Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes
The Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late September as part of Kentucky Cup Day at Turfway Park in the Cincinnati, Ohio suburb of Florence, Kentucky. A Grade II event for three-year-olds and up, the Kentucky Cup Classic currently offers a purse of $170,000 and is set at a distance of 1 1⁄8 miles on the dirt.
Grade II race | |
Location | Turfway Park Florence, Kentucky, United States |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1994 |
Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
Website | www |
Race information | |
Distance | 1 1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) |
Surface | Polytrack |
Track | left-handed |
Qualification | Three-year-olds and up |
Weight | Handicap |
Purse | $350,000 |
With the support of WinStar Farm, this race was suspended in 2010 due to economic challenges, but returned in 2011.
On August 29, 2017, after having not been run since its "revival" in 2011, 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.[1]
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.[2] 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.[3]
Records
- Time record
- 1:47.43 - Atticus (1996)
- Most wins by an owner
- 2 - Michael Tabor (1995, 2006)
- 2 - Crystal Racing Enterprises and Contreras Stable, Inc. (2019, 2020)
- Most wins by a jockey
- 3 - Pat Day (1994, 1998, 2003)
- Most wins by a trainer
- 3 - Bob Baffert (1997, 1998, 2000)
- 2 - Cipriano Contreras (2019, 2020)
Most wins by a horse
- 2 - Nun the Less (2019, 2020)
Winners of the Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes
Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Nun the Less | 8 | Rodney A. Prescott | Cipriano Contreras | Crystal Racing Enterprises and Contreras Stable, Inc. | 1:48.80 |
2019 | Nun the Less | 7 | Walter De La Cruz | Cipriano Contreras | Crystal Racing Enterprises and Contreras Stable Inc. | 1:50.79 |
2018 | Camelot Kitten | 5 | Rafael Manuel Hernandez | Michael J. Maker | Ramsey, Kenneth L. and Sarah K. | 1:49.76 |
2011 | Future Prospect | 7 | Edgar Prado | Dodson Skaggs | Dodson Skaggs | 1:44.71 |
2010 | No Race | |||||
2009 | Furthest Land | 4 | Garrett Gomez | Michael J. Maker | Ken & Sarah Ramsey | 1:48.41 |
2008 | Zanjero | 4 | Shaun Bridgmohan | Steve Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds | 1:49.27 |
2007 | Hard Spun | 3 | Mario Pino | J. Larry Jones | Fox Hill Farms | 1:48.48 |
2006 | Ball Four | 5 | Willie Martinez | Patrick L. Biancone | M. Tabor / D. Smith | 1:48.29 |
2005 | Shaniko | 4 | Rafael Bejarano | Todd A. Pletcher | Aaron & Marie Jones | 1:49.74 |
2004 | Roses in May | 3 | John R. Velazquez | Dale L. Romans | Ken & Sarah Ramsey | 1:49.13 |
2003 | Perfect Drift | 4 | Pat Day | Murray W. Johnson | Stonecrest Farm | 1:50.43 |
2002 | Pure Prize | 4 | Mike E. Smith | C. R. McGaughey III | Ogden Mills Phipps et al. | 1:51.24 |
2001 | Guided Tour | 5 | Larry Melancon | Niall O'Callaghan | Morton Fink | 1:47.90 |
2000 | Captain Steve | 3 | Shane Sellers | Bob Baffert | Michael E. Pegram | 1:49.95 |
1999 | Da Devil | 4 | Calvin Borel | Forrest Kaelin | Hall, Case, Glasscock et al. | 1:50.54 |
1998 | Silver Charm (DH) | 4 | Gary Stevens | Bob Baffert | Bob & Beverly Lewis | 1:47.48 |
1998 | Wild Rush (DH) | 4 | Pat Day | Patrick B. Byrne | Stronach Stables | 1:47.48 |
1997 | Semoran | 4 | Kent Desormeaux | Bob Baffert | Donald R. Dizney | 1:48.08 |
1996 | Atticus | 4 | Corey Nakatani | Richard Mandella | La Presle Farm | 1:47.43 |
1995 | Thunder Gulch | 3 | Gary Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | Michael Tabor | 1:49.42 |
1994 | Tabasco Cat | 3 | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook / D. P. Reynolds | 1:50.32 |
References
- "Turfway Moves Spiral Day, Updates Stakes Schedule". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
- "Nun the Less Outruns Somelikeithotbrown in Kentucky Cup". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
- "Future Prospect Caps Memorable Kentucky Cup". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2020-04-09.