# Jimmy Durante Stakes

The Jimmy Durante Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old fillies over a distance of one mile on the turf track scheduled annually in November at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The event currently carries a purse of $100,000.

## History

The event was inaugurated on 19 December 1990 as the Miesque Stakes at Hollywood Park Racetrack as a race for three year old fillies over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles and was won by Dead Heat in a time of 1:41 flat. The following year the event was restricted to two-year-old fillies and the distance was decreased to one mile.
The event was named in honor of the mare Miesque, who won the Breeders' Cup Mile twice and was the United States Champion Female Turf Horse in 1987 and 1988.
In 1995, the event was classified as Grade III.
The 2005 edition of the Miesque Stakes had to be canceled because the newly planted Hollywood Park's turf course had failed to root properly.
When Hollywood Park closed in 2013, the race was renamed in honor of the actor Jimmy Durante as part of a Del Mar rebranding initiative to evoke "old Hollywood cool".

## Records

Speed record:
* 1:34.30 - Antespend (1995)
Margins:
* 3+1⁄2 lengths – Here's to You (1998)
Most wins by a Jockey:
* 3 - Eddie Delahoussaye (1991, 1996, 1998)
* 3 - Corey Nakatani (1993, 2001, 2004)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 - Robert J. Frankel (1992, 1997, 2000, 2004)
Most wins by an Owner
* 2 - Agri-Harvest (1997, 2000)
* 2 - Godolphin Racing (2018, 2019)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| At Del Mar – Jimmy Durante Stakes ||||||||||
| 2023 | Zona Verde (IRE) | Juan J. Hernandez | Philip D'Amato | Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing Stables & Michael Nentwig | 1 mile | 1:36.02 | $102,500 | III | |
| 2022 | Liguria | Flavien Prat | Chad C. Brown | Alpha Delta Stables | 1 mile | 1:36.16 | $103,500 | III | |
| 2021 | Tezzaray (GB) | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Peter Miller | Slam Dunk Racing & Roger H. Newman | 1 mile | 1:37.56 | $103,000 | III | |
| 2020 | Fluffy Socks | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Chad C. Brown | Head Of Plains Partners | 1 mile | 1:35.35 | $102,500 | III | |
| 2019 | Alms | Paco Lopez | Michael Stidham | Godolphin Racing | 1 mile | 1:36.01 | $102,106 | III | |
| 2018 | Elsa | Joe Bravo | Michael Stidham | Godolphin Racing | 1 mile | 1:35.68 | $102,415 | III | |
| 2017 | Daddy Is a Legend | Joe Bravo | George Weaver | Jim & Susan Hill | 1 mile | 1:36.06 | $102,415 | III | |
| 2016 | Journey Home | Drayden Van Dyke | H. Graham Motion | Sam-Son Farm | 1 mile | 1:38.24 | $102,760 | III | |
| 2015 | Family Meeting | Drayden Van Dyke | Thomas F. Proctor | Glen Hill Farm | 1 mile | 1:37.14 | $101,750 | III | |
| 2014 | Ol' Fashion Gal | Joseph Talamo | Mark E. Casse | Bill & Vicki Poston | 1 mile | 1:37.27 | $151,500 | III | |
| At Hollywood Park – Miesque Stakes ||||||||||
| 2013 | Full Ransom | Victor Espinoza | James M. Cassidy | Deron Pearson | 1 mile | 1:37.51 | $100,250 | III | |
| 2012 | Travesura | Tyler Baze | Jeff Mullins | Val-U-Chem | 1 mile | 1:37.01 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2011 | More Than Love | Ramon A. Dominguez | John P. Terranova II | Newtown Anner Stud Farm | 1 mile | 1:36:32 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2010 | Neversaidiwassweet | Rafael Bejarano | Jerry Hollendorfer | Red Oak Stable | 1 mile | 1:35.88 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2009 | The Mailet | Joel Rosario | Bruce N. Levine | J. W. Singer, LLC | 1 mile | 1:35.05 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2008 | Habaya | Richard Migliore | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Shadwell Farm | 1 mile | 1:37.07 | $113,800 | III | |
| 2007 | Sea Chanter | Mike E. Smith | Todd A. Pletcher | Stonerside Stable | 1 mile | 1:35.84 | $113,200 | III | |
| 2006 | Valbenny (IRE) | Alex O. Solis | Patrick Gallagher | LGL Racing, Rita DiPietro, Michael Rosenmayer et al. | 1 mile | 1:36.58 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2005 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 2004 | Louvain (IRE) | Ramon A. Dominguez | Robert J. Frankel | Edmund A. Gann | 1 mile | 1:37.19 | $75,000 | III | Division 1 |
| 2004 | Paddy's Daisy | Corey Nakatani | Todd A. Pletcher | Stonehaven Farm | 1 mile | 1:36.92 | $75,000 | III | Division 2 |
| 2003 | Mambo Slew | Mike E. Smith | Patrick L. Biancone | Frank Manganaro | 1 mile | 1:36.17 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2002 | § Atlantic Ocean | David R. Flores | Bob Baffert | The Thoroughbred Corporation | 1 mile | 1:34.63 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2001 | Forty On Line (GB) | Corey Nakatani | Robert B. Hess Jr. | Jack Cohen, Michael Sigband, Rich Ulmer et al. | 1 mile | 1:36.38 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2000 | Fantastic Filly (FR) | Garrett K. Gomez | Robert J. Frankel | Agri-Harvest | 1 mile | 1:35.11 | $200,000 | III | |
| 1999 | Prairie Princess | Alex O. Solis | Linda L. Rice | Clyde D. Rice | 1 mile | 1:37.30 | $200,000 | III | |
| 1998 | Here's to You | Eddie Delahoussaye | Simon Magnier | Sally Stacey | 1 mile | 1:36.57 | $200,000 | III | |
| 1997 | Star's Proud Penny | Garrett K. Gomez | Robert J. Frankel | Agri-Harvest | 1 mile | 1:37.42 | $200,000 | III | |
| 1996 | Ascutney | Eddie Delahoussaye | David G. Donk | December Hill Farm | 1 mile | 1:35.16 | $200,000 | III | |
| 1995 | § Antespend | Chris Antley | Ron McAnally | Jack Kent Cooke | 1 mile | 1:34.30 | $200,000 | III | |
| 1994 | Bail Out Becky | Kent J. Desormeaux | William I. Mott | Kenneth L. Ramsey | 1 mile | 1:37.26 | $200,000 | Listed | |
| 1993 | Tricky Code | Corey Nakatani | Gary F. Jones | Kallenberg Thoroughbred | 1 mile | 1:35.15 | $250,000 | Listed | |
| 1992 | Creaking Board (GB) | Kent J. Desormeaux | Robert J. Frankel | Patrizio Cozzi | 1 mile | 1:35.62 | $250,000 | Listed | |
| 1991 | More Than Willing | Eddie Delahoussaye | Rodney Rash | Robert E. Hibbert | 1 mile | 1:35.51 | $112,500 | Listed | Division 1 |
| 1991 | Hopeful Amber | David R. Flores | Lewis A. Cenicola | Margaret Elardi | 1 mile | 1:36.72 | $112,500 | Listed | Division 2 |
| 1990 | Dead Heat | Julio A. Garcia | John K. Dolan | Larry S. Smith | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.00 | $60,000 | | 3YO fillies |
Legend:
 Dirt  Turf
Notes:
§ Ran as an entry