| Class | Grade III |
|---|---|
| Location | Churchill Downs Louisville, Kentucky, United States |
| Inaugurated | 2010 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 6+1⁄2 furlongs |
| Surface | dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Three years old and older |
| Weight | 125 lbs with allowances |
| Purse | $250,000 (2024) |
The Kelly's Landing Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance six and one-half furlongs on the dirt scheduled annually in late June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
The event was named after Summerplace Farm's Kelly's Landing, who earned $1,853,831 from a record of 10-3-2 in 27 starts for trainer Eddie Kenneally between 2004 and 2009. [1] The gelding won the six-furlong Grade III Aristides Handicap at Churchill Downs in 2005 by stopping in a track record 1:07.55 which has since been broken. His biggest victory came in the 2007 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Nad Al Sheba in the United Arab Emirates. Kelly's Landing also won the 2006 GIII Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland and 2007 GIII Mr. Prospector Handicap at Gulfstream Park. [2]
The event was inaugurated on June 25, 2010, over a distance of seven furlongs and was won by Brandon L. & Marianne I. Chase's Here Comes Ben, who started as the short 7/10 odds-on favorite winning by a neck in furious fully extended five-wide bid in a time of 1:21.89. [3] Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Alex Solis, it was his third straight win. [4] In his next start he caused a mild upset in winning the Grade I Forego Stakes at Saratoga. [5]
The following year Here Comes Ben returned and convincingly won the event by 3+1⁄4 lengths, this time ridden by veteran jockey Jon Court. [6] Here Comes Ben raced one more time before being retired from and moving on to career in stud, first at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in New York State [7] and later moving to Jamaica where he was a successful sire. [8]
Between 2017 and 2022 the event was run as the Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes. [9]
In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Churchill Downs did not schedule the event in their updated and shortened September meeting. [10]
In 2022 the event's distance was decreased to 6+1⁄2 furlongs. [9]
In 2023 the event was moved to Ellis Park after Churchill Downs closed their spring meeting earlier due to a spate of injuries. [11]
After three runnings of the event with Listed status, in 2025 the event was upgraded to Grade III by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. [12]
Other notable winners of the event include Bango, who has started in the event four times and has won it twice. Bango is the winningest in Churchill Downs history having won twelve times at Churchill Downs. [13] The Maryland-bred Aloha West on his first attempt in the event in 2021 finished fourth to Bango. [14] However, later in the year the horse was brilliant in winning the Grade I Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar. In 2022 Aloha West returned to run in the event and after having a poor start rallied three-wide on the turn and won by a neck as the 9/10 odds-on favorite. [15] Bango finished 4th in the same event. [15] Aloha West would have one more start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland before retiring. [16]
Speed record:
Margins:
Most wins:
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
Most wins by an owner:
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At Churchill Downs – Kelly's Landing Stakes | ||||||||||
| 2024 | Closethegame Sugar | 4 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Adam Rice | Adam Rice & Sugar Diaz | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:14.89 | $235,000 | Listed | [17] |
| At Ellis Park | ||||||||||
| 2023 | Bango | 6 | Tyler Gaffalione | Gregory D. Foley | Tamaroak Partners | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:15.02 | $225,000 | Listed | [18] |
| At Churchill Downs – Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes | ||||||||||
| 2022 | Aloha West | 5 | Joel Rosario | Wayne M. Catalano | Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:15.44 | $120,350 | Listed | [15] |
| 2021 | Bango | 4 | Tyler Gaffalione | Gregory D. Foley | Tamaroak Partners | 7 furlongs | 1:21.25 | $107,025 | [14] | |
| 2020 | Race not held | |||||||||
| 2019 | Line Judge | 5 | Corey Lanerie | Peter Miller | Tom Kagele | 7 furlongs | 1:21.35 | $120,600 | [19] | |
| 2018 | C Z Rocket | 4 | Shaun Bridgmohan | Albert M. Stall Jr. | Frank Fletcher Racing Operations | 7 furlongs | 1:21.51 | $68,130 | [20] | |
| 2017 | Limousine Liberal | 5 | Robby Albarado | Ben Colebrook | Katherine G. Ball | 7 furlongs | 1:23.08 | $70,893 | [21] | |
| Kelly's Landing Stakes | ||||||||||
| 2016 | Alsvid | 7 | Chris Landeros | Chris A. Hartman | Black Hawk Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:22.55 | $64,465 | [22] | |
| 2015 | Viva Majorca | 4 | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Ian R. Wilkes | Marylou Whitney Stables | 7 furlongs | 1:22.12 | $67,750 | [23] | |
| 2014 | Good Lord | 7 | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Forrest H. Kaelin | Thomas D. Shank & Stan Young | 7 furlongs | 1:22.45 | $58,128 | [24] | |
| 2013 | Right to Vote | 4 | Shaun Bridgmohan | Ron Moquett | B J D Thoroughbreds | 7 furlongs | 1:22.44 | $60,325 | [25] | |
| 2012 | Delaunay | 5 | Leandro D. Goncalves | Thomas M. Amoss | Maggi Moss | 7 furlongs | 1:22.77 | $67,000 | [26] | |
| 2011 | Here Comes Ben | 5 | Jon Court | Charlie LoPresti | Brandon L. & Marianne I. Chase | 7 furlongs | 1:22.26 | $76,445 | [6] | |
| 2010 | Here Comes Ben | 4 | Alex Solis | Charlie LoPresti | Brandon L. & Marianne I. Chase | 7 furlongs | 1:21.89 | $65,387 | [3] | |
Benson's pedigree suggests that he has the potential to excel at the highest level. Sired by Here Comes Ben out of First Kiss, Benson has inherited a strong racing tradition from his parents.