Bourbon Stakes
Horse race
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bourbon Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles on the turf held annually in early October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky during the fall meeting.
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
| Class | Grade II |
|---|---|
| Location | Keeneland Race Course Lexington, Kentucky, United States |
| Inaugurated | 1991 (as Hopemont Stakes) |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Sponsor | Castle & Key (since 2022) |
| Website | Keeneland |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄16 miles |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Two-year-olds |
| Weight | 122 lbs with allowances |
| Purse | $400,000 (2025) |
| Bonuses | Win and You're In Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf |
History
The event was inaugurated on 23 October 1991 as the Hopemont Stakes and was won by the short priced 1-2 favorite Stress Buster who was ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day in a time of 1:44.84.[1] The name of the event was in honor of the Hunt–Morgan House, historically known as Hopemont located in Lexington.[2]
The event was run in two divisions in 1998.[3]
In 2003 the event was renamed to the Bourbon County Stakes – Bourbon County is near Lexington and is home to many famous Throroughbred farms.[4]
From 2005 to 2008, the event was run as the Bourbon Stakes, with sponsorship from Woodford Reserve which reflected in the name of the race.[4] From 2014 until 2019 the race was sponsored by Dixiana Farm.[4]
In 2006, 2013 and 2017, the race was switched from turf to the main track due to weather conditions.[5]
In 2008 the event was classified as Grade III[5] and in 2020 was upgraded to Grade II.[6] The race is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series. The winner of the Bourbon Stakes receives a "Win and You're In" berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.[7]
Records
Speed record:
- 1:41.27 – Andthewinneris (2022)
Margins
- 11+1⁄4 lengths – Stage Call (IRE) (2001)
Most wins by an owner
- 3 – John C. Oxley (2000, 2015, 2017)
Most wins by a jockey
- 4 – Julien Leparoux (2010, 2012, 2015, 2017)
Most wins by a trainer
- 6 – Todd A. Pletcher (2006, 2008, 2009, 2018, 2020, 2025)
Winners
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bourbon Stakes | ||||||||||
| 2025 | Final Score | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.51 | $400,000 | II | [8] | |
| 2024 | Minaret Station | Cristian Torres | William Walden | OXO Equine | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.28 | $347,719 | II | [9] | |
| 2023 | Can Group | Francisco Arrieta | Mark E. Casse | D. J. Stable & Cash is King | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.73 | $350,000 | II | [10] | |
| 2022 | Andthewinneris | Flavien Prat | Wayne M. Catalano | Susan Moulton | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.27 | $348,125 | II | [11] | |
| 2021 | Tiz the Bomb | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Kenneth G. McPeek | Phoenix Thoroughbred III | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.69 | $200,000 | II | [12] | |
| 2020 | Mutasaabeq | Luis Saez | Todd A. Pletcher | Shadwell Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.13 | $200,000 | II | [13] | |
| 2019 | Peace Achieved | Miguel Mena | Mark E. Casse | JSM Equine | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.06 | $250,000 | III | [14] | |
| 2018 | Current | Jose L. Ortiz | Todd A. Pletcher | Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Robert V. LaPenta | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.10 | $250,000 | III | [15] | |
| 2017 | Flameaway | Julien R. Leparoux | Mark E. Casse | John C. Oxley | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.77 | $250,000 | III | [16] | |
| 2016 | Keep Quiet (FR) | Florent Geroux | Mark E. Casse | Gary Barber | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.92 | $250,000 | III | [17] | |
| 2015 | Airoforce | Julien R. Leparoux | Mark E. Casse | John C. Oxley | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.12 | $250,000 | III | [18] | |
| 2014 | Lawn Ranger | Chris Landeros | Kenneth G. McPeek | Turf Stable Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.41 | $250,000 | III | [19] | |
| 2013 | Poker Player | Channing Hill | Wayne M. Catalano | Gary and Mary West | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.46 | $150,000 | III | [20] | |
| 2012 | Balance the Books | Julien R. Leparoux | Chad C. Brown | Klaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.15 | $150,000 | III | [21] | |
| 2011 | Animal Spirits | Robby Albarado | Albert Stall Jr. | Klaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.24 | $150,000 | III | [22] | |
| 2010 | Rogue Romance | Julien R. Leparoux | Kenneth G. McPeek | Catesby W. Clay | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.76 | $100,000 | III | [23] | |
| 2009 | Interactif | Kent J. Desormeaux | Todd A. Pletcher | Wertheimer et Frère | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.24 | $125,000 | III | [24] | |
| 2008 | Bittel Road | Rajiv Maragh | Todd A. Pletcher | James T. Scatuorchio & John Iracane | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.29 | $200,000 | III | [25] | |
| 2007 | Gio Ponti | Ramon A. Dominguez | Christophe Clement | Castleton Lyons | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.92 | $150,000 | Listed | [26] | |
| 2006 | Twilight Meteor | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Peachtree Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.25 | $125,000 | Listed | [27] | |
| 2005 | Yankee Master | Rafael Bejarano | Linda L. Rice | Team Power Play Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.85 | $125,000 | Listed | [28] | |
| Bourbon County Stakes | ||||||||||
| 2004 | Rey de Cafe | Craig Perret | George R. Arnold II | G. Watts Humphrey Jr. | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.90 | $112,200 | Listed | [29] | |
| 2003 | Commendation | Cornelio Velasquez | H. Graham Motion | Courtlandt Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.99 | $112,800 | Listed | [30] | |
| Hopemont Stakes | ||||||||||
| 2002 | Rapid Proof | Calvin H. Borel | Hal R. Wiggins | Dolphus C. Morrison | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:46.45 | $115,000 | Listed | [31] | |
| 2001 | Stage Call (IRE) | Mark Guidry | W. Elliott Walden | WinStar Farm, Richard Nip & Gloria Gaines Callum | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.85 | $111,800 | Listed | [32] | |
| 2000 | Overview | Mike E. Smith | John T. Ward Jr. | John C. Oxley | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.02 | $81,775 | Listed | [33] | |
| 1999 | Gateman (GB) | Pat Day | W. Elliott Walden | Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.42 | $70,175 | Listed | [34] | |
| 1998 | Pineaff | Pat Day | Kenneth G. McPeek | Joyce & Roy K. Monroe | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.63 | $70,100 | Listed | Division 1[35] | |
| Bold Caleb | Robby Albarado | Hal R. Wiggins | Ann & Charles Patterson | 1:44.73 | $70,850 | Division 2[36] | ||||
| 1997 | Reformer Rally | Craig Perret | Peter M. Vestal | Thomas M. Carey | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:46.91 | $67,750 | Listed | [37] | |
| 1996 | Thesaurus | Craig Perret | Peter M. Vestal | Charles J. Cella | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.49 | $55,000 | Listed | [38] | |
| 1995 | Red Shadow | Willie Martinez | Patrick B. Byrne | Prestonwood Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:46.71 | $54,960 | Listed | [39] | |
| 1994 | Claudius | John R. Velazquez | William I. Mott | Darley Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.50 | $53,000 | [40] | ||
| 1993 | Star of Manila | Shane Sellers | Burk Kessinger Jr. | New Phoenix Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.34 | $49,000 | [41] | ||
| 1992 | The Real Vaslav | Shane Sellers | D. Wayne Lukas | Gonzalo B. Torrealba | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:46.01 | $45,500 | [42] | ||
| 1991 | Stress Buster | Pat Day | Joseph H. Pierce Jr. | G. Watts Humphrey Jr. & Sheila Pierce | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.84 | $44,100 | [1] | ||
Legend:
Turf
All Weather Track
Dirt