Wise Dan Stakes
Appearance
Grade II race | |
Location | Churchill Downs Louisville, Kentucky, United States |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1983[1] |
Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
Website | Churchill Downs |
Race information | |
Distance | 1 1/16 mile (8.5 furlongs) |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Left-handed |
Qualification | Three-year-olds & up |
Weight | Assigned |
Purse | $200,000 |
The Wise Dan Stakes, formerly known as the Firecracker Handicap,[2] is an American thoroughbred horse race run annually on the turf course at Churchill Downs. The Grade II event is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one sixteenth of a mile and currently offers a purse of $200,000.
History
The race was first run in 1983 on the dirt at 7 furlongs, only to be discontinued in 1986. In 1993, the race was revived, now on turf at 1 mile. It became a Grade III event in 1996, and a Grade II event in 2002.[1]
The race was renamed as the Wise Dan Stakes in 2016 in honor of two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan, who won the race in 2011 in his Turf Debut.[3] The distance was changed from 8 furlongs to 8.5 furlongs at the same time.[2]
Winners since 2000
Earlier winners
- 1999 - Joe Who
- 1998 - Claires Honor
- 1997 - Soviet Line
- 1996 - Rare Reason
- 1995 - Jaggery John
- 1994 - First And Only
- 1993 - Cleone
- 1985 - Rapid Grey
- 1984 - Turn and Cheer
- 1983 - Shot n' Missed
References
- ^ a b "Statistics - Wise Dan Stakes". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- ^ a b Lintner, Jonathan (January 5, 2016). "Churchill renames spring stakes for Wise Dan". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ^ Manley, Travers (June 26, 2013). "Horse of the Year Wise Dan Headlines 23rd Firecracker Handicap". Churchill Downs. Retrieved January 6, 2016.