Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes

Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes
raced as Ainsworth Turf Sprint Stakes

Class	Grade II
Location	Kentucky Downs Franklin, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated	1998 (as Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes)
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Sponsor	Ainsworth Gaming (2023)
Website	www.kentuckydowns.com
Race information
Distance	6 furlongs
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three years old and older
Weight	Base weights with allowances 4-year-olds and up: 125 lbs. 3-year-olds: 122 lbs.
Purse	$2,000,000 (2024)
Bonuses	Winner automatic entry into Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

The Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes, raced as the Ainsworth Turf Sprint Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three years old or older, over a distance of six furlongs on the turf held annually in September at Kentucky Downs racetrack in Franklin, Kentucky during their short turf meeting. The event currently carries a purse of $2,000,000 which includes $1,000,000 from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.

History

The race was inaugurated in 1998 ^[1] with an attractive purse offered of $100,000. ^[1] The event was raced as the Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes as part of the Kentucky Cup.

The event was not held in 2011 ^[1] and the event renamed in 2016 to the Turf Sprint Stakes

In 2017 the event was upgraded to a Grade III. ^[2]

With the influx of gaming revenue at Kentucky Downs the purse for the event has risen dramatically to nearly $700,000 offered by 2019. ^[1]

Records

Speed record:

• 6 furlongs: 1:07.41 - Bran (FR) (2022) (new track record)
• 6+1⁄2 furlongs: 1:15.72 - Proforma (2018)

Margins:

• 6 lengths – Morluc (2000)

Most wins

• 2 – Hold the Salt (2007, 2008)
• 2 – Gear Jockey (2021, 2023)

Most wins by a jockey

• 4 – Robby Albarado (2000, 2001, 2015, 2016)

Most wins by a trainer

• 3 – George R. Arnold II (2019, 2021, 2023)

Most wins by an owner

• 2 – Cynthia Knight (2007, 2008)
• 2 – Calumet Farm (2021, 2023)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance	Time	Purse	Grade	Ref
Turf Sprint Stakes
2025	Bear River	4	James Graham	J. Keith Desormeaux	Charles K. Marquis	6 furlongs	1:07.71	$1,870,000	II	[3]
2024	Cogburn	5	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Steven M. Asmussen	Clark O. Brewster, William L. & Corinne Heiligbrodt	6 furlongs	1:07.68	$1,797,200	II	[4]
2023	Gear Jockey	6	Jose Lezxano	George R. Arnold II	Calumet Farm	6 furlongs	1:10.59	$998,667	II	[5]
2022	Bran (FR)	4	Vincent Chminaud	John W. Sadler	Hronis Racing	6 furlongs	1:07.41	$648,640	II	[6]
2021	Gear Jockey	4	Jose Lezcano	George R. Arnold II	Calumet Farm	6 furlongs	1:07.90	$995,500	III	[7]
2020	Imprimis	6	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Joseph Orseno	Breeze Easy, LLC	6 furlongs	1:09.93	$588,000	III	[8]
2019	Totally Boss	4	Florent Geroux	George R. Arnold II	Jim & Susan Hill	6 furlongs	1:09.21	$682,800	III	[9]
2018	Proforma	4	Joe Bravo	Michael Stidham	DARRS	6+1⁄2 furlongs	1:15.72	$500,000	III	[10]
2017	Hogy	8	Florent Geroux	Michael J. Maker	Michael M. Hui	6+1⁄2 furlongs	1:16.88	$398,000	III	[11]
2016	Successful Native	5	Robby Albarado	Aubrey A. Maragh	Marco Bommarito	6+1⁄2 furlongs	1:17.51	$309,997	Listed	[12]
Turf Dash Stakes
2015	Sweet Luca	6	Robby Albarado	Chris M. Block	Fortino	6+1⁄2 furlongs	1:19.44	$180,000	Listed	[13]
2014	Dimension (GB)	6	Chris Landeros	Conor Murphy	Riverside Bloodstock	6+1⁄2 furlongs	1:17.16	$136,200		[14]
2013	Longhunter (GB)	5	Alan Garcia	Michael J. Maker	Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey	6 furlongs	1:10.28	$137,050		[15]
2012	Good Lord	5	Gabriel Saez	Forrest Kaelin	Thomas D. Shank & Stan Young	6 furlongs	1:18.58	$59,875		[16]
2011	Race not held
2010	Due Date	5	Tony Farina	Steve Margolis	Bert, Elaine & Richard Klein	6 furlongs	1:16.41	$50,000		[17]
2009	Fort Prado	8	Eduardo E. Perez	Chris M. Block	Team Block	6 furlongs	1:11.49	$50,000		[18]
2008	Hold the Salt	6	Rosemary Homeister Jr.	James A. Dodgen	Cynthia Knight	6 furlongs	1:09.15	$100,000	Listed	[19]
2007	Hold the Salt	5	Charles R. Woods Jr.	James A. Dodgen	Cynthia Knight	6 furlongs	1:09.25	$100,000	Listed	[20]
2006	Atticus Kristy	5	Jesus Lopez Castanon	Merrill R. Scherer	Centaur Farms & Daniel Lynch	6 furlongs	1:12.64	$100,000	Listed	[21]
2005	Durban Thunder (BRZ)	4	Calvin H. Borel	Helen Pitts-Blasi	Stud Raca	6 furlongs	1:10.20	$100,000	Listed	[22]
2004	Battle Won	4	Rafael Bejarano	Charles Simon	Jay Manoogian	6 furlongs	1:10.86	$100,000	Listed	[23]
2003	Fredericktown	4	Rafael Bejarano	Darrin Miller	Silverton Hill	6 furlongs	1:12.59	$100,000	Listed	[24]
2002	Red Lightning	4	Calvin H. Borel	Jeffrey D. Thornbury	Philip S. Maas	6 furlongs	1:14.90	$100,000	Listed	[25]
2001	Amazon River	3	Robby Albarado	Kenneth E. Hoffman	Kenneth E. Hoffman	6 furlongs	1:11.34	$100,000	Listed	[26]
2000	Morluc	4	Robby Albarado	Randy L. Morse	Michael P. Cloonan	6 furlongs	1:09.66	$100,000	Listed	[27]
1999	Run Johnny	7	Pat Day	Morris G. Nicks	John Oakley	6 furlongs	1:11.60	$100,000	Listed	[28]
1998	G H's Pleasure	6	Victor Espinoza	Kenneth E. Hoffman	T. Canonie Jr., K. Hoffman, E. Roy, et al.	6 furlongs	1:09.80	$100,000	Listed	[29]

See also

• List of American and Canadian Graded races

References

1. "Runhappy Turf Sprint Stakes (Gr. 3)". Equibase. 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
2. "KENTUCKY CUP TURF DASH STAKES - MULTIPLE TRACKS". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
3. "2025 Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint Stakes Grade 2 - (race 11)". Equibase. 30 August 2025. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
4. "2024 Ainsworth Turf Sprint Stakes Grade 2 - (race 11)". Equibase. 7 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
5. "2023 Ainsworth Turf Sprint Stakes Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
6. "2022 FanDuel Turf Sprint Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 10 September 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
7. "2021 FanDuel Turf Sprint Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
8. "2020 Runhappy Turf Sprint Stakes Grade 3 - (race 11)". Equibase. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
9. "2019 Runhappy Turf Sprint Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 7 September 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
10. "2018 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint S. Presented by Coca-Cola Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 8 September 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
11. "2017 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 9 September 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
12. "2016 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes Listed - (race 9)". Equibase. 3 September 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
13. "2015 Kentucky Downs Turf Dash Stakes Listed - (race 9)". Equibase. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
14. "2014 Kentucky Downs Turf Dash Stakes Black Type - (race 9)". Equibase. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
15. "2013 Kentucky Downs Turf Dash Stakes Black Type - (race 7)". Equibase. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
16. "2012 Kentucky Downs Turf Dash Stakes Black Type - (race 6)". Equibase. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
17. "2010 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Black Type - (race 10)". Equibase. 11 September 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
18. "2009 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Black Type - (race 10)". Equibase. 19 September 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
19. "2008 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Listed - (race 11)". Equibase. 13 September 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
20. "2007 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Listed - (race 9)". Equibase. 22 September 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
21. "2006 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Listed - (race 2)". Equibase. 26 September 2006. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
22. "2005 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Listed - (race 9)". Equibase. 24 September 2005. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
23. "2004 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Listed - (race 6)". Equibase. 25 September 2004. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
24. "2003 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Listed - (race 6)". Equibase. 20 September 2003. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
25. "2002 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Listed - (race 6)". Equibase. 21 September 2002. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
26. "2001 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Listed - (race 6)". Equibase. 23 September 2001. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
27. "2000 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Listed - (race 8)". Equibase. 23 September 2000. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
28. "1999 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Listed - (race 2)". Equibase. 26 September 1999. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
29. "1998 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Listed - (race 2)". Equibase. 19 September 1998. Retrieved 28 April 2020.