# Fleur de Lis Stakes

The Fleur de Lis Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age three and older over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles on the dirt run annually in late-June or early-July at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

## History

The event was inaugurated on 31 May 1975 as the Fleur de Lis Handicap and was won by the favorite Bundler defeating four other runners on a sloppy track in the time of 1:392⁄5 over the mile distance. The event was held over the same distance for one more year before being extended to 1+1⁄16 miles.
The event is named after the English translation for the French "fleur-de-lis", a flower of the lily. The lily is the symbol of the Louisville flag, the location where the event is held. The lily has traditionally been used to represent French royalty and Louisville, named for the French king Louis XVI.
In 1983 the distance for the event was increased to 1+1⁄8 miles.
The event's condition from 1983–85 and 1987–89 was for four-year-olds & older.
The event was upgraded to Grade III in 1988 and again to Grade II in 2002.
Since 2015 the event has been a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You’re In" for the Distaff Division.
The event has gained status over the recent years and has attracted some fine horses including the 2009 US Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra who easily won the race as a short favorite by the near stakes record of 10+1⁄2 lengths.
In 2023 the event was moved to Ellis Park after Churchill Downs closed their spring meeting earlier due to a spate of injuries.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1+1⁄8 miles: 1:48.26 – Heritage of Gold (2000)

### Margins

* 11 lengths – Lt. Lao (1988)

### Most wins

* 2 – Likely Exchange (1978, 1980)

### Most wins by a jockey

* 3 – Shane Sellers (1995, 1998, 2000)
* 3 – Calvin H. Borel (1997, 2009, 2010)
* 3 – José Ortiz (2018, 2019, 2021)
* 3 – Joel Rosario (2013, 2017, 2023)

### Most wins by a trainer

* 5 – William I. Mott (1984, 1998, 2012, 2019, 2024)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| At Churchill Downs – Fleur de Lis Stakes |||||||||||
| 2024 | Scylla | 4 | Javier Castellano | William I. Mott | Juddmonte Farms | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.45 | $499,000 | II | |
| At Ellis Park |||||||||||
| 2023 | Pauline's Pearl | 5 | Joel Rosario | Steven M. Asmussen | Stonestreet Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.59 | $367,000 | II | |
| At Churchill Downs |||||||||||
| 2022 | Shedaresthedevil | 5 | Florent Geroux | Brad H. Cox | Whisper Hill Farm, Qatar Racing & Flurry Racing Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.17 | $345,000 | II | |
| 2021 | Letruska | 5 | Jose L. Ortiz | Fausto Gutierrez | St George Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.57 | $300,000 | II | |
| 2020 | Midnight Bisou | 5 | Mike E. Smith | Steven M. Asmussen | Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables & Allen Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.99 | $200,000 | II | |
| Fleur de Lis Handicap |||||||||||
| 2019 | Elate | 5 | José L. Ortiz | William I. Mott | Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50:33 | $250,000 | II | |
| 2018 | Blue Prize (ARG) | 5 | José L. Ortiz | Ignacio Correas IV | Merriebelle Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50:02 | $200,000 | II | |
| 2017 | Forever Unbridled | 5 | Joel Rosario | Dallas Stewart | Charles E. Fipke | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.94 | $200,000 | II | |
| 2016 | Paid Up Subscriber | 4 | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Albert Stall Jr. | Klaravitch Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.44 | $200,000 | II | |
| 2015 | Frivolous | 5 | Jon Court | Victoria H. Oliver | G. Watts Humphrey Jr. | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.22 | $200,000 | II | |
| 2014 | Molly Morgan | 5 | Corey J. Lanerie | Dale L. Romans | William D. Cubbedge | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.11 | $216,200 | II | |
| 2013 | Funny Proposition | 4 | Joel Rosario | Mark E. Casse | John C. Oxley | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.22 | $186,375 | II | |
| 2012 | Royal Delta | 4 | Mike E. Smith | William I. Mott | Besilu Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.49 | $161,700 | II | |
| 2011 | 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 |
| 2010 | Rachel Alexandra | 4 | Calvin H. Borel | Steven M. Asmussen | Jess Jackson | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.87 | $214,000 | II | |
| 2009 | Miss Isella | 4 | Calvin H. Borel | Ian R. Wilkes | Domino Stud | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.59 | $221,600 | II | |
| 2008 | Hystericalady | 5 | Garrett K. Gomez | Jerry Hollendorfer | Rancho San Miguel, Tom Clark, George Todaro & Jerry Hollendorfer | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.88 | $321,900 | II | |
| 2007 | Indian Vale | 5 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Melnyk Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.12 | $327,600 | II | |
| 2006 | Happy Ticket | 5 | Julien R. Leparoux | Andrew Leggio Jr. | Stewart Madison | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.23 | $321,900 | II | |
| 2005 | Two Trail Sioux | 4 | Pat Day | Wallace Dollase | Don Winton & John D. Gunther | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.53 | $330,000 | II | |
| 2004 | Adoration | 5 | Victor Espinoza | David E. Hofmans | Amerman Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.15 | $439,200 | II | |
| 2003 | You | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | Robert J. Frankel | Edmund A. Gann | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.12 | $327,900 | II | |
| 2002 | Spain | 5 | Jorge F. Chavez | D. Wayne Lukas | The Thoroughbred Corp. | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.64 | $329,400 | II | |
| 2001 | Saudi Poetry | 4 | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | The Thoroughbred Corp. | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.27 | $333,000 | III | |
| 2000 | Heritage of Gold | 5 | Shane Sellers | Thomas M. Amoss | Jack Garey | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.26 | $324,600 | III | |
| 1999 | Banshee Breeze | 4 | Robby Albarado | Carl A. Nafzger | Jayeff B. Stable & James B. Tafel | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.02 | $309,333 | III | |
| 1998 | Escena | 5 | Shane Sellers | William I. Mott | Allen E. Paulson | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.19 | $321,000 | III | |
| 1997 | Gold n Delicious | 4 | Calvin H. Borel | Bobby C. Barnett | John A. Franks | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.87 | $168,900 | III | |
| 1996 | Serena's Song | 4 | Gary L. Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | Robert & Beverly Lewis | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.30 | $168,450 | III | |
| 1995 | Fit to Lead | 5 | Shane Sellers | Richard E. Mandella | Jim Colbert, Randall D. Hubbard, Connie Sczesney | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.59 | $164,700 | III | |
| 1994 | Trishyde | 5 | Chris McCarron | Jules Vogel | B. Wayne Hughes | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.34 | $165,100 | III | |
| 1993 | Quilma (CHI) | 6 | Randy Romero | Claude R. McGaughey III | Tri-Honors Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.80 | $109,600 | III | |
| 1992 | Bungalow | 5 | Francisco C. Torres | Harvey L. Vanier | Nancy A. Vanier | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.87 | $115,100 | III | |
| 1991 | Maskra's Lady | 4 | Joe M. Johnson | Gary G. Hartlage | Max Wilson, Freireich & Greene | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.46 | $113,100 | III | |
| 1990 | A Penny Is a Penny | 5 | Aaron Gryder | Steven L. Morguelan | David Levitch | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.20 | $109,200 | III | |
| 1989 | Stoneleigh's Hope | 4 | Joseph Deegan | Michael H. Bell | Lockhart Spears | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.60 | $109,900 | III | |
| 1988 | Lt. Lao | 4 | Don Brumfield | James M. Eakins | Robert Keller | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.60 | $115,150 | III | |
| 1987 | Infinidad (CHI) | 5 | Mickey Solomone | Dewey Smith | Arthur Hancock III | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.60 | $103,100 | | |
| 1986 | Queen Alexandra | 4 | Don Brumfield | George M. Baker | Mrs. Morton Rosenthal | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.20 | $101,250 | | |
| 1985 | Straight Edition | 5 | Charles R. Woods Jr. | Michael B. Ball | Donamire Farm (Don & Mira Ball) | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.80 | $55,550 | | |
| 1984 | Heatherten | 5 | Sam Maple | William I. Mott | John A. Franks | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.40 | $54,205 | | |
| 1983 | Try Something New | 4 | Pat Day | Claude R. McGaughey III | John A. Bell III | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.60 | $54,350 | | |
| 1982 | Classic Ambition | 4 | William Gavidia | Claude R. McGaughey III | Latour Farms | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.80 | $57,950 | | |
| 1981 | Forever Cordial | 4 | Darrell Haire | John T. Ward Jr. | John C. Oxley | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.40 | $35,700 | | |
| 1980 | Likely Exchange | 6 | Mark S. Sellers | Thomas H. Stevens Sr. | G. Watts Humphrey Jr. & Pamela Firman | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.00 | $35,425 | | |
| 1979 | Table the Rumor | 5 | David E. Whited | Frank L. Brothers | Albert M. Stall Sr. | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.20 | $35,175 | | |
| 1978 | Likely Exchange | 4 | James McKnight | Thomas H. Stevens Sr. | Mrs. George Humphrey | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.40 | $21,375 | | |
| 1977 | Go On Dreaming | 5 | Paul Nicolo | James E. Morgan | G. A. Zimmerman & E. J. Zweisler | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.80 | $22,125 | | |
| 1976 | Pago Hop | 4 | Eddie Arroyo | John Oxley | Raymond Salmen | 1 mile | 1:38.40 | $21,625 | | |
| 1975 | Bundler | 4 | Jimmy Nichols | Anthony L. Basile | Bwamazon Farm | 1 mile | 1:39.40 | $22,325 | | |