Grade I race | |
Location | Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California, United States |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1970 |
Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
Website | www |
Race information | |
Distance | 1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs) |
Surface | dirt |
Track | left-handed |
Qualification | Two-year-olds |
Weight | 122 pounds (55 kg) |
Purse | $300,000 (since 2014) [1] |
The American Pharoah Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of September during the fall meet at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A Grade I event, it is open to two-year-old horses and is held at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt.
The American Pharoah Stakes was run as the Norfolk Stakes through 2011. In 2012, it was renamed to the FrontRunner Stakes after the lease with Oak Tree, the organization that formerly operated Santa Anita's fall meet, ended in 2010. [2] It was renamed again in 2018 in honor of its 2014 winner, American Pharoah, who went on to win the U.S. Triple Crown in 2015. [3]
This race is a Road to the Kentucky Derby Prep Season qualifying race. The winner receives 10 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. [4] It is also currently part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series. The winner automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
First run in 1970, it became a Grade I event in 1980 but was downgraded to Grade II status in 1993. However, the American Graded Stakes Committee announced its return to Grade I status for 2007. [1]
The race was run over a distance of 1 mile from 1997 through 2001. It was run in two divisions in 1980. [5]
Speed record: (at current distance of 11⁄16 miles)
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
Most wins by an owner:
Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Win$ | Gr. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Citizen Bull | 2 | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | SF Racing et al. [lower-alpha 1] | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.07 | $180,000 | G1 |
2023 | Muth | 2 | Juan Hernandez | Bob Baffert | Zedan Racing | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.45 | $180,000 | G1 |
2022 | Cave Rock | 2 | Juan Hernandez | Bob Baffert | Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, Paul Weitman | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.05 | $180,000 | G1 |
2021 | Corniche | 2 | Mike E. Smith | Bob Baffert | Speedway Stables | 11⁄16 M | 1:44.75 | $180,000 | G1 |
2020 | Get Her Number | 2 | Flavien Prat | Peter Miller | Gary Barber | 11⁄16 M | 1:44.92 | $180,000 | G1 |
2019 | Eight Rings | 2 | John Velazquez | Bob Baffert | SF Racing LLC et al. | 11⁄16 M | 1:45.41 | $180,000 | G1 |
2018 | Game Winner | 2 | Joel Rosario | Bob Baffert | Gary & Mary West | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.77 | $180,000 | G1 |
FrontRunner Stakes (2011-2017) | |||||||||
2017 | Bolt d'Oro | 2 | Corey Nakatani | Mick Ruis | Ruis Racing | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.54 | $180,000 | G1 |
2016 | Gormley | 2 | Victor Espinoza | John Shirreffs | Jerry & Ann Moss | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.57 | $180,000 | G1 |
2015 | Nyquist | 2 | Mario Gutierrez | Doug F. O'Neill | Reddam Racing | 11⁄16 M | 1:44.89 | $180,000 | G1 |
2014 | American Pharoah | 2 | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | Zayat Stables | 11⁄16 M | 1:41.95 | $180,000 | G1 |
2013 | Bond Holder | 2 | Mario Gutierrez | Doug F. O'Neill | Reddam Racing | 11⁄16 M | 1:45.02 | $150,000 | G1 |
2012 | Power Broker | 2 | Rafael Bejarano | Bob Baffert | Gary & Mary West | 11⁄16 M | 1:44.44 | $150,000 | G1 |
Norfolk Stakes (1970-2011) | |||||||||
2011 | Creative Cause | 2 | Joel Rosario | Mike Harrington | Heinz Steinman | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.66 | $150,000 | G1 |
2010‡ | Jaycito | 2 | Mike E. Smith | Mike Mitchell | Zayat Stables | 11⁄16 M | 1:44.17 | $150,000 | G1 |
2009 | Lookin at Lucky | 2 | Garrett Gomez | Bob Baffert | Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, Paul Weitman | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.11 | $180,000 | G1 |
2008 | Street Hero | 2 | Alex Solis | Myung Kwon Cho | Myung Kwon Cho | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.12 | $150,000 | G1 |
2007 | Dixie Chatter | 2 | Richard Migliore | Richard E. Mandella | Herman Sarkowsky | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.64 | $150,000 | G1 |
2006 | Stormello | 2 | Kent Desormeaux | William L. Currin | William L. Currin & Al Eisman | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.10 | $150,000 | G2 |
2005 | Brother Derek | 2 | Alex Solis | Dan L. Hendricks | Cecil N. Peacock | 11⁄16 M | 1:44.38 | $120,000 | G2 |
2004 | Roman Ruler | 2 | Corey Nakatani | Bob Baffert | Fog City Stable | 11⁄16 M | 1:44.27 | $120,000 | G2 |
2003 | Ruler's Court | 2 | Alex Solis | Eoin G. Harty | Darley Stable | 11⁄16 M | 1:41.27 | $150,000 | G2 |
2002 | Kafwain | 2 | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | The Thoroughbred Corp. | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.75 | $120,000 | G2 |
2001 | Essence of Dubai | 2 | Alex Solis | Eoin G. Harty | Godolphin Racing | 1 M | 1:37.16 | $150,000 | G2 |
2000 | Flame Thrower | 2 | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | Gary M. Garber | 1 M | 1:34.86 | $120,000 | G2 |
1999 | Dixie Union | 2 | Alex Solis | Richard E. Mandella | Diamond A Racing & Herman Sarkowsky | 1 M | 1:35.79 | $120,000 | G2 |
1998 | Buck Trout | 2 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Mike Harrington | Heinz Steinmann | 1 M | 1:37.55 | $120,000 | G2 |
1997 | Souvenir Copy | 2 | Gary Stevens | Bob Baffert | Golden Eagle Farm | 1 M | 1:36.00 | $120,000 | G2 |
1996 | Free House | 2 | Kent Desormeaux | J. Paco Gonzalez | Trudy McCaffery & John Toffan | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.54 | $120,000 | G2 |
1995 | Future Quest | 2 | Kent Desormeaux | Ron McAnally | VHW Stables | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.31 | $120,000 | G2 |
1994 | Supremo | 2 | Gary Stevens | Richard W. Mulhall | The Thoroughbred Corp. | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.48 | $120,000 | G2 |
1993 | Shepherd's Field | 2 | Chris McCarron | Brad MacDonald | Camptown Stable | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.11 | $120,000 | G2 |
1992 | River Special | 2 | Kent Desormeaux | Robert B. Hess Jr. | Golden Eagle Farm | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.58 | $120,000 | G1 |
1991 | Bertrando | 2 | Alex Solis | Bruce Headley | 505 Farms | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.87 | $164,820 | G1 |
1990 | Best Pal | 2 | Pat Valenzuela | Ian P. D. Jory | Golden Eagle Farm | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.80 | $178,620 | G1 |
1989 | Grand Canyon | 2 | Chris McCarron | D. Wayne Lukas | D. Wayne Lukas & Overbrook Farm | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.20 | $166,440 | G1 |
1988 | Hawkster | 2 | Pat Valenzuela | Ron McAnally | J. Shelton Meredith | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.40 | $187,740 | G1 |
1987 | Saratoga Passage | 2 | Joe Steiner | Robert W. Leonard | Saratoga I Stable | 11⁄16 M | 1:45.00 | $181,140 | G1 |
1986 | Capote | 2 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas | Barry Beal, L. R. French, Jr. & Gene Klein | 11⁄16 M | 1:45.20 | $193,680 | G1 |
1985 | Snow Chief | 2 | Alex Solis | Melvin F. Stute | Grinstead & Rochelle | 11⁄16 M | 1:44.60 | $167,340 | G1 |
1984 | Chief's Crown | 2 | Don MacBeth | Roger Laurin | Star Crown Stable | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.40 | $201,960 | G1 |
1983 | Fali Time | 2 | Sandy Hawley | Gary F. Jones | James L. Mamakos & Marc Stubrin | 11⁄16 M | 1:44.20 | $168,930 | G1 |
1982 | Roving Boy | 2 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Joseph Manzi | Robert E. Hibbert | 11⁄16 M | 1:41.60 | $181,110 | G1 |
1981 | Stalwart | 2 | Chris McCarron | D. Wayne Lukas | Marvin L. Warner | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.20 | $140,790 | G1 |
1980-1 | Sir Dancer | 2 | Frank Olivares | Charles M. Marikian | George Arakelian Farms | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.80 | $100,980 | G1 |
1980-2 | High Counsel | 2 | Larry Gilligan | Charles Whittingham | Nelson Bunker Hunt | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.80 | $99,780 | G1 |
1979 | The Carpenter | 2 | Chris McCarron | Willard L. Proctor | Cardiff Stud Farm | 11⁄16 M | 1:41.80 | $119,280 | G2 |
1978 | Flying Paster | 2 | Don Pierce | Gordon C. Campbell | Bernard J. Ridder | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.20 | $118,860 | G2 |
1977 | Balzac | 2 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles Whittingham | Elizabeth A. Keck | 11⁄16 M | 1:45.40 | $157,230 | G2 |
1976 | Habitony | 2 | Bill Shoemaker | Tommy Doyle | Anton W. Pejsa | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.00 | $79,290 | G2 |
1975 | Telly's Pop | 2 | Francisco Mena | Melvin F. Stute | Howard W. Koch & Telly Savalas | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.60 | $74,295 | G2 |
1974 | George Navonod | 2 | Don Pierce | Gordon C. Campbell | Navonod Stables | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.20 | $77,370 | G2 |
1973 | Money Lender | 2 | Jerry Lambert | Johnny Longden | Hazel Longden | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.60 | $58,050 | G2 |
1972 | Groshawk | 2 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles Whittingham | Quinn & Muffett Martin | 11⁄16 M | 1:42.20 | $59,025 | |
1971 | MacArthur Park | 2 | Bill Shoemaker | Tommy Doyle | Mark Three Stable | 11⁄16 M | 1:41.80 | $59,445 | |
1970 | June Darling | 2 | William Mahorney | Warren Stute | Clement L. Hirsch | 11⁄16 M | 1:43.00 | $45,765 | |
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of 1+1⁄4 miles (2,000 m) on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in late October or early November. All of the races to date have been held in the United States except for the 1996 edition held at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada.
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The current purse is US$2,000,000 making it the most valuable race for two-year-olds in North America. It is normally run at a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles.
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a 1+1⁄16-mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in early November.
Victor Espinoza is a Mexican jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing who won the Triple Crown in 2015 on American Pharoah. He began riding in his native Mexico and went on to compete at racetracks in California. He has won the Kentucky Derby three times, riding War Emblem in 2002, California Chrome in 2014, and American Pharoah in 2015. He also won the Preakness Stakes three times, in those same years and with the same horses. He was the first jockey in history to enter the Belmont Stakes with a third opportunity to win the Triple Crown; his 2015 victory made him the oldest jockey and first Hispanic jockey to accomplish the feat. He joined Ron Turcotte as the only jockeys to win five of the six jewels of the Triple Crown spread over two consecutive years.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge is a series of Thoroughbred horse races in which the winner earns an automatic spot in a specified Breeders' Cup race. The challenge races change somewhat each year. The Challenge series began in 2007 with 24 "Win and You're In" races from 2 countries. By 2014, the series had grown to 71 races across 13 countries. During that period, 24 winners of Breeders' Cup races had qualified via the challenge series.
Pioneerof the Nile was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who came second in the 2009 Kentucky Derby and sired the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, as well as 2016 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Classic Empire.
Texas Red is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2014, he won one minor race from his first four starts and then established himself as one of the top two-year-old colts in North America with a six and a half length win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He has unique connections, as his part-owner/trainer and his usual jockey are brothers: Keith and Kent Desormeaux.
The 2015 Breeders' Cup World Championships was the 32nd edition of the thoroughbred horse racing season-ending premier event held on October 30 and 31 at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky. The race series, held for the first time at Keeneland, required a significant amount of preparation to transform the small, historic track into a venue capable of handling large crowds, comprising 13 championship races held over a two-day period.
Cupid is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse who won multiple graded stakes races despite several interruptions to his training. At age three, he was a leading contender for the 2016 Kentucky Derby until he developed a breathing problem and missed the race. Returning later in the year, he won the Indiana and West Virginia Derbies before finishing eighth in the Pennsylvania Derby. After an eight-month layoff, he returned in May 2017 to win the Grade I Gold Cup at Santa Anita. He finished his career with six wins from thirteen starts and earnings of $1.7 million.
Justify is a US Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse who is known for being the thirteenth winner of the American Triple Crown. He also was the first horse since Apollo in 1882 to win the Kentucky Derby without racing as a two-year-old.
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint is an American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old horses, run on a grass course at a distance of 5 or 5+1⁄2 furlongs, depending on the configuration of the host track. It is part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the de facto year-end championship for North American thoroughbred racing. All Breeders' Cups to date have been conducted in the United States, with the exception of the 1996 event in Canada.
Game Winner is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the champion two-year-old colt of 2018. He was undefeated in four starts at age two, including wins in the Del Mar Futurity, American Pharoah Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He started his three-year-old campaign with second-place finishes in both the Rebel Stakes and Santa Anita Derby before finishing fifth in the 2019 Kentucky Derby. After a brief layoff, he returned in July to win the Los Alamitos Derby.
Into Mischief is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. During his racing career, he won three of six starts including the CashCall Futurity. Since his retirement, he has developed into an outstanding sire, leading the North American sire list in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. His offspring include Authentic, Mandaloun, Life Is Good and Covfefe.
Authentic is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2020 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic, where he set a new Keeneland track record. He also won the Sham Stakes, San Felipe Stakes, and Haskell Invitational, and was second in the Preakness Stakes and Santa Anita Derby. He was the Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Male in 2020 and was the second highest ranked racehorse in the world. He also won the Secretariat Vox Populi Award.
Drayden Van Dyke is a jockey in thoroughbred racing. At graded stakes races, Van Dyke has won 67 events ranging from Grade I to Grade III. Of these wins, Van Dyke has won both the Starlet Stakes and Yellow Ribbon Handicap four times. As a Breeders' Cup jockey, Van Dyke won the Turf Sprint event at the 2018 Breeders' Cup. He was also runner-up at the Breeders' Cup Mile event in 2018 and the Dirt Mile at the 2021 Breeders' Cup.
Rombauer is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2021 Preakness Stakes.
Corniche is a retired Champion American thoroughbred racehorse who, as a two-year-old, won the American Pharoah Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
National Treasure is an American thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2023 Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the American Triple Crown. In 2024 National Treasure won the Grade I Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Fierceness is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2023 the two-year-old colt won the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Park en route to being named champion juvenile of 2023. In 2024 he won the Grade I Florida Derby by a record 13+1⁄2 lengths and later that year also the Travers Stakes.
Muth is a multiple Grade I winning American Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2023, the two-year-old colt won the Grade I American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita Park. In 2024, he won the Grade I Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.