# Maryland Sprint Stakes

The Maryland Sprint Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance of six furlongs run annually in mid May on Preakness Stakes day at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

## History

The inaugural running of the event was on 13 June 1987 as the Maryland Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap at Laurel Park Racecourse over a distance of seven furlongs. Between 1987 and 2006, the Breeders' Cup sponsored the event while Budweiser sponsored the event from 1987 to 1995 which reflected in the name of the event.
Since its second running, the race has been run on the Preakness Stakes undercard at Pimlico racetrack over a distance of six furlongs.
The race was first awarded graded status by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association in 1994.
The event was changed to the Maryland Sprint Stakes in 2017 when the conditions of the race were modified to be stakes with allowance weight conditions.
The event was the lead off leg of the Mid Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Sprint Dirt Division or MATCh Races, a series of five races in five separate thoroughbred divisions run throughout four Mid-Atlantic States.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States the Preakness Carnival was moved to October and the event was not scheduled.

## Records

Speed record:
* 6 furlongs – 1:09.07 - Forest Wildcat (1996)
Margins:
* 7+3⁄4 lengths – Snow Ridge (2002)
Most wins:
* No horse has won this race more than once.
Most wins by a jockey:
* 3 - Jerry Bailey (1993, 1998, 1999)
* 3 - Edgar Prado (1994, 2005, 2008)
* 3 - Ricardo Santana Jr. (2017, 2018, 2019)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 - D. Wayne Lukas (1995, 1999, 2002, 2012)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 - Overbrook Farm (1995, 2002)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| At Pimlico – Maryland Sprint Stakes |||||||||||
| 2022 | Jaxon Traveler | 4 | Joel Rosario | Steven M. Asmussen | West Point Thoroughbreds & Marvin Delfiner | 6 furlongs | 1:09.70 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2021 | Special Reserve | 5 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Michael J. Maker | Paradise Farms & David Staudacher | 6 furlongs | 1:08.91 | $142,500 | III | |
| 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 | New York Central | 4 | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen | Winstar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing | 6 furlongs | 1:08.74 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2018 | Switzerland | 4 | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen | Woodford Racing | 6 furlongs | 1:09.43 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2017 | Whitmore | 4 | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Ron Moquett | Robert V. LaPenta, Southern Springs Stables & Head of Plains Partners | 6 furlongs | 1:09.90 | $150,000 | III | |
| Maryland Sprint Handicap |||||||||||
| 2016 | Always Sunshine | 4 | Frankie Pennington | Edward T. Allard | Stonehedge | 6 furlongs | 1:10.49 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2015 | Sandbar | 4 | Joel Rosario | Joe Sharp | Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey | 6 furlongs | 1:09.81 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2014 | Happy My Way | 4 | Joe Bravo | Joe Orseno | Sagamore Farm & Mel Paikoff | 6 furlongs | 1:09.21 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2013 | Sage Valley | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Rudy R. Rodriguez | Michael Dubb | 6 furlongs | 1:10.51 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2012 | Hamazing Destiny | 6 | Corey Nakatani | D. Wayne Lukas | Westrock Stables & Barry Butzow | 6 furlongs | 1:10.48 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2011 | Ventana | 5 | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | 6 furlongs | 1:09.88 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2010 | Taqarub | 4 | Eibar Coa | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Shadwell Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:10.02 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2009 | Ravalo | 5 | John R. Velazquez | Donald H. Barr | Lindy M. Redding | 6 furlongs | 1:09.95 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2008 | Starforaday | 5 | Edgar S. Prado | Gary C. Contessa | Winning Move Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:09.80 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2007 | Diabolical | 4 | Mario G. Pino | Steve Klesaris | Jeff Puglisi & Steve Klesaris | 6 furlongs | 1:09.16 | $198,500 | III | |
| Maryland Breeders' Cup Sprint Handicap |||||||||||
| 2006 | Friendly Island | 5 | Garrett K. Gomez | Todd A. Pletcher | Anstu Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:09.94 | $190,000 | III | |
| Maryland Breeders' Cup Handicap |||||||||||
| 2005 | Willy o'the Valley | 4 | Edgar S. Prado | Richard E. Dutrow Jr. | IEAH Stables | 6 furlongs | 1:09.95 | $189,000 | III | |
| 2004 | Gators N Bears | 4 | Charles C. Lopez | Leo S. Nechamkin II | Leo S. Nechamkin II | 6 furlongs | 1:10.84 | $186,000 | III | |
| 2003 | § Pioneer Boy | 5 | Jeremy Rose | John J. Robb | Michael J. Gill | 6 furlongs | 1:10.35 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2002 | Snow Ridge | 4 | Mike E. Smith | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:10.06 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2001 | Disco Rico | 4 | Harry Vega | Valora A. Testerman | Alfred DiRico | 6 furlongs | 1:10.40 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2000 | Dr. Max | 4 | Shane Sellers | Gloria M. Wenderoth | Martin B. Bernstein & Rufus Freeman | 6 furlongs | 1:10.91 | $137,000 | III | |
| 1999 | Yes It's True | 3 | Jerry D. Bailey | D. Wayne Lukas | Padua Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:09.20 | $194,000 | III | |
| 1998 | Richter Scale | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | William I. Mott | Nancy R. and Richard S. Kaster | 6 furlongs | 1:09.45 | $200,000 | III | |
| 1997 | Cat Be Nimble | 5 | Joseph Rocco | Timothy F. Ritchey | Candy Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:10.12 | $209,600 | III | |
| 1996 | § Forest Wildcat | 5 | Joe Bravo | Ben W. Perkins Sr. | New Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:09.07 | $216,200 | III | |
| Maryland Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap |||||||||||
| 1995 | Commanche Trail | 4 | Mike E. Smith | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:09.35 | $154,750 | III | |
| 1994 | Secret Odds | 4 | Edgar S. Prado | Lawrence E. Murray | Sondra D. Bender | 6 furlongs | 1:10.38 | $156,025 | III | |
| 1993 | Senor Speedy | 6 | Jerry D. Bailey | Alfredo Callejas | Robert Perez | 6 furlongs | 1:09.69 | $155,650 | Listed | |
| 1992 | Potentiality | 6 | Pat Day | Robert E. Holthus | Dan Jones & Halford E. Sutton | 6 furlongs | 1:10.25 | $155,500 | Listed | |
| 1991 | Jeweler's Choice | 6 | Chris McCarron | John W. Hicks III | Fourbros Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:10.38 | $154,350 | Listed | |
| 1990 | Norquestor | 4 | Craig Perret | Sonny Hine | Scott C. Savin | 6 furlongs | 1:09.40 | $155,900 | | |
| 1989 | King's Nest | 5 | Joseph Rocco | Lawrence E. Murray | Sondra D. Bender | 6 furlongs | 1:09.60 | $127,650 | | |
| 1988 | Fire Plug | 5 | Josiah F. Hampshire Jr. | Eddie Gaudet | Arthur I. Appleton | 6 furlongs | 1:10.60 | $84,800 | | |
| At Laurel Park |||||||||||
| 1987 | Purple Mountain | 5 | Eliezer Ortiz Jr. | Woodrow M. Sedlacek | Jacques D. Wimpfheimer | 7 furlongs | 1:24.40 | $144,000 | | |
Notes:
§ Ran as an entry