Kentucky Turf Cup

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Kentucky Turf Cup
Grade II race
Location Kentucky Downs
Franklin, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated1990 (as Sam Houston Stakes)
Race type ThoroughbredFlat racing
Sponsor FanDuel Racing (since 2023)
Website Kentucky Downs
Race information
Distance1+12 miles
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-year-olds and older
WeightBase weights with allowances:
4-year-olds and up: 126 lbs.
3-year-olds: 122 lbs.
PurseUS$2,000,000 (since 2024)
BonusesWinner automatic entry into Breeders' Cup Turf

The Kentucky Turf Cup is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older, over a distance of 1+12 miles 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.

Contents

History

The event was inaugurated on 22 April 1990 as the Sam Houston Stakes on the first ever meeting at the new track, then the Duelling Grounds Racecourse. [1] The race was in honor of Sam Houston, who took part in a duel on the site of where the racetrack is located near the border of Kentucky and Tennessee. [2] The following year, the event was renamed the Sam Houston Handicap, and conditions were changed to a handicap. [3] [4]

In 1996 and 1997, the event was not held because the track was shut down and in bankruptcy proceedings. [5]

When the track reopened in 1998, the race was renamed the Kentucky Cup Turf Handicap as part of the Kentucky Cup Turf Festival. In 2001, the event was classified as a Grade III. [6]

In 2019, the purse was increased to $1,000,000. [6]

In 2021, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association upgraded the event to a Grade II. [7] For the 2021 running, Kentucky Downs renamed the event The Calumet Turf Cup, which Calumet Farm sponsors. [8] The event winner, Imperador, set a new track record for the distance of 2:25.70. [9]

Records

Speed record
Margins
Most wins
Most wins by an owner
Most wins by a jockey
Most wins by a trainer

Winners

YearWinnerAgeJockeyTrainerOwnerDistanceTimePurseGradeRef
Kentucky Turf Cup
2024Grand Sonata5 Tyler Gaffalione Todd A. Pletcher Whisper Hill Farm1+12 miles2:24.93$1,995,000II [10]
2023Get Smokin6Fernando De La Cruz Mark E. Casse Ironhorse Racing Stable, BlackRidge Stables, T-N-T Equine Holdings & Saratoga Seven Racing Partners1+12 miles2:28.66$1,675,429II [11]
2022Red Knight8Gerardo Corrales Michael J. Maker Trinity Farm1+12 miles2:26.96$694,180II [12]
Calumet Turf Cup
2021Imperador (ARG)5 Joseph Talamo Paulo LoboBonne Chance Farm and Stud R D I1+12 miles2:25.10$715,105II [9]
Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes
2020Arklow6 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger & Peter Coneway1+12 miles2:28.66$910,000III [13]
2019 Zulu Alpha 6 Jose L. Ortiz Michael J. Maker Michael M. Hui1+12 miles2:28.62$986,500III [14]
2018Arklow4 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger & Peter Coneway1+12 miles2:30.56$746,500III [15]
2017Oscar Nominated4 Julien R. Leparoux Michael J. Maker Ken & Sarah Ramsey 1+12 miles2:31.37$594,000III [16]
2016Da Big Hoss5 Florent Geroux Michael J. Maker Skychai Racing (Harvey Diamond & Jim Shircliff)1+12 miles2:35.08$594,180III [17]
2015Da Big Hoss4Joseph Rocco Jr. Michael J. Maker Skychai Racing (Harvey Diamond & Jim Shircliff)1+12 miles2:33.40$600,000III [18]
2014Suntracer6 Florent Geroux Chris M. BlockTeam Block1+12 miles2:27.12$347,400III [19]
2013Temeraine4 Gary L. Stevens Thomas F. Proctor Niall Racing (Timothy B. & Patrick F. Turney)1+12 miles2:29.18$399,000III [20]
2012Ioya Bigtime8Jeffrey SanchezChris M. BlockRobert E. Courtney Jr.1+12 miles2:30.06$200,000III [21]
2011Rahystrada7Greta KuntzweilerByron G. HughesRobert E. Courtney Jr.1+12 miles2:32.40$150,000III [22]
2010Rezif5Greta KuntzweilerMatthew JacobsonDonald Sexton, Matthew Jacobson & Thomas Baughman1+12 miles2:44.74$150,000III [23]
2009 Cloudy's Knight 9 Rosemary Homeister Jr. Jonathan E. Sheppard S J Stables (Shirley & Jerrold Schwartz)1+12 miles2:33.96$150,000III [24]
2008Rumor Has It7Eduardo E. PerezDavid H. HinsleyWilliam S. Patterson & James F. Glenn1+12 miles2:28.27$200,000III [25]
2007General Jumbo (GB) 5 Jeremy Rose H. Graham Motion Thomas Conway1+12 miles2:26.98$200,000III [26]
2006Embossed (IRE) 4 Larry Melancon Niall M. O'Callaghan Gary A. Tanaka 1+12 miles2:36.92$200,000III [27]
2005Silverfoot5 Rafael Bejarano Dallas Stewart Chrysalis Stables (Stephanie S. Clark)1+12 miles2:30.30$200,000III [28]
Kentucky Turf Cup Handicap
2004Sabiango (GER) 6 Brice Blanc Tim Yakteen Monty Roberts 1+12 miles2:33.70$200,000III [29]
2003† Rochester7Eddie Martin Jr. Jonathan E. Sheppard Augustin Stable 1+12 miles2:31.39$200,000III [30]
2002Rochester6Eddie Martin Jr. Jonathan E. Sheppard Augustin Stable 1+12 miles2:38.28$300,000III [31]
2001Chorwon8 Jon Court Hal R. WigginsPhoebe Ann Mueller1+12 miles2:28.68$300,000III [32]
2000Down the Aisle7 Robby Albarado William I. Mott Charles H. Deters1+12 miles2:27.70$300,000Listed [33]
1999Fahris (IRE) 5 Shane Sellers Kiaran P. McLaughlin Shadwell Stable 1+12 miles2:29.60$300,000Listed [34]
1998Yaqthan (IRE) 8Brian Dale PeckAnthony L. ReinstedlerMerdonmar Stable (Sheikh Abdullah Majid Al Qasin)1+12 miles2:27.60$300,000Listed [35]
1996–1997Race not held
Sam Houston Handicap
1995Lassigny4 Pat Day William I. Mott Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer abt. 1+12 miles2:30.60$250,000Listed [36]
1994Lindon Lime4 Shane Sellers W. Elliott Walden Frank ManseIIabt. 1+12 miles2:31.40$300,000Listed [37]
1993Know Heights (IRE) 4 Kent Desormeaux Robert B. Hess Jr.Mike H. Sloan, et al.abt. 1+12 miles2:25.60$300,000Listed [38]
1992Drummer Boy4 Garrett Gomez Dennis W. EbertElise M. Ebert & Eleanore Cohenabt. 1+12 miles2:28.40$300,000Listed [39]
1991Silver Medallion5 Craig Perret Philip M. Hauswald John A. Franks abt. 1+12 miles2:31.30$200,000Listed [3]
1990Slow Fuse6 Randy P. Romero J. Bert Sonnier Saron Stableabt. 1+12 miles2:33.60$250,000 [1]

Notes:
† In the 2003 running, Art Variety was first past the post but was disqualified for interference in the straight and placed third. Rochester was declared the winner.


See also

List of American and Canadian Graded races

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References

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