# Kentucky Turf Cup

The Kentucky Turf Cup is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older, over a distance of 1+1⁄2 miles on the turf, held annually in September at Kentucky Downs racetrack in Franklin, Kentucky, during their short turf meeting. The event currently carries a purse of $2,000,000, which includes $1,000,000 from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.

## History

The event was inaugurated on 22 April 1990 as the Sam Houston Stakes on the first ever meeting at the new track, then the Duelling Grounds Racecourse. The race was in honor of Sam Houston, who took part in a duel on the site of where the racetrack is located near the border of Kentucky and Tennessee. The following year, the event was renamed the Sam Houston Handicap, and conditions were changed to a handicap.
In 1996 and 1997, the event was not held because the track was shut down and in bankruptcy proceedings.
When the track reopened in 1998, the race was renamed the Kentucky Cup Turf Handicap as part of the Kentucky Cup Turf Festival. In 2001, the event was classified as a Grade III.
In 2019, the purse was increased to $1,000,000.
In 2021, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association upgraded the event to a Grade II. For the 2021 running, Kentucky Downs renamed the event The Calumet Turf Cup, which Calumet Farm sponsors. The event winner, Imperador, set a new track record for the distance of 2:25.70.

## Records
### Speed record

* 1+1⁄2 miles: 2:24.93 – Grand Sonata (2024) (new track record)

### Margins

* 6+3⁄4 lengths – Silverfoot (2005)

### Most wins

* 2 – Rochester (2002, 2003)
* 2 – Da Big Hoss (2015, 2016)
* 2 – Arklow (2018, 2020)

### Most wins by an owner

* 2 – Augustin Stable (2002, 2003)
* 2 – Robert E. Courtney Jr. (2011, 2012)
* 2 – Skychia Racing (2015, 2016)
* 2 – Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger & Peter Coneway (2018, 2020)

### Most wins by a jockey

* 4 – Florent Geroux (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020)

### Most wins by a trainer

* 5 – Michael J. Maker (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| Kentucky Turf Cup |||||||||||
| 2024 | Grand Sonata | 5 | Tyler Gaffalione | Todd A. Pletcher | Whisper Hill Farm | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:24.93 | $1,995,000 | II | |
| 2023 | Get Smokin | 6 | Fernando De La Cruz | Mark E. Casse | Ironhorse Racing Stable, BlackRidge Stables, T-N-T Equine Holdings & Saratoga Seven Racing Partners | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:28.66 | $1,675,429 | II | |
| 2022 | Red Knight | 8 | Gerardo Corrales | Michael J. Maker | Trinity Farm | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:26.96 | $694,180 | II | |
| Calumet Turf Cup |||||||||||
| 2021 | Imperador (ARG) | 5 | Joseph Talamo | Paulo Lobo | Bonne Chance Farm and Stud R D I | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:25.10 | $715,105 | II | |
| Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes |||||||||||
| 2020 | Arklow | 6 | Florent Geroux | Brad H. Cox | Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger & Peter Coneway | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:28.66 | $910,000 | III | |
| 2019 | Zulu Alpha | 6 | Jose L. Ortiz | Michael J. Maker | Michael M. Hui | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:28.62 | $986,500 | III | |
| 2018 | Arklow | 4 | Florent Geroux | Brad H. Cox | Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger & Peter Coneway | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:30.56 | $746,500 | III | |
| 2017 | Oscar Nominated | 4 | Julien R. Leparoux | Michael J. Maker | Ken & Sarah Ramsey | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:31.37 | $594,000 | III | |
| 2016 | Da Big Hoss | 5 | Florent Geroux | Michael J. Maker | Skychai Racing (Harvey Diamond & Jim Shircliff) | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:35.08 | $594,180 | III | |
| 2015 | Da Big Hoss | 4 | Joseph Rocco Jr. | Michael J. Maker | Skychai Racing (Harvey Diamond & Jim Shircliff) | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:33.40 | $600,000 | III | |
| 2014 | Suntracer | 6 | Florent Geroux | Chris M. Block | Team Block | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:27.12 | $347,400 | III | |
| 2013 | Temeraine | 4 | Gary L. Stevens | Thomas F. Proctor | Niall Racing (Timothy B. & Patrick F. Turney) | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:29.18 | $399,000 | III | |
| 2012 | Ioya Bigtime | 8 | Jeffrey Sanchez | Chris M. Block | Robert E. Courtney Jr. | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:30.06 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2011 | Rahystrada | 7 | Greta Kuntzweiler | Byron G. Hughes | Robert E. Courtney Jr. | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:32.40 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2010 | Rezif | 5 | Greta Kuntzweiler | Matthew Jacobson | Donald Sexton, Matthew Jacobson & Thomas Baughman | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:44.74 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2009 | Cloudy's Knight | 9 | Rosemary Homeister Jr. | Jonathan E. Sheppard | S J Stables (Shirley & Jerrold Schwartz) | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:33.96 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2008 | Rumor Has It | 7 | Eduardo E. Perez | David H. Hinsley | William S. Patterson & James F. Glenn | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:28.27 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2007 | General Jumbo (GB) | 5 | Jeremy Rose | H. Graham Motion | Thomas Conway | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:26.98 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2006 | Embossed (IRE) | 4 | Larry Melancon | Niall M. O'Callaghan | Gary A. Tanaka | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:36.92 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2005 | Silverfoot | 5 | Rafael Bejarano | Dallas Stewart | Chrysalis Stables (Stephanie S. Clark) | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:30.30 | $200,000 | III | |
| Kentucky Turf Cup Handicap |||||||||||
| 2004 | Sabiango (GER) | 6 | Brice Blanc | Tim Yakteen | Monty Roberts | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:33.70 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2003 | † Rochester | 7 | Eddie Martin Jr. | Jonathan E. Sheppard | Augustin Stable | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:31.39 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2002 | Rochester | 6 | Eddie Martin Jr. | Jonathan E. Sheppard | Augustin Stable | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:38.28 | $300,000 | III | |
| 2001 | Chorwon | 8 | Jon Court | Hal R. Wiggins | Phoebe Ann Mueller | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:28.68 | $300,000 | III | |
| 2000 | Down the Aisle | 7 | Robby Albarado | William I. Mott | Charles H. Deters | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:27.70 | $300,000 | Listed | |
| 1999 | Fahris (IRE) | 5 | Shane Sellers | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Shadwell Stable | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:29.60 | $300,000 | Listed | |
| 1998 | Yaqthan (IRE) | 8 | Brian Dale Peck | Anthony L. Reinstedler | Merdonmar Stable (Sheikh Abdullah Majid Al Qasin) | 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:27.60 | $300,000 | Listed | |
| 1996–1997 | 1996–1997 | 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 |
| Sam Houston Handicap |||||||||||
| 1995 | Lassigny | 4 | Pat Day | William I. Mott | Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer | abt. 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:30.60 | $250,000 | Listed | |
| 1994 | Lindon Lime | 4 | Shane Sellers | W. Elliott Walden | Frank ManseII | abt. 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:31.40 | $300,000 | Listed | |
| 1993 | Know Heights (IRE) | 4 | Kent Desormeaux | Robert B. Hess Jr. | Mike H. Sloan, et al. | abt. 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:25.60 | $300,000 | Listed | |
| 1992 | Drummer Boy | 4 | Garrett Gomez | Dennis W. Ebert | Elise M. Ebert & Eleanore Cohen | abt. 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:28.40 | $300,000 | Listed | |
| 1991 | Silver Medallion | 5 | Craig Perret | Philip M. Hauswald | John A. Franks | abt. 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:31.30 | $200,000 | Listed | |
| 1990 | Slow Fuse | 6 | Randy P. Romero | J. Bert Sonnier | Saron Stable | abt. 1+1⁄2 miles | 2:33.60 | $250,000 | | |
Notes:
† In the 2003 running, Art Variety was first past the post but was disqualified for interference in the straight and placed third. Rochester was declared the winner.