# Sword Dancer Stakes

The Sword Dancer Stakes is an American race for thoroughbred horses, aged three and up, run annually in mid August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. A prep for the Breeders' Cup Turf, it is set at a distance of one and one-half miles (12 furlongs) on the turf. A Grade I event, the race currently offers a purse of $1,000,000.
The Sword Dancer is named for the best three-year-old colt or gelding of 1959, best three-year-old, best handicap horse, and the American Horse of the Year. Sword Dancer was elected to the United States Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York in 1977.
The event was inaugurated at Aqueduct Racetrack in 1975 as a six furlong sprint on dirt for three-year-old horses. Beginning in 1977, it was hosted by Belmont Park then in 1992 was moved to the Saratoga Race Course. Since inception, the Sword Dancer has been contested at various distances:
* 6 furlongs : 1975–1976 (on dirt)
* 8.5 furlongs (1+1⁄16 miles) : 1977–1979
* 12 furlongs (1+1⁄2 miles) : 1980–present (on turf)
The race was run as an Invitational Handicap from 1994 to 2014.
In 2000, nine-year-old John's Call became the oldest horse to win this race.

## Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 1+1⁄2 miles)
* 2:23.20 – Awad (1997)
Most wins:
* 2 – Majesty's Prince (1983, 1984)
* 2 – El Senor (1989, 1990)
* 2 – With Anticipation (2001, 2002)
* 2 – Grand Couturier (2007, 2008)
* 2 – Telling (2009, 2010)
* 2 – Flintshire (2015, 2016)
* 2 – Gufo (2021, 2022)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – John DeWitt Marsh (1983, 1984)
* 2 – Augustin Stable (2001, 2002)
* 2 – Marc Keller (2007, 2008)
* 2 – Alex & JoAnn Lieblong (2009, 2010)
* 2 – Juddmonte Farms (2015, 2016)
* 2 – Otter Bend Stables (2021, 2022)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 4 – Pat Day (1987, 1997, 2001, 2002)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 5 – Christophe Clement (1999, 2011, 2021, 2022, 2024)

## Winners of the Sword Dancer since 1975

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance (Miles) | Time | Grade |
| 2024 | Far Bridge | 4 | Joel Rosario | Christophe Clement | LSU Stables | 1-1/2 | 2:29.51 | I |
| 2023 | Bolshoi Ballet (IRE) | 5 | John R. Velazquez | Aidan O'Brien | Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor & Derrick Smith | 1-1/2 | 2:29.29 | I |
| 2022 | Gufo | 5 | Joel Rosario | Christophe Clement | Otter Bend Stables | 1-1/2 | 2:28.92 | I |
| 2021 | Gufo | 4 | Joel Rosario | Christophe Clement | Otter Bend Stables | 1-1/2 | 2.28.30 | I |
| 2020 | Channel Maker | 6 | Manuel Franco | William Mott | Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber Et Al | 1-1/2 | 2:34.86 | I |
| 2019 | Annals of Time | 6 | Javier Castellano | Chad C. Brown | Klaravich Stables, Inc. & William H. Lawrence | 1-1/2 | 2:27.50 | I |
| 2018 | Glorious Empire | 7 | Julien Leparoux | James L. Lawrence, II | Matthew Schera | 1-1/2 | 2:24.41 | I |
| 2017 | Sadler's Joy | 4 | Julien Leparoux | Thomas Albertrani | Woodslane Farm | 1-1/2 | 2:24.58 | I |
| 2016 | Flintshire (GB) | 6 | Javier Castellano | Chad C. Brown | Juddmonte Farms | 1-1/2 | 2:23.45 | I |
| 2015 | Flintshire (GB) | 5 | Vincent Cheminaud | André Fabre | Juddmonte Farms | 1-1/2 | 2:23.77 | I |
| 2014 | Main Sequence | 5 | Rajiv Maragh | H. Graham Motion | Flaxman Holdings | 1-1/2 | 2:24.72 | I |
| 2013 | Big Blue Kitten | 5 | Joe Bravo | Chad C. Brown | Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey | 1-1/2 | 2:26.46 | I |
| 2012 | Point of Entry | 4 | John Velazquez | Claude R. McGaughey III | Phipps Stable | 1-1/2 | 2:26.40 | I |
| 2011 | Winchester | 6 | Cornelio Velásquez | Christophe Clement | Mr. & Mrs. Bertram Firestone | 1-1/2 | 2:26.74 | I |
| 2010 | Telling | 6 | Garrett Gomez | Steve Hobby | Alex & JoAnn Lieblong | 1-1/2 | 2:25.29 | I |
| 2009 | Telling | 5 | Javier Castellano | Steve Hobby | Alex & JoAnn Lieblong | 1-1/2 | 2:25.43 | I |
| 2008 | Grand Couturier | 5 | Alan Garcia | Robert Ribaudo | Marc Keller | 1-1/2 | 2:32.21 | I |
| 2007 | Grand Couturier | 4 | Calvin Borel | Robert Ribaudo | Marc Keller | 1-1/2 | 2:26.59 | I |
| 2006 | Go Deputy | 6 | Eibar Coa | Todd Pletcher | Wertheimer et Frère | 1-1/2 | 2:26.78 | I |
| 2005 | King's Drama | 5 | Jorge Chavez | Robert J. Frankel | Gary A. Tanaka | 1-1/2 | 2:27.38 | I |
| 2004 | Better Talk Now | 5 | Ramon Domínguez | H. Graham Motion | Bushwood Stables | 1-1/2 | 2:28.49 | I |
| 2003 | Whitmore's Conn | 5 | Jean-Luc Samyn | Randy Schulhofer | Michael & Lynn Shanley | 1-1/2 | 2:28.14 | I |
| 2002 | With Anticipation | 7 | Pat Day | Jonathan Sheppard | Augustin Stable | 1-1/2 | 2:24.06 | I |
| 2001 | With Anticipation | 6 | Pat Day | Jonathan Sheppard | Augustin Stable | 1-1/2 | 2:26.41 | I |
| 2000 | John's Call | 9 | Jean-Luc Samyn | Thomas H. Voss | Trillium Stable | 1-1/2 | 2:32.17 | I |
| 1999 | Honor Glide | 5 | José A. Santos | Christophe Clement | Robert G. Schaedle | 1-1/2 | 2:28.23 | I |
| 1998 | Cetewayo | 4 | John Velazquez | Michael Dickinson | John A. Chandler | 1-1/2 | 2:29.56 | I |
| 1997 | Awad | 7 | Pat Day | David G. Donk | Ryehill Farm | 1-1/2 | 2:23.20 | I |
| 1996 | Broadway Flyer | 5 | Mike E. Smith | William I. Mott | Sultan & Bienstock | 1-1/2 | 2:32.08 | I |
| 1995 | Kiri's Clown | 6 | Mike Luzzi | Philip G. Johnson | Cobble View Stable | 1-1/2 | 2:25.08 | I |
| 1994 | Alex The Great | 5 | Pat Valenzuela | Rodney Rash | Vistas Stables | 1-1/2 | 2:28.66 | I |
| 1993 | Spectacular Tide | 4 | Julie Krone | Stanley M. Hough | Royal Lines Stable | 1-1/2 | 2:30.39 | I |
| 1992 | Fraise | 4 | Jerry Bailey | William I. Mott | Madeleine Paulson | 1-1/2 | 2:25.88 | I |
| 1991 | Dr. Root | 4 | Jean-Luc Samyn | Vincent L. Blengs | Barry K. Schwartz | 1-1/2 | 2:25.43 | I |
| 1990 | El Senor | 6 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | William W. Wright | William W. Wright | 1-1/2 | 2:28.00 | I |
| 1989 | El Senor | 5 | Herb McCauley | William W. Wright | Frances W. Luro | 1-1/2 | 2:27.00 | I |
| 1988 | Anka Germania | 6 | Craig Perret | Tom Skiffington | Fernwood Stable | 1-1/2 | 2:32.20 | I |
| 1987 | Theatrical | 5 | Pat Day | William I. Mott | Bertram R. Firestone | 1-1/2 | 2:26.00 | I |
| 1986 | Southern Sultan | 5 | Robbie Davis | Ross Pearce | Buckland Farm | 1-1/2 | 2:39.60 | I |
| 1985 | Tri For Size | 4 | Robert Thibeau Jr. | Michael Sedlacek | Rory Green Stable | 1-1/2 | 2:33.20 | I |
| 1984 | Majesty's Prince | 5 | Eddie Maple | Joseph B. Cantey | John DeWitt Marsh | 1-1/2 | 2:31.00 | I |
| 1983 | Majesty's Prince | 4 | Eddie Maple | Joseph B. Cantey | John DeWitt Marsh | 1-1/2 | 2:34.40 | II |
| 1982 | Lemhi Gold | 4 | Chris McCarron | Lazaro S. Barrera | Aaron U. Jones | 1-1/2 | 2:26.00 | II |
| 1981 | John Henry | 6 | Bill Shoemaker | Lefty Nickerson | Dotsam Stable | 1-1/2 | 2:26.80 | III |
| 1980 | Tiller | 6 | Ruben Hernandez | David A. Whiteley | William Haggin Perry | 1-1/2 | 2:25.20 | |
| 1979 | Darby Creek Road | 4 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Howard M. Tesher | H. Joseph Allen | 1-1/16 | 1:41.60 | |
| 1978 | True Colors | 4 | Michael Venezia | Willard C. Freeman | Robert Billips | 1-1/16 | 1:41.00 | |
| 1977 | Effervescing | 4 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | John W. Russell | Ogden Phipps | 1-1/16 | 1:39.60 | |
| 1976 | Arabian Law | 3 | Jacinto Vásquez | David A. Whiteley | Lazy F Ranch | 6 fur. | 1:10.60 | |
| 1975 | Gallant Bob | 3 | Gerard Gallitano | Joseph Marquette | Robert Horton | 6 fur. | 1:09.60 | |
* In 1987, Theatrical was awarded first place following the disqualification of Dance of Life.