# Breeders' Futurity Stakes

The Breeders' Futurity Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Currently offering a purse of $600,000, the race is open to two-year-old horses and is run at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. From 1997 to 2008, the race was sponsored by Lane's End Farm. From 2009 to 2013 it was sponsored by Dixiana Farm. It is now sponsored by Claiborne Farm.

## Structure

The race is a Road to the Kentucky Derby Prep Season qualifying race. The winner receives 10 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. It is also currently part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series. The winner automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

## History

The Breeders' Futurity was first raced at the Kentucky Association track in Lexington in 1910 and was renewed each year thereafter through 1930. In 1931 through 1935, the race was shifted to the Latonia Race Track in Covington, Kentucky. The Futurity was revived at Keeneland in the fall of 1938 and during World War II, from 1943 through 1945 was renewed as part of the Churchill Downs fall meetings.
The race was a Grade III event from 1973 to 1975, a Grade II from 1976 through 2003, and became a Grade 1 stakes in 2004. Over the years, it has been raced at various distances:
* Six furlongs (1938–1949)
* Seven furlongs (1950–1955)
* Seven furlongs, 184 feet (1956–1980)
* 1+1⁄16 miles (1981–present)
From 2006 to 2013, the race was run on a Polytrack artificial dirt surface. In 2014, the Polytrack was replaced by a new dirt surface.

## Records (since 1938)

Fastest Time: (at Current Distance 1+1⁄16 miles)
* 1:42.20 – Polar Expedition (1993)
Most wins by an owner
* 5 – Claiborne Farm (1956, 1963, 1968, 1983, 1987)
Most wins by a jockey
* 5 – Don Brumfield (1969, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1979)
Most wins by a trainer
* 6 – D. Wayne Lukas (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2004)

## Winners of the Breeders' Futurity Stakes since 1938

| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time |
| 2024 | East Avenue | Tyler Gaffalione | Brendan P. Walsh | Godolphin | 1:43.17 |
| 2023 | Locked | José Ortiz | Todd A. Pletcher | Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm | 1:45.06 |
| 2022 | Forte | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable | 1:44.74 |
| 2021 | Rattle N Roll | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Kenneth McPeek | Lucky Seven Stable | 1:43.78 |
| 2020 | Essential Quality | Luis Saez | Brad H. Cox | Godolphin | 1:44.37 |
| 2019 | Maxfield | José Ortiz | Brendan Walsh | Godolphin | 1:44.21 |
| 2018 | Knicks Go | Albin Jimenez | Ben Colebrook | KRA Stud Farm | 1:44.23 |
| 2017 | Free Drop Billy | Robby Albarado | Dale L. Romans | Albaugh Family Stables | 1:45.43 |
| 2016 | Classic Empire | Julien Leparoux | Mark E. Casse | John C. Oxley | 1:43.41 |
| 2015 | Brody's Cause | Corey J. Lanerie | Dale L. Romans | Albaugh Family Stable | 1:43.27 |
| 2014 | Carpe Diem | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | WinStar Farm & Stonestreet Stables | 1:43.38 |
| 2013 | We Miss Artie | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Ken and Sarah Ramsey | 1:46.91 |
| 2012 | Joha | Rajiv Maragh | Michael J. Maker | Bluegrass Equine Bloodstock | 1:44.52 |
| 2011 | Dullahan | Kent Desormeaux | Dale L. Romans | Donegal Racing (Jerry Crawford, partnership manager) | 1:43.12 |
| 2010 | J.B.'s Thunder | Shaun Bridgmohan | Albert Stall Jr. | Columbine Stable | 1:44.12 |
| 2009 | Noble's Promise | Willie Martinez | Kenneth G. McPeek | Chasing Dreams Racing | 1:43.12 |
| 2008 | Square Eddie | Rafael Bejarano | John R. Best | J. Paul Reddam | 1:43.04 |
| 2007 | Wicked Style | Robby Albarado | George R. Arnold II | Ashbrook Farm | 1:45.21 |
| 2006 | Great Hunter | Victor Espinoza | Doug O'Neill | J. Paul Reddam | 1:44.09 |
| 2005 | Dawn of War | John Jacinto | Dale L. Romans | Ken and Sarah Ramsey | 1:48.77 |
| 2004 | Consolidator | Rafael Bejarano | D. Wayne Lukas | R. & B. Lewis | 1:43.67 |
| 2003 | Eurosilver | Javier Castellano | Nicholas P. Zito | Buckram Oak Farm | 1:43.42 |
| 2002 | Sky Mesa | Edgar Prado | John T. Ward Jr. | John C. Oxley | 1:46.78 |
| 2001 | Siphonic | Chris McCarron | David Hofmans | Amerman Racing LLC | 1:43.79 |
| 2000 | Arabian Light | Shane Sellers | Bob Baffert | The Thoroughbred Corp. | 1:43.00 |
| 1999 | Captain Steve | Garrett K. Gomez | Bob Baffert | Michael E. Pegram | 1:42.40 |
| 1998 | Cat Thief | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook Farm | 1:44.00 |
| 1997 | Favorite Trick | Pat Day | Patrick B. Byrne | Joseph LaCombe Stable | 1:43.20 |
| 1996 | Boston Harbor | Jerry D. Bailey | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook Farm | 1:45.20 |
| 1995 | Honour and Glory | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas | Michael Tabor | 1:43.20 |
| 1994 | Tejano Run | Jerry D. Bailey | Kenneth McPeek | Roy K. Monroe | 1:44.60 |
| 1993 | Polar Expedition | Curt Bourque | Hugh H. Robertson | James B. Cody | 1:42.20 |
| 1992 | Mountain Cat | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook Farm | 1:42.40 |
| 1991 | Dance Floor | Charles Woods Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas | Oaktown Stable | 1:44.20 |
| 1990 | Sir Bordeaux | Wigberto Ramos | Ronnie G. Warren | Donald G. Hardamon & Ray Trisler | 1:44.40 |
| 1989 | Slavic | José A. Santos | Flint S. Schulhofer | William Haggin Perry | 1:44.60 |
| 1988 | Fast Play | Ángel Cordero Jr. | C. R. McGaughey III | Ogden Phipps | 1:45.20 |
| 1987 | Forty Niner | Eddie Maple | Woody Stephens | Claiborne Farm | 1:43.80 |
| 1986 | Orono | Sandy Hawley | Carl Nafzger | Bayview Stable | 1:45.20 |
| 1985 | Tasso | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Neil Drysdale | Gerald Robins & Tim Sams | 1:46.00 |
| 1984 | Crater Fire | Daryl Montoya | Dixie H. Griffitt | Samuel D. Hinkle IV & D. D. Crater | 1:45.80 |
| 1983 | Swale | Eddie Maple | Woody Stephens | Claiborne Farm | 1:44.00 |
| 1982 | Highland Park | John L. Lively | Anthony L. Basile | Bwamazon Farm | 1:43.60 |
| 1981 | D'Accord | Darrel McHargue | LeRoy Jolley | Bertram R. Firestone | 1:44.80 |
| 1980 | Fairway Phantom | John L. Lively | Carl Nafzger | William Floyd | 1:28.80 |
| 1979 | Gold Stage | Don Brumfield | William Curtis Jr. | Georgia E. Hofmann | 1:26.80 |
| 1978 | Strike Your Colors | Ed Delahoussaye | Del W. Carroll | William S. Farish III | 1:26.20 |
| 1977 | Gonquin | Frank Olivares | Jerry M. Fanning | James Scully | 1:28.00 |
| 1976 | Run Dusty Run | Darrel McHargue | Smiley Adams | Golden Chance Farm | 1:27.40 |
| 1975 | Harbor Springs | Eddie Maple | Woody Stephens | Louis Lee Haggin II | 1:27.00 |
| 1974 | Packer Captain | Don Brumfield | Douglas Dodson | Eagle Mountain Farm | 1:25.80 |
| 1973 | Provante | Mike Manganello | Dave Zakoor Jr. | Greg E. Sanders | 1:27.20 |
| 1972 | Annihilate 'Em | Don Brumfield | Douglas M. Davis Jr. | Patricia B. Blass | 1:27.00 |
| 1971 | Windjammer | Laffit Pincay Jr. | MacKenzie Miller | Cragwood Stables | 1:27.20 |
| 1970 | Man of the Moment | Don Brumfield | Jack Long | Circle M Farm | 1:28.80 |
| 1969 | Hard Work | Don Brumfield | Charles R. Werstler | Dixiana Stable | 1:25.60 |
| 1968 | Dike | Earlie Fires | Lucien Laurin | Claiborne Farm | 1:26.80 |
| 1967 | T.V. Commercial | Manuel Ycaza | Anthony L. Basile | Bwamazon Farm | 1:26.80 |
| 1966 | Gentleman James | Jimmy Nichols | Del W. Carroll | Michael Grace Phipps | 1:28.00 |
| 1965 | Tinsley | Jimmy Nichols | Julius E. Tinsley Jr. | Fred W. Hooper | 1:28.40 |
| 1964 | Umbrella Fella | John Nazareth | Loyd Gentry Jr. | Ford Stables | 1:26.40 |
| 1963 | Duel | William D. Lucas | LeRoy Jolley | Claiborne Farm | 1:26.20 |
| 1962 | Ornamento | Jimmy Lynch | James P. Conway | Darby Dan Farm | 1:26.40 |
| 1961 | Roman Line | William M. Cook | Vester R. Wright | T. Allie Grissom | 1:26.60 |
| 1960 | He's a Pistol | Larney Hansman | Joseph D. Puckett | J. Graham Brown | 1:27.00 |
| 1959 | Toby's Brother | John L. Rotz | Robert E. Wingfield | G. Van Deren & O.S. Deming | 1:27.20 |
| 1958 | Namon | Jimmy Combest | Vester R. Wright | T. Allie Grissom | 1:26.80 |
| 1957 | Fulcrum | John Delahoussaye | Jack C. Hodgins | Mary V. Fisher | 1:26.40 |
| 1956 | Round Table | Steve Brooks | Moody Jolley | Claiborne Farm | 1:26.80 |
| 1955 | Jovial Jove | Douglas Dodson | Strother Griffin | Bwamazon Farm | 1:23.60 |
| 1954 | Brother Tex | Pete D. Anderson | Woody Stephens | Woody Stephens | 1:24.40 |
| 1953 | Hasty Road | John H. Adams | Harry Trotsek | Hasty House Farm | 1:23.20 |
| 1952 | Straight Face | Bennie Green | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1:23.80 |
| 1951 | Alladier | Carroll Bierman | Anthony J. Pupino | Harborvale Stable, F.L. Leatherbury & E.A. Roberts | 1:23.40 |
| 1950 | Big Stretch | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1:23.60 |
| 1949 | Oil Capitol | Kenneth Church | Harry Trotsek | Thomas Gray | 1:12.20 |
| 1948 | Olympia | Willie Garner | Ivan H. Parke | Fred W. Hooper | 1:11.60 |
| 1947 | Shy Guy | Steve Brooks | Jack C. Hodgins | Dixiana Stable | 1:11.80 |
| 1946 | Education | Steve Brooks | Ivan H. Parke | Fred W. Hooper | 1:11.40 |
| 1945 | Pellicle | Steve Brooks | E. Leigh Cotton | Hal Price Headley | 1:12.80 |
| 1944 | Air Sailor | Leon Haas | Lex Wilson | Theodore DeLong Buhl | 1:12.20 |
| 1943 | Durazna | Jesse Higley | John M. Goode | Brownell Combs | 1:11.60 |
| 1942 | Occupation | Leon Haas | Burley Parke | John Marsch | 1:14.00 |
| 1941 | Devil Diver | Conn McCreary | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1:11.80 |
| 1940 | Whirlaway | Johnny Longden | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1:11.20 |
| 1939 | Roman Flag | Leon Haas | Max Hirsch | W. Arnold Hanger | 1:10.60 |
| 1938 | Johnstown | James Stout | George Tappen | Belair Stud | 1:11.40 |

## Earlier winners

* 1937: No race
* 1936: No race
* 1935: No race
* 1934: No race
* 1933: Mata Hari
* 1932: Technique
* 1931: The Bull
* 1930: Mate
* 1929: Gallant Knight
* 1928: Current
* 1927: Wacker Drive
* 1926: Wood Lore
* 1925: Flight of Time
* 1924: Candy Kid
* 1923: Worthmore
* 1922: Donges
* 1921: Gentility
* 1920: Believe Idle Hour
* 1919: Blazes
* 1918: Colonel Livingston
* 1917: Escoba
* 1916: Harry Kelly
* 1915: Kinney
* 1914: Luke
* 1913: Imperator
* 1912: Helios
* 1911: The Manager
* 1910: Housemaid