# Forerunner Stakes

The Forerunner Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1950 through 2007 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Open to three-year-old horses, it was last contested on turf over a distance of one and one-eighth miles (9 furlongs).

## Historical notes

The Forerunner Stakes was contested at a distance of seven furlongs from its inception in 1950 through 1985. From 1986 through 1988 it was raced at 1 1/16 miles and from 1989 through 2007, at 1 1/8 miles. The event was raced as an overnight allowance from 1950 to 1985. It became a Listed race in 1986 before being upgraded to a Grade 3 event in 1988. In 1999, it returned to Listed status.
From 1996 thru its final running in 2007, the Forerunner offered a purse of $100,000. As recently as 2002, it was listed as an official Triple Crown Prep Race.
Your Host, owned by Hollywood film producer and studio executive William Goetz, won the 1950 inaugural Forerunner Purse. Ridden by future Hall of Fame inductee Johnny Longden, Your Host broke the Keeneland track record for seven furlongs on dirt with a time of 1:22 2/5. Retired to stud, Your Host most notably sired the legendary Kelso, a Hall of Fame inductee who won American Horse of the Year honors five straight times from 1960 thru 1964.
In 1959, Tomy Lee also won the race in another track record time of 1:21 3/5 for seven furlongs on dirt. Tomy Lee then won Keeneland's Blue Grass Stakes and the 1959 Kentucky Derby.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1:47 1/5 @ 1-1/8 miles (9 furlongs): Rough Opening (1996)
* 1:21 2/5 @ 7 furlongs: John Washington (1977)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 4 - Bill Shoemaker (1959, 1960, 1964, 1982)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 3 - Jimmy Jones (1956, 1957, 1958)
* 3 - Woody Stephens (1963, 1984, 1988)
Most wins by an owner:
* 4 - Cain Hoy Stable (1955, 1963, 1968, 1969)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Dist. (Miles) (Furlongs) | Time | Gr. |
| 2007 | Moudez | 3 | Cornelio Velasquez | William I. Mott | Zayat Stables | 1-1/8 m | 1:50.16 | L/R |
| 2006 | Up an Octave | 3 | John Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Vinery Stables | 1-1/8 m | 1:49.78 | L/R |
| 2005 | Gun Salute | 3 | Cornelio Velasquez | William I. Mott | Brant Laue | 1-1/8 m | 1:48.51 | L/R |
| 2004 | Prince Arch | 3 | Brice Blanc | Kenneth G. McPeek | Raymond H. Cottrell Sr. | 1-1/8 m | 1:48.64 | L/R |
| 2003 | Californian | 3 | Kent Desormeaux | Kristin Mulhall | The Thoroughbred Corp. | 1-1/8 m | 1:52.00 | L/R |
| 2002 | Red Masque | 3 | Jerry D. Bailey | Danny Hutt | Real Deal Racing | 1-1/8 m | 1:49.15 | L/R |
| 2001 | Kalu | 3 | Corey Nakatani | Christophe Clement | Bonnie Heath Farm & Robert Schaedle III | 1-1/8 m | 1:48.73 | L/R |
| 2000 | Gateman | 3 | Pat Day | W. Elliott Walden | Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds | 1-1/8 m | 1:48.39 | L/R |
| 1999 | Marquette | 3 | Jerry D. Bailey | Richard A. Violette Jr. | Marguerite Cavanaugh | 1-1/8 m | 1:48.60 | L/R |
| 1998 | Cryptic Rascal | 3 | Julie Krone | William Badgett Jr. | C. Landon Knight | 1-1/8 m | 1:49.60 | G3 |
| 1997 | Thesaurus | 3 | Craig Perret | Peter M. Vestal | Charles J. Cella | 1-1/8 m | 1:48.80 | G3 |
| 1996 | Rough Opening | 3 | Mike E. Smith | David G. Donk | Ryehill Farm (Jim & Eleanor Ryan) | 1-1/8 m | 1:47.20 | G3 |
| 1995 | Dixie Dynasty | 3 | Mike E. Smith | J. Bert Sonnier | W. Harley Stepp Jr. | 1-1/8 m | 1:51.20 | G3 |
| 1994 | Jaggery John | 3 | Dean W. Kutz | Peter M. Vestal | Thomas M. Carey | 1-1/8 m | 1:48.50 | G3 |
| 1993 | Explosive Red | 3 | Mark Larsen | Daniel J. Vella | Frank Stronach | 1-1/8 m | 1:51.46 | G3 |
| 1992 | Free At Last | 3 | Jerry D. Bailey | D. Wayne Lukas | Clover Racing Stable (Jeff Siegel & Barry Irwin) | 1-1/8 m | 1:49.60 | G3 |
| 1991 | Bewray | 3 | Corey Black | Joseph H. Pierce Jr. | Pin Oak Stable & Pastime Stable (G. Watts Humphrey Jr. et al.) | 1-1/8 m | 1:51.80 | G3 |
| 1990 | Izvestia | 3 | Randy Romero | Roger L. Attfield | Kinghaven Farms | 1-1/8 m | 1:50.20 | G3 |
| 1989 | Luge II | 3 | Jose A. Santos | Thomas J. Skiffington | Dogwood Stable | 1-1/8 m | 1:50.20 | G3 |
| 1988 | Posen | 3 | Don Brumfield | Woody Stephens | Kennelot Stable | 1-1/16 m | 1:43.00 | G3 |
| 1987 | Blue Finn | 3 | Dave Penna | James E. Day | Sam-Son Farm | 1-1/16 m | 1:46.20 | L/R |
| 1986 | Autobot | 3 | Earlie Fires | Joseph E. Broussard | Happy Valley Farm (Gary & Steve Wolfson) | 1-1/16 m | 1:48.60 | L/R |
| 1985 | Proudest Hour | 3 | Gerland Gallitano | Joseph M. Bollero | Rogers Red Top Farm (Walter Mullady) & Patrick J. Flavin | 7 f | 1:24.20 |
| 1984 | Devil's Bag | 3 | Eddie Maple | Woody Stephens | Hickory Tree Stable | 7 f | 1:23.60 |
| 1983 | Derby Double | 3 | Michael Moran | Darrell Adams | Golden Chance Farm | 7 f | 1:23.80 |
| 1982 | Linkage | 3 | Bill Shoemaker | Henry S. Clark | Christiana Stables | 7 f | 1:22.80 |
| 1981 | Classic Go Go | 3 | Anthony S. Black | Jerry C. Meyer | Verne H. Winchell | 7 f | 1:24.00 |
| 1980 | Lord Gallant | 3 | Don MacBeth | Lou M. Goldfine | Arthur I. Appleton | 7 f | 1:23.20 |
| 1979 | General Custer | 3 | Don Brumfield | Frank L. Brothers | Ben Erickson, et al. | 7 f | 1:22.40 |
| 1978 | Chabua | 3 | Daryl Montoya | James P. Conway | Edna T. Thieriot | 7 f | 1:23.80 |
| 1977 | John Washington | 3 | James McKnight | Thomas H. Stevens Sr. | Betsy S. May | 7 f | 1:21.40 |
| 1976 | Elocutionist | 3 | John L. Lively | Paul T. Adwell | Eugene C. Cashman | 7 f | 1:22.80 |
| 1975 | Honey Mark | 3 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Larry Robideaux Jr. | Mr. & Mrs. Robert F. Roberts | 7 f | 1:23.80 |
| 1974 | Aroyoport | 3 | Earlie Fires | Robert Cramer | August Muckler | 7 f | 1:23.40 |
| 1973 | Royal and Regal | 3 | Walter Blum | Warren A. Croll Jr. | Aisco Stable | 7 f | 1:23.80 |
| 1972 | Billy Rogell | 3 | Earl J. Knapp | Larry L. Fontenot | Charles T. & Perne L. Grissom | 7 f | 1:24.80 |
| 1971 | Going Straight | 3 | Oswaldo Torres | Elwood McCann | Don Ball | 7 f | 1:23.00 |
| 1970 | Supreme Quality | 3 | Dave Kassen | Loyd Gentry Jr. | Walter Kitchen | 7 f | 1:23.00 |
| 1969 | Ack Ack | 3 | Manuel Ycaza | Frank A. Bonsal | Cain Hoy Stable | 7 f | 1:22.80 |
| 1968 | Captain's Gig | 3 | Manuel Ycaza | William W. Stephens | Cain Hoy Stable | 7 f | 1:22.20 |
| 1967 | Racing Room | 3 | Kenny Knapp | Fred Watkins | Llangollen Farm | 7 f | 1:22.40 |
| 1966 | He Jr. | 3 | Ronald J. Campbell | Dick Posey | Everett Lowrance | 7 f | 1:22.40 |
| 1965 | Bugler | 3 | Don Brumfield | James P. Conway | Darby Dan Farm | 7 f | 1:24.40 |
| 1964 | Hill Rise | 3 | Bill Shoemaker | William B. Finnegan | El Peco Ranch | 7 f | 1:22.80 |
| 1963 | Never Bend | 3 | Manuel Ycaza | Woody Stephens | Cain Hoy Stable | 7 f | 1:22.80 |
| 1962 | Roman Line | 3 | James Combest | Vester R. Wright | T. Alie Grissom | 7 f | 1:21.80 |
| 1961 | Four-and-Twenty | 3 | Henry E. Moreno | Vance Longden | Alberta Ranches Ltd. | 7 f | 1:23.00 |
| 1960 | Tompion | 3 | Bill Shoemaker | Robert L. Wheeler | C. V. Whitney | 7 f | 1:21.80 |
| 1959 | Tomy Lee | 3 | Bill Shoemaker | Frank E. Childs | Fred W. & Juliette M. Turner Jr. | 7 f | 1:21.60 |
| 1958 | Tim Tam | 3 | Bill Hartack | Jimmy Jones | Calumet Farm | 7 f | 1:22.20 |
| 1957 | Iron Liege | 3 | Dave Erb | Jimmy Jones | Calumet Farm | 7 f | 1:22.40 |
| 1956 | Fabius | 3 | John Heckmann | Jimmy Jones | Calumet Farm | 7 f | 1:22.80 |
| 1955 | Racing Fool | 3 | John H. Adams | Loyd Gentry Jr. | Cain Hoy Stable | 7 f | 1:23.60 |
| 1954 | Timely Tip | 3 | Howard Craig | Reid Armstrong | Dr. A. L. Birch | 7 f | 1:23.80 |
| 1953 | Correspondent | 3 | Eddie Arcaro | Wally Dunn | Mrs. Gordon Guiberson | 7 f | 1:23.00 |
| 1952 | Cold Command | 3 | Gerald Porch | Sylvester E. Veitch | C. V. Whitney | 7 f | 1:24.00 |
| 1951 | Ruhe | 3 | Job Dean Jessop | Robert V. McGarvey | Jean Denemark | 7 f | 1:24.60 |
| 1950 | Your Host | 3 | Johnny Longden | Harry L. Daniels | William Goetz | 7 f | 1:22.40 |