| Class | Listed Stakes |
|---|---|
| Location | Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
| Inaugurated | 2006 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | www.pimlico.com |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 5 furlongs |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-years-old & up |
| Weight | Assigned |
| Purse | $100,000 |
The Jim McKay Turf Sprint is a Listed American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up over a distance of five furlongs on the turf held as part of the undercard for the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes annually during the third week of May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The race offers a purse of $100,000. [1]
The Jim McKay Turf Sprint is the lead off leg of the Mid Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Sprint Turf Division or MATCh Races. MATCh is a series of five races in five separate thoroughbred divisions run throughout four Mid-Atlantic States including; Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park Racecourse in Maryland; Delaware Park Racetrack in Delaware; Parx, Philadelphia Park and Presque Isle Downs in Pennsylvania and Monmouth Park in New Jersey.
The race was named in honor of James Kenneth McManus (1921-2008), better known by his professional name of Jim McKay, was an American television sports journalist. McKay is best known for hosting ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961–1998). McKay covered a wide variety of special events, including horse races such as the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, golf events such as the British Open, and the Indianapolis 500. [2]
The Jim McKay Turf Sprint was first run in 2006 as the Baltimore Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. In 2007, it ran as the Baltimore City Turf Sprint and in 2008 the race was known as the Old Mutual Turf Sprint. The stakes record is held by Heros Reward, who won the race in 2007 in a time of :55.90 over five furlongs. [3]
Speed record:
Most wins by a horse:
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
Most wins by an owner:
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Witty | 6 | Flavien Prat | Elizabeth M. Merryman | Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel & Elizabeth M. Merryman | 5 fur. | 59.61 | $100,000 |
| 2024 | Grooms All Bizness | 5 | Jorge Ruiz | Jorge Duarte Jr. | Colts Neck Stables | 5 fur. | 1:01.08 | $100,000 |
| 2023 | Beer Can Man | 5 | Flavien Prat | Philip D’Amato | Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables & Sterling Stables | 5 fur. | 55.56 | $100,000 |
| 2022 | Carotari | 6 | Luis Saez | Brian A. Lynch | William A. Branch | 5 fur. | 56.52 | $100,000 |
| 2021 | Firecrow | 5 | Joel Rosario | Ron Moquett | Robert LaPuenta | 5 fur. | 55.30 | $100,000 |
| 2020 | Hollis | 5 | Gabriel Saez | John Alexander Ortiz | WSS Racing, LLC | 5 fur. | 59.61 | $100,000 |
| 2019 | Completed Pass | 5 | Victor Carrasco | Claudio Gonzalez | Robert D. Bone | 5 fur. | 57.35 | $100,000 |
| 2018 | Imprimis | 4 | Irad Ortiz | Joseph Orseno | Breeze Easy, LLC | 5 fur. | 1:03.81 | $100,000 |
| 2017 | Richard's Boy | 5 | Paco Lopez | Peter Miller | Rockingham Ranch | 5 fur. | 56.20 | $100,000 |
| 2016 | Ben's Cat | 10 | Trevor McCarthy | King T. Leatherbury | The Jim Stable | 5 fur. | 56.10 | $100,000 |
| 2015 | Ben's Cat | 9 | Julian Pimentel | King T. Leatherbury | The Jim Stable | 5 fur. | 56.04 | $100,000 |
| 2014 | Ben's Cat | 8 | Julian Pimentel | King T. Leatherbury | The Jim Stable | 5 fur. | 57.75 | $100,000 |
| 2013 | Ben's Cat | 7 | Julian Pimentel | King T. Leatherbury | The Jim Stable | 5 fur. | 56.18 | $100,000 |
| 2012 | Fidlers Patriot | 6 | John Velazquez | George Weaver | J. Olson & Hill Stable | 5 fur. | 56.12 | $100,000 |
| 2011 | Ben's Cat | 5 | Jeremy Rose | King T. Leatherbury | The Jim Stable | 5 fur. | 59.71 | $75,000 |
| 2010 | Central City | 4 | Julien Leparoux | Ronnie W. Werner | Preston Stable LLC | 5 fur. | 56.18 | $70,000 |
| 2009 | Mr. Nightlinger | 5 | Jamie Theriot | William B. Calhoun | Martin Racing Stable | 5 fur. | 56.29 | $100,000 |
| 2008 | Heros Reward | 6 | Javier Castellano | Dale Capuano | Rob Ry Farm | 5 fur. | 59.19 | $100,000 |
| 2007 | Heros Reward | 5 | Edgar Prado | Dale Capuano | Rob Ry Farm | 5 fur. | 55.90 | $100,000 |
| 2006 | My Lord | 7 | Rosie Napravnik | Ann W. Merryman | David A. Ross | 5 fur. | 57.40 | $100,000 |