 | 1:49.56 | $810,000 | II |
1999 | Victory Gallop | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | Elliott Walden | Prestonwood Farm | 1-1/8 | 1:47.28 | $827,250 | II |
1998 | Awesome Again | 4 | Pat Day | Patrick B. Byrne | Stronach Stables | 1-1/8 | 1:48.61 | $799,500 | II |
1997 | City by Night | 4 | Shane Sellers | Patrick B. Byrne | Richard & Nancy Kaster | 1-1/8 | 1:50.52 | $163,950 | II |
1996 | Tenants Harbor | 4 | Francisco Torres | Robert Desensi | Michael Sheehan | 1-1/8 | 1:49.94 | $166,050 | II |
1995 | Recoup the Cash | 5 | Aaron Gryder | Jere Smith, Jr. | Richard E. Trebat | 1-1/8 | 1:49.39 | $168,149 | II |
1994 | Recoup the Cash | 4 | Jose Diaz | Jere Smith, Jr. | Richard E. Trebat | 1-1/8 | 1:49.46 | $163,500 | III |
1993 | Root Boy | 5 | Tommy Turner | Louis Bernier | Richard F. Blue, Jr. | 1-1/8 | 1:50.80 | $114,000 | III |
1992 | Discover | 4 | Brent Bartram | Steven C. Penrod | Claiborne Farm | 1-1/8 | 1:50.14 | $115,900 | III |
1991 | Black Tie Affair | 5 | Jose Diaz | Ernie T. Poulos | Jeffrey Sullivan | 1-1/8 | 1:49.80 | $109,100 | III |
1990 | No Marker | 6 | Aaron Gryder | Patricia Johnson | Billy Ray Gowdy | 1-1/8 | 1:49.80 | $112,200 | III |
1989 | Air Worthy | 4 | Daniel Soto | William Huffman | John Carlesimo | 1-1/8 | 1:49.60 | $112,700 | III |
1988 | Honor Medal | 7 | Luis Ortega | Neil D. Drysdale | Lettuce Farm | 1-1/8 | 1:50.60 | $129,700 | III |
1987 | Red Attack | 5 | Jack Kaenel | D. Wayne Lukas | Pillar Stud, Inc. | 1-1/8 | 1:51.20 | $103,775 | |
1986 | Hopeful Word | 5 | Keith Allen | Carl Bowman | Morris, Clifton & Doll | 1-1/8 | 1:49.40 | $102,050 | |
1985 | Vanlandingham | 4 | Pat Day | C. R. McGaughey | Loblolly Stable | 1-1/8 | 1:48.80 | $79,250 | |
1984 | Mythical Ruler | 6 | James McKnight | Fred Wirth | Albert Risen | 1-1/8 | 1:49.60 | $73,550 | |
1983 | Vodika Collins | 5 | Leroy Moyers | Forrest Kaelin | M. B. Collins | 1-1/8 | 1:49.20 | $54,750 | |
1982 | Vodika Collins | 4 | Tommy Barrow | Forrest Kaelin | M. B. Collins | 1-1/8 | 1:51.80 | $57,900 |
See also
- Stephen Foster Handicap "top three finishers" and starters
- List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area
- List of graded stakes at Churchill Downs
References
- ^ "Statistics - Stephen Foster Handicap". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- ^ "Spring Stakes Schedule" (PDF). churchilldowns.com. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- ^ http://www.ntra.com/races.aspx?id=18172