Illinois Derby

Last updated
Illinois Derby
ClassGrade III
Location Hawthorne Race Course
Stickney, Illinois, U.S.
Inaugurated1923
Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website www.hawthorneracecourse.com
Race information
Distance1+18 miles (9 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-year-olds
Weight 122 lbs (55.3 kg)
Purse$250,000 (2017)

The Illinois Derby is a race for Thoroughbred horses for three-year-olds run over a distance of one and one-eighth miles (9 furlongs) on the dirt at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney, Illinois, just west of Chicago in early April each year. The event was first run in 1923 at the Hawthorne Race Course. The purse is $250,000.

Contents

History

The race was named in honor of the home state in which it was run, the state of Illinois. The inaugural running of the race took place at Hawthorne in 1923 and was won by In Memoriam, the 3-year-old champion with Zev that year. The race was then run at Sportsman's Park from 1924 through 1931. It moved to Aurora Downs racetrack in 1932 and was run there until 1938. In 1939 the race went on hiatus until through 1962. Then the race was revived at Sportsman's Park Racetrack again in 1963 where it remained through its 2002 running. The race was not run 1939-1962 and 1970–1971.

The race was first graded in 1973 when the grading system started as a grade three stakes race and in 1997 was elevated to a grade two stakes race. The inaugural running of the race in 1923 was run at 1+14 miles.

Before 2000, the race was run between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes thus competing with the second leg of the Triple Crown for good runners. Beginning in 2001, the Illinois Derby was moved to four weeks before the Kentucky Derby and instantly became a major Triple Crown prep race.

The 2002 Illinois Derby won by War Emblem was the last Derby run at Sportsman's Park Racetrack. War Emblem went on to become a "Dual Classic Winner" by winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. War Emblem helped elevate the prestige of the Illinois Derby by displaying that a race winner could go on to even bigger glory.

In 2004 Pollard's Vision also helped increase the stature of the race when he won it. Pollard's Vision was a colt who was blind in his right eye, he was named in honor of Seabiscuit's jockey Red Pollard, who also lost sight in his right eye.

In 2006 Sweetnorthernsaint, the Illinois Derby winner that year, helped the stature of the race after recording the highest beyer speed figure of the year in the race and was installed as the morning line favorite in the Kentucky Derby. Sweetnorthernsait went on to become the Preakness Stakes runner-up to Bernardini in the race where Barbaro was fatally injured.

In 1997, at Sportsman's Park, Wild Rush set the record for the fastest time in the Illinois Derby at 1:47.51.

It had been a Grade II race with an offering of a purse of $500,000, however, it was reduced to a Grade III race for 2010 by the American Graded Stakes Committee. [1] Since that time. For 2012, the purse has been reinstated to $500,000, but reduced to $400,000 in 2015.

Winners since 1968

YearWinnerJockeyTrainerOwner
TimePurse$ Gr.
2024Patriot SpiritJulio E. FelixMichael B. CampbellMellon Patch, Inc.1:50.43$200,000
2023Race not run
2022Race not run
2021Race not run
2020Race not run
2019Race not run
2018Race not run
2017Multiplier James Graham Brendan P. Walsh American Equistock1:47.98$250,000III
2016Race not run [2]
2015 Whiskey Ticket Martin A. Pedroza Bob Baffert Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram, Paul Weitman1:50.82$400,000III
2014 Dynamic Impact Miguel Mena Mark E. Casse John C. Oxley 1:49.07$750,000III
2013 Departing Brian Hernandez Jr. Albert Stall Jr. Claiborne Farm 1:50.78$750,000III
2012Done Talking Sheldon Russell Hamilton Smith Skeedattle Stable1:53.88$500,000III
2011Joe Vann Florent Geroux Todd Pletcher Zayat Stable 1:51.91$300,000III
2010 American Lion David Flores Eoin G. Harty WinStar Farm 1:51.31$500,000III
2009Musket Man Eibar Coa Derek S. Ryan Eric Fein & Vic Carlson1:49.91$500,000II
2008 Recapturetheglory E. T. Baird Louie J. Roussel III Louis J. Roussel III & Ronald Lamarque1:49.01$500,000II
2007Cowtown Cat Fernando Jara Todd A. Pletcher WinStar Farm 1:51.21$500,000II
2006 Sweetnorthernsaint Kent Desormeaux Michael Trombetta Joseph J. Balsamo & Ted Theos1:49.82$500,000II
2005Greeley's Galaxy Kent Desormeaux Glen Stute B. Wayne Hughes 1:49.62$500,000II
2004Pollard's Vision Eibar Coa Todd A. Pletcher Edgewood Farm1:50.80$500,000II
2003 Ten Most Wanted Pat Day Wallace Dollase James Chisholm, J. Paul Reddam, Michael Jarvis1:51.47$500,000II
2002 War Emblem Larry Sterling Jr. Frank R. Springer Russell Reineman Stable 1:49.42$500,000II
2001Distilled Mike E. Smith Todd A. Pletcher Dogwood Stable 1:51.37$500,000II
2000Performing Magic Shane Sellers Alex L. Hassinger Jr. The Thoroughbred Corp. 1:50.86$500,000II
1999Vision and Verse Herbert Castillo William I. Mott W. Bruce Lunsford 1:48.47$500,000II
1998Yarrow Brae Willie Martinez D. Wayne Lukas Michael Tabor & Susan Magnier 1:51.21$500,000II
1997Wild Rush Kent Desormeaux Richard Mandella Frank Stronach 1:47.51$500,000II
1996Natural Selection Randy Romero Mohamed MoubarakBuckram Oak Farm (Mahmoud Fustuq)1:48.60$500,000III
1995 Peaks and Valleys Julie Krone James E. Day Pin Oak Stable 1:48.99$500,000III
1994Rustic Light Earlie Fires Robert Hale Phillip Brooks & Robert Hale1:51.89$500,000III
1993Antrim Rd. Aaron Gryder Glenn Wismer Alyce & Joseph Novogratz1:48.68$500,000III
1992Dignitas Jerry D. Bailey George R. Arnold II John Peace1:49.09$533,500III
1991Richman Jerry D. Bailey William I. Mott William F. Lucas1:49.36$530,000III
1990Dotsero Aaron Gryder Tim Muckler J. Malkin, B. Glazov, et al.1:50.60$315,000III
1989Music Merci Gary Stevens Craig C. Lewis Harvey & Thea Cohen1:50.20$515,000III
1988Proper Reality Jerry D. Bailey Robert E. Holthus Mrs. James A. Winn1:50.20$535,000III
1987 Lost Code Gene St. Leon L. William Donovan Wendover Stable1:49.60$313,550III
1986Bolshoi Boy Richard Migliore Howard M. Tesher Art Belford & John Greathouse1:52.20$315,000III
1985Important Business Juvenal L. Diaz LeRoy Jolley Ilene & Skip Taylor1:51.60$320,000III
1984Delta Trace Keith K. Allen Robert J. Frankel Ann & Jerry Moss 1:51.80$210,000III
1983Gen'l Practitioner Jose A. Santiago Leo Sierra William Blair1:50.40$210,000III
1982Star Gallant Ray Sibille Lenny Imperio Mahmoud Fustuq 1:52.60$210,000III
1981Paristo David Ashcroft George R. Handy Robert & Ruth Feinberg1:49.60$155,000III
1980Ray's Word Richard DePass Smiley Adams Not found1:52.00$155,000III
1979 Smarten Sam Maple Woody Stephens Ryehill Farm (Jim & Eleanor Ryan)1:49.40$150,000III
1978Batonnier Ronald Hirdes Jr. Harry Trotsek Edward Seltzer1:51.60$105,000III
1977Flag Officer Leslie Ahrens George J. GetzChuck Schmidt & Philip Teinowitz1:52.20$105,000III
1976Life's Hope Sandy Hawley Laz Barrera Harbor View Farm 1:51.40$125,000III
1975Colonel Power Phil Rubbicco John O. Meaux Harvey Peltier Sr. 1:50.20$105,000III
1974Sharp Gary Gerland Gallitano Joseph DiAngelo Edward R. Scharps1:50.00$105,000III
1973Big Whippendeal Larry Adams John Fulton Kinship Stables 1:50.20$75,000III
1972Fame And Power Tony Rini John O. Meaux Harvey Peltier Sr. 1:50.00$70,000
1971Race not run
1970Race not run
1969King of the Castle Braulio Baeza Edward A. Neloy Ogden Phipps 1:51.40$80,000
1968Bold Favorite Robert Nono Del W. Carroll Michael G. Phipps 1:50.20$75,000

Earlier winners

See also

References

  1. Two Fewer Graded Stakes in 2010
  2. Paulick Report Staff (25 February 2016). "Hawthorne: Illinois Derby, Sixty Sails Likely Dropped From Spring Schedule". Paulick Report. Retrieved 21 April 2017.