Ben Ali Stakes

The Ben Ali Stakes is an American race for thoroughbred horses run in the Spring of each year at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. For 4-year-olds and up, it is a Grade III event set at a distance of one mile and one eighth mile on the dirt. In its 87th running in 2017, it currently offers a purse of $200,000.

This article is about the horse race at Keeneland known as the Ben Ali Stakes. For another race at Lexington Race Course with a similar name, see Ben Ali Handicap.
Ben Ali Stakes
Grade III race
LocationLexington, Kentucky
Inaugurated1917
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Race information
Distance​1 1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationFour-year-olds & up
Purse$200,000 (2016)

According to the official history at Keeneland racetrack, the Ben Ali (pronounced Ah-Lie) is named for James Ben Ali Haggin (1822-1914), a lawyer who made a fortune during the California Gold Rush and who used much of that money to create the biggest horse breeding farm in the world: the Rancho Del Paso near Sacramento, California. He also owned Elmendorf Farm in Lexington, Kentucky with its thousands of acres of prime Kentucky bluegrass. Haggin became a noteworthy breeder of great racehorses and a fervent supporter of the sport. Haggin owned the Hall of Famers, Salvator and the filly, Firenzi.

The first running of the Ben Ali took place in 1917 at the Lexington Race Course where it was raced through 1932 after which the track closed.[1] It did not run again until it was revived at Keeneland in 1937.

Decidedly, the winner of the 1962 Kentucky Derby, won this race in 1963, and Pistols and Roses in 1994.

Records
Speed record
  • 1:46.78 Midway Road (2004) (new stakes and track record)
  • 1:46.77 Wise Dan (2012) set polytrack record.

Winners since 1993
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
 Time
2019 Bourbon Resolution 4 Chris Landeros Ian R. Wilkes Bourbon Lane Stable 1:50.82
2018 Rated R Superstar 5 Javier Castellano Kiaran P. McLaughlin Radar Racing LLC 1:49.31
2017 Watershed 5 Paco Lopez Kiaran P. McLaughlin Godolphin Racing, LLC 1:50.92
2016 Eagle 4 Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. Neil J. Howard W.S. Farish 1:48.57
2015 Protonico 4 Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher Sumaya U.S. Stable 1:48.79
2014 Frac Daddy 4 Alan Garcia Kenneth G. McPeek Magic City Thoroughbreds 1:49.61
2013 Successful Dan 6 Joel Rosario Claude R. McGaughey III Phipps Stable 1:51.14
2012 Wise Dan 5 John Velazquez Charles LoPresti Morton Fink 1:46.63
2011 Exhi 4 Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher Wertheimer et Frere 1:48.14
2010 Dubious Miss 6 Calvin Borel Paul McGee David P. Holloway 1:49.60
2009 Parading 6 Kent Desormeaux C. R. McGaughey III Phipps Stable 1:47.82
2008 Sterwins 5 Shaun Bridgmohan Malcolm Pierce Melnyk Racing 1:48.53
2007 Jade's Revenge 4 Kent Desormeaux H. Graham Motion Bushwood Stable 1:49.93
2006 Wanderin Boy 5 Javier Castellano Nick Zito Arthur B. Hancock III 1:49.18
2005 Alumni Hall 6 Robby Albarado Neil J. Howard William S. Farish III 1:51.29
2004 Midway Road 4 Robby Albarado Neil J. Howard William S. Farish III 1:46.78
2003 Mineshaft 4 Robby Albarado Neil J. Howard William S. Farish III et al. 1:48.52
2002 Duckhorn 5 Jorge F. Chavez Patrick B. Byrne Michael B. Tabor 1:50.18
2001 Broken Vow 4 Edgar Prado H. Graham Motion Pin Oak Stable 1:48.47
2000 Midway Magistrate 6 Shane Sellers Rick Hiles BMH Stable 1:49.00
1999 Jazz Club 4 Pat Day Neil J. Howard W. S. Farish/J. Jamail 1:48.00
1998 Storm Broker 4 Robby Albarado James E. Baker Woodlynn Farm 1:48.20
1997 Louis Quatorze 4 Pat Day Nick Zito William J. Condren et al. 1:49.60
1996 Knockadoon 4 Jerry Bailey Anthony Reinstedler William K. Warren, Jr. 1:48.80
1995 Wildly Joyous 4 Mickey Walls James E. Baker Woodlynn Farm 1:49.60
1994 Pistols and Roses 5 Mike E. Smith George Gianos Willis Family Stables, Inc. 1:51.60
1993 Sunny Sunrise 6 Rick Wilson Bud Delp Harry Meyerhoff 1:48.80
gollark: We should license it under all licenses simultaneously.
gollark: What do they taste like? I'm in the ÜK so I've never tried any.
gollark: Wait, would #8 pass if we closed it?
gollark: Huuuuh.
gollark: No. We use base 10 here.

References
  1. "Tim Talbott, "Keeneland," ExploreKYHistory". Kentucky Historical Society. 2019-12-18. Retrieved 2019-12-18.
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