Chicago Stakes

Last updated
Chicago Stakes
Grade III race
Location Churchill Downs
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated1986 (as Chicago-Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap at Arlington Park)
Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Race information
Distance7 furlongs
SurfaceDirt
TrackLeft-handed
Qualification Fillies and Mares, four-years-old and older
Weight123 lbs with allowances
Purse$225,000 (2023)

The Chicago Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, four years old and older over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt track scheduled annually in June at run annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The event currently offers a purse of $200,000 plus a trophy.

Contents

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 31 August 1986, as the Chicago-Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap, the seventh event on the card for Budweiser-Arlington Million Day and was won by Lazer Show who was ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day in a time of 1:2125. [1] Between 1986 and 1995 Budweiser sponsored the event and from 1986 and 2006 the Breeders' Cup sponsored the event which reflected in the name of the event. [2] Lazer Show would win the event again the following year. [3]

In 1992 the event was upgraded by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Grade III status. [4]

In 2007, the race was moved to a synthetic surface when Arlington Park switched its main track from dirt to an all-weather course. The Chicago Handicap was switched back to dirt in 2017, when it was moved to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Arlington Park was cutting back on its stakes races in order to boost overnight race purses, and Churchill Downs, which is owned by the same company, picked up both the Chicago Handicap and the Matron Stakes. [5]

In 2018 the event returned back to Arlington Park with Princess La Quinta winning the race. [6]

The event was not held in 1988, 1998, 1999 and 2015. In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Arlington Park did not schedule the event in its shortened meeting. [7]

In 2021 the event was scheduled as a stakes allowance event, hence the event was changed to the Chicago Stakes. [8]

In 2022, the event was moved to Churchill Downs after the closure of Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois. [9] Also the conditions of the event were changed so that only mares four years old or older could enter. In 2023 the event was moved to Ellis Park after Churchill Downs closed their spring meeting earlier due to a spate of injuries. [10]

Records

Speed Record:

Margins:

Most wins:

Most wins by an owner:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners

YearWinnerAgeJockeyTrainerOwnerDistanceTimePurseGradeRef
At Ellis Park Chicago Stakes
2023 Society 4 Tyler Gaffalione Steven M. Asmussen Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds7 furlongs1:20.54$225,000III [11]
At Churchill Downs Chicago Stakes
2022Lady Rocket5 Ricardo Santana Jr. Brad H. Cox Frank Fletcher Racing Operations7 furlongs1:21.62$200,000III [12]
At Arlington Park Chicago Stakes
2021Abby Hatcher (IRE) 4Alex AchardAnna MeahDavid Meah7 furlongs1:22.27$100,000III [13]
2020Race not held
Chicago Handicap
2019My Mertie4Carlos H. Marquez Jr.Michele BoyceOak Rock Racing, Terry Biondo & Cherrywood Racing Stables II7 furlongs1:22.44$100,000III [14]
2018Hotshot Anna4Harry HernandezHugh H. RobertsonHugh H. Robertson7 furlongs1:20.93$100,000III [15]
At Churchill Downs
2017Finley'sluckycharm4 Brian Hernandez Jr. W. Bret Calhoun Carl L. Moore Management7 furlongs1:22.17$100,000III [16]
At Arlington Park
2016Sarah Sis4 Jose Valdivia Jr. Ingrid MasonRags Racing Stable7 furlongs1:23.16$100,000III [17]
2015Race not held
2014My Option4Eduardo E. PerezChris M. BlockTimothy J. Keeley7 furlongs1:23.72$150,000III [18]
2013Cozze Up Lady4 Miguel Mena W. Bret Calhoun Martin Racing, Morgan Thoroughbred, Westwind Property & Farfellow Farm7 furlongs1:23.06$150,000III [19]
2012Kitty in a Tizzy5Francisco C. TorresH. James BondWilliam L. Clifton Jr.7 furlongs1:23.49$150,000III [20]
2011Devil by Design5 Corey Nakatani William I. Mott John D. Gunther, Eurowest Bloodstock & Tony Chedraoui7 furlongs1:25.54$100,000III [21]
2010 Informed Decision 5 Julien R. Leparoux Jonathan E. Sheppard Augustin Stable 7 furlongs1:24.34$100,000III [22]
2009 Informed Decision 4 Julien R. Leparoux Jonathan E. Sheppard Augustin Stable 7 furlongs1:21.49$140,000III [23]
2008Leah's Secret5 Rene R. Douglas Todd A. Pletcher WinStar Farm 7 furlongs1:22.17$144,500III [24]
2007Lady Belsara4Edward T. BairdS. Matthew KintzAt the Moment Stables7 furlongs1:23.10$175,000III [25]
2006Ebony Breeze6John Jacinto William I. Mott Kinsman Stable 7 furlongs1:22.02$157,750III [26]
2005Happy Ticket4 Eusebio Razo Jr. Andrew Leggio Jr.Stewart Mather Madison7 furlongs1:22.54$175,000III [27]
2004My Trusty Cat4 Rene R. Douglas David R. Vance Carl F. Pollard7 furlongs1:23.54$175,000III [28]
2003For Rubies4 Craig Perret Lynn S. Whiting Choctaw Racing Stable7 furlongs1:24.21$145,750III [29]
2002Mandy's Gold4 Rene R. Douglas Michael E. GorhamSteeplechase Farm7 furlongs1:22.86$164,440III [30]
2001Trip4 Craig Perret Frank L. Brothers Claiborne Farm 7 furlongs1:22.18$157,270III [31]
2000 Saoirse 4David ClarkPhillip EnglandKnob Hill Stable7 furlongs1:23.09$170,325III [32]
19981999Race not held
1997J J'sdream4 Mark Guidry Bobby C. Barnett John A. Franks 7 furlongs1:22.25$169,375III [33]
1996Bunbeg4Mickey WallsPhillip EnglandKnob Hill Stable7 furlongs1:23.86$171,650III [34]
1995Low Key Affair4 Aaron Gryder D. Wayne Lukas Moyglare Stud 7 furlongs1:24.64$156,400III [35]
1994Minidar4Vann Belvoir Mark A. Hennig Edward P. Evans 7 furlongs1:22.49$156,600III [36]
1993Meafara4Juvenal Lopez DiazLeslie E. AhrensFrank L. Muench7 furlongs1:22.12$156,450III [37]
1992Withallprobability4 Garrett K. Gomez D. Wayne Lukas Edward P. Evans 7 furlongs1:21.24$155,750III [38]
1991 Safely Kept 5 Craig Perret Alan E. Goldberg Jayeff B. Stable7 furlongs1:23.05$155,100Listed [39]
1990Fit for a Queen4 Pat Day Steven C. PenrodHermitage Farm7 furlongs1:23.00$157,750 [40]
1989Rose's Record5 Jorge Velasquez Frank L. Brothers David V. & Nancy Ringler7 furlongs1:24.60$149,200 [41]
1988Race not held
1987Lazer Show4 Pat Day Donald R. WinfreeJames J. Devaney7 furlongs1:22.80$77,125 [3]
1986Lazer Show3 Pat Day Donald R. WinfreeJames J. Devaney7 furlongs1:21.40$155,600 [1]

Legend:
  All Weather Track  Dirt

See also

List of American and Canadian Graded races

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References

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