Jessamine Stakes
Horse race
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Jessamine Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old filles 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.
| Class | Grade II |
|---|---|
| Location | Keeneland Race Course Lexington, Kentucky, United States |
| Inaugurated | 1991 (as Green River Stakes) |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Sponsor | Keeneland Sales (since 2023) |
| Website | Keeneland |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄16 miles |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Two-year-old fillies |
| Weight | 122 lbs with allowances |
| Purse | $400,000 (2025) |
| Bonuses | Win and You're In Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf |
History
The event was inaugurated on 22 October 1991 as the Green River Stakes and was won by the second favorite Shes Just Super who was ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day in a time of 1:44.91.[1] The name of the event was named after the Green River a tributary of the Ohio River that rises in Lincoln County in south-central Kentucky. The event was created in parallel with the Hopemont Stakes which was run one day later for two-year-olds regardless of sex.
The event was run in two divisions in 1994.[2]
In 2003 the event was renamed to the Jessamine County Stakes – Jessamine County is near Lexington and is considered part of the Lexington-Fayette metropolitan area.[3] In 2005 the event was renamed to the Jessamine Stakes.[3]
In 2009, the race was moved from the turf to the main all weather track due to weather conditions.[4]
The American Graded Stakes Committee made it a Graded stakes race for the first time in 2011[5] and was upgraded to Grade II status in 2018.[4]
The race is currently part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series and was sponsored by JP Morgan Chase.[3] The winner automatically qualify for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Records
Speed record:
- 1:40.86 – Aunt Pearl (IRE) (2020)
Margins
- 5+1⁄2 lengths – Sweet Melania (2019)
Most wins by an owner
- 3 – William A. Carl (1991, 1997, 2003)
- 3 – Kenneth L. Ramsey (1994, 2000, 2014)
Most wins by a jockey
- 5 – Pat Day (1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001)
Most wins by a trainer
- 4 – Kenneth G. McPeek (1993, 2003, 2009, 2010)
- 4 – Todd A. Pletcher (2002, 2004, 2005, 2019)
Winners
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jessamine Stakes | |||||||||
| 2025 | Imaginationthelady | Frankie Dettori | Brendan P. Walsh | Mark Dobbin | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.61 | $398,750 | II | [6] |
| 2024 | May Day Ready | Frankie Dettori | Joseph Lee | KatieRich Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.10 | $350,000 | II | [7] |
| 2023 | Buchu | Martin Garcia | Philip Bauer | Rigney Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.48 | $350,000 | II | [8] |
| 2022 | Delight | Luis Saez | Jonathan Thomas | Augustin Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.14 | $320,463 | II | [9] |
| 2021 | California Angel | Rafael Bejarano | George Leonard III | Chris Walsh | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.30 | $200,000 | II | [10] |
| 2020 | Aunt Pearl (IRE) | Florent Geroux | Brad H. Cox | Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Peter Deutsch, Michael E. Kisber, The Elkstone Group | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:40.86 | $150,000 | II | [11] |
| 2019 | Sweet Melania | Jose L. Ortiz | Todd A. Pletcher | Lawana L. & Robert E. Low | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.13 | $200,000 | II | [12] |
| 2018 | Concrete Rose | Jose Lezcano | George R. Arnold II | Ashbrook Farm & BBN Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.09 | $200,000 | II | [13] |
| 2017 | Rushing Fall | Javier Castellano | Chad C. Brown | e Five Racing Thoroughbreds | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:46.20 | $150,000 | III | [14] |
| 2016 | La Coronel | Florent Geroux | Mark E. Casse | John C. Oxley | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.37 | $150,000 | III | [15] |
| 2015 | Harmonize | Junior Alvarado | William I. Mott | Larkin Armstrong | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.19 | $150,000 | III | [16] |
| 2014 | Rainha Da Bateria | Joel Rosario | H. Graham Motion | Three Chimneys Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.85 | $150,000 | III | [17] |
| 2013 | Kitten Kaboodle | Alan Garcia | Chad C. Brown | Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.01 | $150,000 | III | [18] |
| 2012 | Moonwalk | Corey J. Lanerie | Dale L. Romans | Spendthrift Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.17 | $150,000 | III | [19] |
| 2011 | Somali Lemonade | Alex O. Solis | Michael R. Matz | Caroline A. Forgason | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.39 | $150,000 | III | [20] |
| 2010 | Kathmanblu | Julien R. Leparoux | Kenneth G. McPeek | Five D Thoroughbreds & Wind River Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.01 | $150,000 | Listed | [21] |
| 2009 | House of Grace | Michael J. Luzzi | Kenneth G. McPeek | Magdalena Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.32 | $150,000 | Listed | Off turf[22] |
| 2008 | Laragh | Edgar S. Prado | John P. Terranova II | Golden Goose Enterprise & IEAH Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.54 | $150,000 | Listed | [23] |
| 2007 | Wind in My Wings | Jamie Theriot | Reade Baker | Craig B. Singer | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.34 | $150,000 | Listed | [24] |
| 2006 | Swingit | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Hal R. Wiggins | Robert V. Hovelson | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.37 | $125,000 | Listed | [25] |
| 2005 | J'ray | Brice Blanc | Todd A. Pletcher | Lawrence Goichman | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.57 | $112,000 | Listed | [26] |
| Jessamine County Stakes | |||||||||
| 2004 | Paddy's Daisy | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Stonehaven Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.33 | $112,600 | Listed | [27] |
| 2003 | Galloping Gal | Brice Blanc | Kenneth G. McPeek | William A. Carl | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.56 | $113,200 | Listed | [28] |
| Green River Stakes | |||||||||
| 2002 | Ocean Drive | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Bonnie & Sy Baskin | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.30 | $111,500 | Listed | [29] |
| 2001 | Stylelistick | Pat Day | William I. Mott | Dream With Me Stable & Team Valor | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.88 | $113,900 | Listed | [30] |
| 2000 | Word Puzzle | Marlon St. Julien | Charles Simon | Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.81 | $84,075 | Listed | [31] |
| 1999 | Solvig | Pat Day | Carl A. Nafzger | Bentley L. Smith | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.21 | $67,025 | Listed | [32] |
| 1998 | Perfect Sting | Pat Day | Patrick B. Byrne | Stronach Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.77 | $71,500 | Listed | [33] |
| 1997 | Runnaway Dream | Shane Sellers | W. Elliott Walden | William A. Carl | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.60 | $68,500 | Listed | [34] |
| 1996 | Parade Queen | Pat Day | Neil J. Howard | William S. Farish III & Edward J. Hudson | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.21 | $68,500 | Listed | [35] |
| 1995 | Antespend | Shane Sellers | D. Michael Smithwick Jr. | Jack Kent Cooke | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.30 | $63,000 | Listed | [36] |
| 1994 | Christmas Gift | Charles R. Woods Jr. | Mark A. Hennig | Edward P. Evans | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.96 | $46,100 | Division 1[37] | |
| Bail Out Becky | Shane Sellers | William I. Mott | Kenneth L. Ramsey | 1:44.16 | $50,600 | Division 2[38] | |||
| 1993 | Fred's Affair | Joseph J. Steiner | Terry J. Brennan | Jeff Rand | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.59 | $49,000 | [39] | |
| 1992 | Warside | Shane Sellers | Kenneth G. McPeek | Roy K. Monroe | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.36 | $45,500 | [40] | |
| 1991 | Shes Just Super | Pat Day | W. Elliott Walden | William A. Carl | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.91 | $43,700 | [1] | |
Legend:
Turf
All Weather Track