Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes

Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes
Grade III race
LocationTurfway Park
Florence, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated1994
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Websitewww.turfway.com
Race information
Distance1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs)
SurfacePolytrack
Trackleft-handed
QualificationThree-year-olds and up
WeightStakes allowance
Purse$300,000 (since 2023)

The Kentucky Cup Classic Stakesis a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for four-year-olds and older over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles on the polytrack track scheduled annually in late March at Turfway Park in the Cincinnati, Ohio suburb of Florence, Kentucky. The event currently offers a purse of $300,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event was held on September 24, 1994, and was won by the 1994 Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes winning Tabasco Cat. He was ridden by ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day and trained by US Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.[1]

The following year the event was held under handicap conditions.[2]

In 1996 the event was upgraded to Grade III status.[3]

With the continual high purses which attracted quality runners the event was upgraded in 1999 to Grade II.[4]

With the support of WinStar Farm, this race was suspended in 2010 due to economic challenges, but returned in 2011 and held at a shorter distance of 1+1⁄16 miles.[4]

On August 29, 2017, after having not been run since its "revival" in 2011 and losing its graded status, general manager Daniel "Chip" Bach announced the Kentucky Cup Classic would return once again in 2018. The race was run on the Spiral Stakes undercard in March.[5]

In 2020, Nun the Less, a gelding son of Candy Ride, became the first horse to win the race twice, having won it the first time the previous year. He also became the oldest horse to win the race, winning in 2020 at age 8.[6] Future Prospect, a son of Giant's Causeway's full-brother Freud, had previously been the oldest horse to win, having won in 2011 at age 7.[7]

In 2024 the event was upgraded back to Grade III by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.[8]

Records

Time record
  • 1:47.43 - Atticus (1996)
Margins

Most wins by a horse

  • 2 - Nun the Less (2019, 2020)
Most wins by an owner
Most wins by a jockey
Most wins by a trainer

Winners

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes
2024 Cellist 6 Luis Saez George R. Arnold II Calumet Farm 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.33 $292,000 III [9]
2023 Wolfie's Dynaghost 5 John R. Velazquez Jonathan Thomas Woodslane Farm 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.09 $299,600 Listed [10]
2022 King Cause 7 Manuel Franco Michael J. Maker Nice Guys Stables 1+1⁄8 miles 1:48.63 $247,500 Listed [11]
2021 Visitant 5 Deshawn Parker William E. Morey Williamson Racing 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.12 $139,700 Listed [12]
2020 Nun the Less 8 Rodney A. Prescott Cipriano Contreras Crystal Racing Enterprises & Contreras Stable 1+1⁄8 miles 1:48.80 $140,700 [13]
2019 Nun the Less 7 Walter De La Cruz Cipriano Contreras Crystal Racing Enterprises & Contreras Stable 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.79 $100,000 [14]
2018 Camelot Kitten 5 Rafael M. Hernandez Michael J. Maker Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.76 $100,000 [15]
2012–2017 Race not held
Kentucky Cup Stakes
2011 Future Prospect 7 Edgar Prado Dodson Skaggs Dodson Skaggs 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.71 $169,999 II [16]
2010 Race not held
Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes
2009 Furthest Land 4 Garrett Gomez Michael J. Maker Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey 1+1⁄8 miles 1:48.41 $195,000 II [17]
2008 Zanjero 4 Shaun Bridgmohan Steven M. Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.27 $350,000 II [18]
2007 Hard Spun 3 Mario Pino J. Larry Jones Fox Hill Farms 1+1⁄8 miles 1:48.48 $402,500 II [19]
2006 Ball Four 5 Willie Martinez Patrick L. Biancone Derrick Smith & Michael Tabor 1+1⁄8 miles 1:48.29 $350,000 II [20]
2005 Shaniko 4 Rafael Bejarano Todd A. Pletcher Aaron & Marie Jones 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.74 $342,500 II [21]
Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap
2004 Roses in May 4 John R. Velazquez Dale L. Romans Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.13 $350,000 II [22]
2003 Perfect Drift 4 Pat Day Murray W. Johnson Stonecrest Farm 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.43 $350,000 II [23]
2002 Pure Prize 4 Mike E. Smith Claude R. McGaughey III Ogden Mills Phipps et al. 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.24 $400,000 II [24]
2001 Guided Tour 5 Larry Melancon Niall O'Callaghan Morton Fink 1+1⁄8 miles 1:47.90 $400,000 II [25]
2000 Captain Steve 3 Shane Sellers Bob Baffert Michael E. Pegram 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.95 $500,000 II [26]
1999 Da Devil 4 Calvin Borel Forrest Kaelin Hall, Case, Glasscock et al. 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.54 $500,000 II [27]
1998 Silver Charm 4 Gary Stevens Bob Baffert Bob & Beverly Lewis 1+1⁄8 miles 1:47.48 $500,000 III Dead heat[28]
Wild Rush 4 Pat Day Patrick B. Byrne Stronach Stables
1997 Semoran 4 Kent Desormeaux Bob Baffert Donald R. Dizney 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.54 $380,000 III [29]
1996 Atticus 4 Corey Nakatani Richard Mandella La Presle Farm 1+1⁄8 miles 1:47.43 $490,000 III [30]
1995 Thunder Gulch 3 Gary Stevens D. Wayne Lukas Michael Tabor 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.42 $396,000 Listed [2]
Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes
1994 Tabasco Cat 3 Pat Day D. Wayne Lukas Overbrook Farm & David P. Reynolds 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.42 $376,000 Listed [1]

Legend:
  All Weather Track   Dirt

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "1994 Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Listed) – (race 10)". Equibase. 23 September 1994. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b "1995 Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (Listed) – (race 10)". Equibase. 23 September 1995. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  3. ^ "KENTUCKY CUP CLASSIC STAKES - MULTIPLE TRACKS". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  4. ^ a b "TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes". Equibase. 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Turfway Moves Spiral Day, Updates Stakes Schedule". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  6. ^ "Nun the Less Outruns Somelikeithotbrown in Kentucky Cup". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  7. ^ "Future Prospect Caps Memorable Kentucky Cup". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  8. ^ "Graded Stakes Committee Cuts Number of Graded Stakes; One race was elevated to a grade 1: the Franklin-Simpson Stakes at Kentucky Downs". Bloodhorse.com. Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. 16 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  9. ^ "2024 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Listed) – (race 10)". Equibase. 23 March 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  10. ^ "2023 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Listed) – (race 10)". Equibase. 25 March 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  11. ^ "2022 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Listed) – (race 10)". Equibase. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  12. ^ "2021 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Listed) – (race 9)". Equibase. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  13. ^ "2020 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Black Type) – (race 9)". Equibase. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  14. ^ "2019 Kubota Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Black Type) – (race 9)". Equibase. 9 March 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  15. ^ "2018 Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Black Type) – (race 8)". Equibase. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  16. ^ "2011 WinStar Kentucky Cup Stakes (Grade II) – (race 10)". Equibase. 24 September 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  17. ^ "2009 Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Grade II) – (race 12)". Equibase. 26 September 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  18. ^ "2008 Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Grade II) – (race 10)". Equibase. 27 September 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  19. ^ "2007 Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Grade II) – (race 10)". Equibase. 29 September 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  20. ^ "2006 Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Grade II) – (race 8)". Equibase. 30 September 2006. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  21. ^ "2005 Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Grade II) – (race 11)". Equibase. 17 September 2005. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  22. ^ "2004 Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (Grade II) – (race 11)". Equibase. 18 September 2004. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  23. ^ "2003 Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (Grade II) – (race 11)". Equibase. 13 September 2003. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  24. ^ "2002 Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (Grade II) – (race 13)". Equibase. 14 September 2002. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  25. ^ "2001 Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (Grade II) – (race 12)". Equibase. 22 September 2001. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  26. ^ "2000 Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (Grade II) – (race 10)". Equibase. 22 September 2000. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  27. ^ "1999 Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (Grade II) – (race 10)". Equibase. 25 September 1999. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  28. ^ "1998 Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (Grade III) – (race 10)". Equibase. 26 September 1998. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  29. ^ "1997 Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (Grade III) – (race 10)". Equibase. 13 September 1997. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  30. ^ "1996 Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (Grade III) – (race 10)". Equibase. 21 September 1996. Retrieved 25 December 2023.