# Churchill Downs Stakes

The Churchill Downs Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for four-year-old and older sprinters run over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt annually in early May at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky, as an undercard event on Kentucky Derby day. The event currently offers a purse of $1,000,000.

## History

The inaugural running of the event was the Churchill Downs Handicap took place on the closing day of the Churchill Downs Spring meeting, June 6, 1911, as a three-year-old and over race over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles with five starters and was won by Carlton G. in track record time of 1:514⁄5 under jockey George Taplin for owner and trainer Lon Johnson. The following year longshot Any Port equalled the record 1:513⁄5 winning by 1+1⁄2 lengths. The event was held once more at the 1+1⁄8 miles distance in 1913 before the track would have the race mothballed until 1938.
In 1938, the event was reinstated at a distance of seven furlongs but was extended to one mile for the 1940 running. Louise Hickman's Arab's Arrow would win the event three years straight including a dead heat victory with Kings Blue in 1939. In 1947 the event was held on opening day of the spring meeting at a shortened distance of seven furlongs. In 1949 the event only attracted four starters of which two were a Calumet Farm entry of Free America and the 1947 American Horse of the Year Armed thus enabling Churchill Downs to hold the event as a non betting Exhibition Race.
The 1951 before a crowd of 18,000 on opening day of the spring meeting the winner of the event was the Detroit based sprinter Johns Joy who broke the seven furlongs time record in 1:224⁄5 which was held by Distinction and stood since 1921.
The distance of the event was decreased to six furlongs for four running held from 1952 to 1955. Soon after return to the now distance of seven furlongs, in 1958 Shac Pan set a new track record of 1:22 flat winning by a head over Ezgo.
The event was held in split divisions twice - 1982 and 1985. In 1983, the conditions of the event were modified from handicap to stakes allowance for four-year-olds and older which reflect in the name of the event.
Since 1986, the event has been scheduled on the same day as the Kentucky Derby. In 1988, the event reverted to a handicap and was held with such conditions until 2006.
In 1992, the event was classified as Grade III. The winner that year, 4/5 odds-on Pleasant Tap would also win the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Suburban Handicap and was awarded the U.S. Champion Older Male Horse.
The event was upgraded to Grade II in 1998. That year the winner 7/5 favorite Distorted Humor set a new track of 1:21.18 winning by 3+1⁄4 lengths over Gold Land. The track record was once again broken in this event in 2001 when Alannan won in a time of 1:20.50. That day on Kentucky Derby Day, three track records were broken.
The 2004 winner six-year-old Speightstown continued his brilliant year capturing the Breeders' Cup Sprint and being crowned the U.S. Champion Sprinter.
In 2007, the conditions of the event were changed from handicap to stakes allowance and the name of the event was modified to the Churchill Downs Stakes.
The American Graded Stakes Committee upgraded the race to its current Grade I status in 2019. Mitole, the 2019 winner would also win the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap, Forego Stakes and Breeders' Cup Sprint and was crowned the U.S. Champion Sprinter.

## Records

Speed record:
* 7 furlongs – 1:20.50 Alannan (2001)
* 6 furlongs – 1:10.60 Roaming (1953)
* 1 mile – 1:36.60 My Bill (1941)
Margins:
* 5 lengths – Barbizon Streak (1974), Dreadnought (1981)
Most wins:
* 3 – Arab's Arrow (1938, 1939, 1940)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 5 – Steve Brooks (1947, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1959)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 – William I. Mott (1983, 1985, 1999, 2023)
Most wins by an owner:
* 3 – Louise Hickman (1938, 1939, 1940)
* 3 – Dixiana Farm (1950, 1952, 1973)
* 3 – Albert M. Stall Sr. (1980, 1982, 1985)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| Churchill Downs Stakes |||||||||||
| 2024 | Gun Pilot | 4 | Cristian Torres | Steven M. Asmussen | Three Chimneys Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:21.95 | $1,000,000 | I | |
| 2023 | Cody's Wish | 5 | Junior Alvarado | William I. Mott | Godolphin | 7 furlongs | 1:21.17 | $750,000 | I | |
| 2022 | Jackie's Warrior | 4 | Joel Rosario | Steven M. Asmussen | Kirk & Judy Robison | 7 furlongs | 1:21.95 | $500,000 | I | |
| 2021 | Flagstaff | 7 | Luis Saez | John W. Sadler | Lane's End Racing & Hronis Racing | 7 furlongs | 1:21.82 | $500,000 | I | |
| 2020 | 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 | Race not held |
| 2019 | Mitole | 4 | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen | William & Corinne Heiligbrodt | 7 furlongs | 1:21.21 | $500,000 | I | |
| 2018 | Limousine Liberal | 6 | Jose L. Ortiz | Ben Colebrook | Katherine G. Ball | 7 furlongs | 1:22.73 | $500,000 | II | |
| 2017 | Limousine Liberal | 5 | Jose L. Ortiz | Ben Colebrook | Katherine G. Ball | 7 furlongs | 1:23.22 | $500,000 | II | |
| 2016 | Catalina Red | 4 | Javier Castellano | Jorge Navarro | Anthony A. Lenci | 7 furlongs | 1:20.79 | $500,000 | II | |
| 2015 | Private Zone (CAN) | 6 | Martin A. Pedroza | Jorge Navarro | Good Friends Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:22.54 | $500,000 | II | |
| 2014 | Central Banker | 4 | Corey Nakatani | Albert Stall Jr. | Klaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence | 7 furlongs | 1:21.15 | $464,800 | II | |
| 2013 | Delaunay | 6 | Rosie Napravnik | Thomas M. Amoss | Maggi Moss | 7 furlongs | 1:22.35 | $443,600 | II | |
| 2012 | Shackleford | 4 | Jesus Lopez Castanon | Dale L. Romans | Michael Lauffer & William D. Cubbedge | 7 furlongs | 1:21.06 | $441,600 | II | |
| 2011 | Aikenite | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Dogwood Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:21.40 | $348,900 | II | |
| 2010 | Atta Boy Roy | 5 | Calvin H. Borel | Valorie Lund | R.E.V. Racing | 7 furlongs | 1:22.54 | $290,000 | II | |
| 2009 | Accredit | 4 | Julien R. Leparoux | Michael J. Maker | Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey | 7 furlongs | 1:23.24 | $280,500 | II | |
| 2008 | Elite Squadron | 4 | John R. Velazquez | James E. Baker | Tom R. Walters | 7 furlongs | 1:21.53 | $282,000 | II | |
| 2007 | Saint Anddan | 5 | Rafael Bejarano | Robert J. Frankel | Mr. & Mrs. William Warren Jr. | 7 furlongs | 1:22.31 | $277,750 | II | |
| Churchill Downs Handicap |||||||||||
| 2006 | Trickey Trevor | 7 | Russell Baze | Jerry Hollendorfer | Jerry Hollendorfer, Dan Jelladian & George Todaro | 7 furlongs | 1:21.68 | $229,000 | II | |
| 2005 | Battle Won | 5 | Ramon A. Dominguez | Charles Simon | Jay & Gretchen Manoogian | 7 furlongs | 1:20.56 | $231,000 | II | |
| 2004 | Speightstown | 6 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Eugene & Laura Melnyk | 7 furlongs | 1:21.38 | $221,800 | II | |
| 2003 | Aldebaran | 5 | Jerry D. Bailey | Robert J. Frankel | Flaxman Holdings Ltd. | 7 furlongs | 1:21.80 | $233,800 | II | |
| 2002 | † D'wildcat | 4 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Robert B. Hess Jr. | Fog City Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:22.37 | $171,450 | II | |
| 2001 | Alannan | 5 | Edgar S. Prado | Carl A. Nafzger | Eaglestone Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:20.50 | $179,550 | II | |
| Winnercomm Handicap |||||||||||
| 2000 | Straight Man | 4 | Jorge F. Chavez | Bob Baffert | Robert & Beverly Lewis | 7 furlongs | 1:21.53 | $169,200 | II | |
| Churchill Downs Handicap |||||||||||
| 1999 | Rock and Roll | 4 | Pat Day | William I. Mott | Madeleine Paulson & Jenny Craig | 7 furlongs | 1:22.81 | $166,350 | II | |
| 1998 | Distorted Humor | 5 | Gary L. Stevens | W. Elliott Walden | Russell L. Reineman & Prestonwood Farms Inc. | 7 furlongs | 1:21.18 | $166,950 | II | |
| 1997 | Diligence | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Nicholas P. Zito | Kinsman Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:22.37 | $113,600 | III | |
| 1996 | Criollito (ARG) | 5 | Chris McCarron | Bob Baffert | Robert & Beverly Lewis | 7 furlongs | 1:22.01 | $114,800 | III | |
| 1995 | Goldseeker Bud | 4 | Willie Martinez | Angel O. Montano Sr. | Falkon Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:21.75 | $115,700 | III | |
| 1994 | Honor the Hero | 6 | Garrett K. Gomez | Doug Oliver | Alan Burdick, Arnulf & Rebecca Ueland | 7 furlongs | 1:23.05 | $109,800 | III | |
| 1993 | Callide Valley | 5 | Gary L. Stevens | Orin J. Glass Jr. | Gary & Mary West | 7 furlongs | 1:22.01 | $86,250 | III | |
| 1992 | Pleasant Tap | 5 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Christopher Speckert | Buckland Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:22.32 | $85,425 | III | |
| 1991 | Thirty Six Red | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | Nicholas P. Zito | B. Giles Brophy | 7 furlongs | 1:22.15 | $57,900 | | |
| 1990 | Beau Genius | 5 | Ricardo D. Lopez | Gerald S. Bennett | D. Brian Davidson | 7 furlongs | 1:23.20 | $58,200 | | |
| 1989 | Dancing Spree | 4 | Pat Day | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Phipps | 7 furlongs | 1:24.00 | $58,850 | | |
| 1988 | Conquer | 4 | Gary L. Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | Thomas Curnes | 7 furlongs | 1:23.20 | $56,650 | | |
| Churchill Downs Stakes |||||||||||
| 1987 | Sovereign's Ace | 5 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Bernard S. Flint | Alan Art Stables | 7 furlongs | 1:22.00 | $35,295 | | |
| 1986 | Sovereign's Ace | 4 | Phil Rubbicco | Bernard S. Flint | Alan Art Stables | 7 furlongs | 1:22.60 | $35,280 | | |
| 1985 | Rapid Gray | 4 | Pat Day | William I. Mott | William Lucas | 7 furlongs | 1:24.00 | $36,400 | | Division 1 |
| 1985 | Bayou Hebert | 6 | James McKnight | Judith H. Zouck | Albert M. Stall Sr. & Earl Burke | 7 furlongs | 1:23.40 | $35,875 | | Division 2 |
| 1984 | Habitonia | 4 | Pat Day | Larry D. Edwards | Farid Sefa | 7 furlongs | 1:23.00 | $33,225 | | |
| 1983 | Shot n' Missed | 6 | Leroy Moyers | William I. Mott | William Lucas | 7 furlongs | 1:23.60 | $33,425 | | |
| Churchill Downs Handicap |||||||||||
| 1982 | Top Avenger | 4 | Ronald D. Ardoin | Frank L. Brothers | John Franks | 7 furlongs | 1:23.00 | $33,475 | | Division 1 |
| 1982 | Bayou Black | 6 | Randy Romero | Robert E. Holthus | Albert M. Stall Sr. & Earl Burke | 7 furlongs | 1:22.80 | $35,600 | | Division 2 |
| 1981 | Dreadnought | 4 | Julio C. Espinoza | James A. Padgett | Centurion Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:23.60 | $30,200 | | |
| 1980 | Dr. Riddick | 6 | Don Brumfield | Frank L. Brothers | Albert M. Stall Sr. | 7 furlongs | 1:23.20 | $27,350 | | |
| 1979 | Trimlea | 5 | Jorge Velasquez | John M. Veitch | Calumet Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:24.60 | $28,850 | | |
| 1978 | To the Quick | 4 | Jose Amy | Anthony Basile | Bwamazon Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:25.00 | $22,325 | | |
| 1977 | It's Freezing | 5 | Eddie Delahoussaye | William R. O'Neill | Bwamazon Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:23.40 | $22,350 | | |
| 1976 | Yamanin | 4 | Garth Patterson | George T. Poole | Hajime Doi | 7 furlongs | 1:23.80 | $22,300 | | |
| 1975 | Navajo | 5 | Jimmy Nichols | James Keefer | Joe Stevenson & Ray Stump | 7 furlongs | 1:24.40 | $22,775 | | |
| 1974 | Barbizon Streak | 6 | Rick Wilson | Oran Battles | Mrs. Herman (Irene C.) Udouj | 7 furlongs | 1:25.40 | $23,100 | | |
| 1973 | Code of Honor | 5 | Earlie Fires | Chuck Werstler | Dixiana Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:23.00 | $23,225 | | |
| 1972 | List | 4 | Jimmy Nichols | Alcee Richard | Mrs. Joe (Dorothy Dorsett) Brown | 7 furlongs | 1:23.30 | $24,250 | | |
| 1971 | No No Billy | 4 | Don MacBeth | Stanley M. Rieser | Paul & Robert Schleicher | 7 furlongs | 1:23.20 | $23,600 | | |
| 1970 | True North | 4 | Mike Manganello | George T. Poole | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney | 7 furlongs | 1:22.60 | $17,000 | | |
| 1969 | Judge Kilday | 4 | David E. Whited | Ronnie Warren | Mr. & Mrs. Robert F. Roberts | 7 furlongs | 1:23.60 | $17,200 | | |
| 1968 | Cabildo | 5 | Jimmy Combest | Alcee Richard | Mrs. Joe (Dorothy Dorsett) Brown | 7 furlongs | 1:23.20 | $16,775 | | |
| 1967 | Bay Phantom | 5 | Earlie Fires | Lyle S. Whiting | Charles Viar | 7 furlongs | 1:22.00 | $17,575 | | |
| 1966 | Bay Phantom | 4 | Ronald J. Campbell | Robert E. Holthus | Charles Viar | 7 furlongs | 1:22.00 | $16,350 | | |
| 1965 | Little Lu | 4 | Mike Manganello | Virgil H. Jaycox | Virgil H. Jaycox | 7 furlongs | 1:22.40 | $14,000 | | |
| 1964 | Olden Times | 6 | Bill Shoemaker | Mesh Tenney | Rex Ellsworth | 7 furlongs | 1:21.40 | $11,500 | | |
| 1963 | Editorialist | 5 | Manuel Ycaza | S. Bryant Ott | Fourth Estate Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:22.40 | $11,275 | | |
| 1962 | Editorialist | 4 | Bill Shoemaker | S. Bryant Ott | Fourth Estate Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:22.60 | $11,550 | | |
| 1961 | Cactus Tom | 4 | Larney Hansman | Thomas H. Stevens Sr. | Natjolee Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:22.40 | $11,600 | | |
| 1960 | Little Fitz | 5 | William A. Peake | Robert C. Steele | John C. Hauer | 7 furlongs | 1:22.40 | $11,575 | | |
| 1959 | Cuvier Boy | 4 | Steve Brooks | Milton Rinke | Sydney I. Crew | 7 furlongs | 1:22.40 | $11,625 | | |
| 1958 | § Shan Pac | 4 | Johnny Heckman | Vester R. Wright | T. Alie Grissom | 7 furlongs | 1:22.00 | $11,650 | | |
| 1957 | Swoon's Son | 4 | David Erb | Alexis G. Wilson | E. Gay Drake | 7 furlongs | 1:24.60 | $12,000 | | |
| 1956 | Scrutinized | 6 | William M. Cook | Frank J. Baker | Buddah Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:25.40 | $12,350 | | |
| 1955 | Torch of War | 5 | John Adams | Harry Trotsek | Hasty House Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:11.20 | $11,650 | | |
| 1954 | § Sunny Dale | 6 | Paul Bailey | Dwight Denham | Buddah Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:11.00 | $12,475 | | |
| 1953 | Roaming | 4 | Jorge Contreras | Horatio Luro | Herman B. Delman | 6 furlongs | 1:10.60 | $11,675 | | |
| 1952 | ƒ Here's Hoping | 5 | Steve Brooks | Jack Hodgins | Dixiana Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:11.00 | $11,725 | | |
| 1951 | Johns Joy | 5 | William M. Cook | John A. Kinard Jr. | John A. Kinard Jr. | 7 furlongs | 1:22.80 | $12,025 | | |
| 1950 | Fleeting Star | 4 | Steve Brooks | Jack Hodgins | Dixiana Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:24.00 | $12,175 | | |
| 1949 | Free America | 4 | Steve Brooks | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:25.00 | $11,375 | | Exhibition Race |
| 1948 | George Gains | 5 | Antonio J. Fernandez | Keene Daingerfield | George R. Schneider | 7 furlongs | 1:25.20 | $12,125 | | |
| 1947 | Dark Jungle | 4 | Steve Brooks | John Milton Goode | Lucas B. Combs | 7 furlongs | 1:25.20 | $12,225 | | |
| 1946 | Bull Play | 4 | Robert J. Campbell | Lee Niles | Walter W. "Britches" Jones | 1 mile | 1:42.40 | $11,775 | | |
| 1945 | Equifox | 8 | Albert Bodiou | Howard J. Wells | Howard J. Wells | 1 mile | 1:40.00 | $5,750 | | |
| 1944 | ƒ Traffic Court | 6 | Willie Garner | Nick Burger | Mrs. M. E. Miller & Nick Burger | 1 mile | 1:36.80 | $5,870 | | |
| 1943 | Best Seller | 5 | Johnny Longden | Rollie T. Shepp | John W. Galbreath & Robert J. Dienst | 1 mile | 1:38.40 | $3,075 | | |
| 1942 | Royal Crusader | 5 | Arthur Craig | Paul Meredith | Rancho Casitas Stable | 1 mile | 1:37.40 | $3,145 | | |
| 1941 | My Bill | 3 | Conn McCreary | John T. Weaver | William E. Smith | 1 mile | 1:36.60 | $3,060 | | |
| 1940 | Arab's Arrow | 6 | Carroll Bierman | Gilbert Hardy | Louise Hickman | 1 mile | 1:39.80 | $3,160 | | |
| 1939 | Arab's Arrow | 5 | Carroll Bierman | Gilbert Hardy | Louise Hickman | 7 furlongs | 1:24.80 | $3,140 | | Dead heat |
| 1939 | Kings Blue | 4 | Charles Kurtsinger | Roscoe Goose | John Marsch | 7 furlongs | 1:24.80 | $3,140 | | Dead heat |
| 1938 | Arab's Arrow | 4 | Willie Lee Johnson | Gilbert Hardy | Louise Hickman | 7 furlongs | 1:26.80 | $3,020 | | |
| 1914–1937 | 1914–1937 | 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 |
| 1913 | Rudolfo | 4 | Johnny Loftus | William S. Trevey | Harry H. Emmons | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.80 | $1,000 | | |
| 1912 | Any Port | 4 | Joe Byrne | Frank D. Weir | Emerson E. McCargo | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.60 | $1,880 | | |
| 1911 | Carlton G. | 4 | George Taplin | Lon Johnson | Lon Johnson | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.80 | $2,500 | | |
Notes:
§ Ran as an entry
ƒ Filly or Mare
† In the 2002 running of the event Snow Ridge was first past the post but was disqualified due the rider Mike E. Smith accidentally striking D'wildcat's face with his whip as the runners approached the finishing post. D'wildcat was declared the winner.