Pocahontas Stakes

The Pocahontas Stakes is a Grade II race held in September at Louisville, Kentucky's Churchill Downs fall meet. Open to two-year-old Thoroughbred fillies, it is set at a distance of ​1 1⁄16 miles on the dirt. The race was upgraded from a Grade III race to a Grade II race in 2010 by the American Graded Stakes Committee.[2]

Pocahontas Stakes
Grade II race
LocationChurchill Downs
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated1969
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Websitewww.churchilldowns.com
Race information
Distance​1 1⁄16 miles
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationTwo-years-old fillies
WeightAssigned
PurseUS$200,000 (since 2014)[1]

The race was first held on Thanksgiving Day in 1969 and was fittingly named for Pocahontas, the daughter of Native-American chief Powhatan, who aided the early American settlers. The stakes race remained as a Thanksgiving Day event until 1982 when it was moved to the early weeks of the Fall Meet.

The new scheduling allowed the Pocahontas to become a major prep for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. It is a "Win and You're In" race in the Breeders' Cup Challenge series.[3]

The distance of the race originated at 7 furlongs and was run at that distance for the first 13 years from 1969 to 1981. The distance was changed to one mile beginning in 1982 and continued at that distance through 2012. In 2013, the distance was changed to ​1 1⁄16 miles.[1]

The Pocahontas is the first step on the annual Road to the Kentucky Oaks, a points system to qualify for the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs in the spring of the following year.[4]

Records
Speed record
  • ​1 1⁄16 miles - 1:44.38 Untapable (2013)
  • 1 mile - 1:34.57 - Sara Louise (2008)
Most wins by a jockey
  • 7 - Pat Day (1983 div.1, 1983 div.2, 1984, 1987, 1994, 1995, 2004)
Most wins by a trainer
  • 3 - Dale L. Romans (2008, 2009, 2014)
  • 3 - D. Wayne Lukas (1988, 1994, 2003)
  • 3 - Pete Vestal (1991, 1996, 1997)
Most wins by an owner
  • 3 - Wilmott Stables (1991, 1996, 1997)

Winners of the Pocahontas Stakes since 1992
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
 Distance
 Time
 Purse
 Grade
2017 Patrona Margarita 2 Brian Hernandez, Jr. W. Bret Calhoun Craig D. Upham ​1 1⁄16 mile 1:46.35 $200,000 II
2016 Daddys Lil Darling 2 Corey J. Lanerie Kenneth G. McPeek Normandy Farm ​1 1⁄16 mile 1:47.19 $200,000 II
2015 Dothraki Queen 2 Corey J. Lanerie Kenneth G. McPeek Magdalena Racing ​1 1⁄16 mile 1:45.80 $200,000 II
2014 Cristina's Journey 2 Miguel Mena Dale L. Romans GSN Racing, LLC. ​1 1⁄16 mile 1:46.37 $231,000 II
2013 Untapable 2 Rosie Napravnik Steven Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds ​1 1⁄16 mile 1:44.38 $168,150 II
2012 Sign 2 Rosie Napravnik Albert Stall Jr. Claiborne Farm/Dilschneider 1 mile 1:38.63 $168,150 II
2011 On Fire Baby 2 Joe Johnson Gary Hartlage Anita Cauley 1 mile 1:37.17 $173,400 II
2010 Dancinginherdreams 2 Julien Leparoux John Ward Jr. John Oxley 1 mile 1:38.59 $165,450 II
2009 Sassy Image 2 Robby Albarado Dale L. Romans Jerry Romans, Jr. 1 mile 1:38.62 $115,900 III
2008 Sara Louise 2 Robby Albarado Dale L. Romans Eldon Farm 1 mile 1:34.57 $110,400 III
2007 Pure Clan 2 Julien Leparoux Robert E. Holthus Lewis G. Lakin 1 mile 1:38.30 $185,700 III
2006 Change Up 2 Garrett Gomez Steven Flint Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein 1 mile 1:35.97 $114,300 III
2005 French Park 2 Mark Guidry Helen Pitts Steve Stan Stables 1 mile 1:37.19 $120,600 III
2004 Punch Appeal 2 Pat Day Steve Asmussen Heiligbrodt Racing 1 mile 1:37.77 $109,500 NG
2003 Stellar Jayne 2 Cornelio Velasquez D. Wayne Lukas Spendthrift Farm 1 mile 1:38.97 $112,300 NG
2002 Belle of Perintown 2 Mark Guidry Eddie Kenneally Ken Mahler & Jamie Schloss 1 mile 1:36.52 $111,100 NG
2001 Lotta Rhythm 2 Marlon St. Julien Hal R. Wiggins Dolphus Morrison 1 mile 1:37.96 $111,500 NG
2000 Unbridled Elaine 2 Shane Sellers Dallas Stewart Roger J. Devenport 1 mile 1:34.82 $113,000 NG
1999 Crown of Crimson 2 Robby Albarado Bob Baffert Golden Eagle Farm 1 mile 1:37.81 $112,600 NG
1998 The Happy Hopper 2 Willie Martinez Robert E. Holthus Kerry & Linda Ozment 1 mile 1:37.73 $113,300 NG
1997 Mission Park 2 Calvin Borel Pete Vestal Willmott Stables 1 mile 1:38.55 $113,600 NG
1996 Water Street 2 Craig Peret Pete Vestal Willmott Stables 1 mile 1:36.90 $112,800 NG
1995 Birr 2 Pat Day Elliott Walden Prestonwood Farm 1 mile 1:36.84 $113,200 NG
1994 Minister Wife 2 Pat Day D. Wayne Lukas Fares Farm 1 mile 1:38.64 $112,900 NG
1993 At The Half 2 Shane Sellers Carl E. Bowman Wayne G. Lyster, III 1 mile 1:38.13 $116,400 NG
1992 Coni Bug 2 Shane Sellers Anthony Granitz Wheeler Farm 1 mile 1:37.85 $84,150 NG

Earlier winners

The race was run in two divisions in 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983.[5]

  • 1991 - Fretina
  • 1990 - Middlefork Rapids
  • 1989 - Crowned
  • 1988 - Solid Eight
  • 1987 - Epitome
  • 1986 - Bestofbothworlds
  • 1985 - Prime Union
  • 1984 - Gallant Libby
  • 1983 - Geevilla
  • 1983 - Flippers
  • 1982 - Brindy Brindy
  • 1982 - Weekend Surprise
  • 1981 - Majestic Gold
  • 1981 - Taylor Park
  • 1980 - Kathy T.
  • 1980 - Masters Dream
  • 1979 - Dancing Blade
  • 1978 - Star Clock
  • 1978 - Safe
  • 1977 - Plains and Simple
  • 1977 - Rainy Princess
  • 1976 - Sweet Alliance
  • 1976 - Ciao
  • 1975 - Alvarada
  • 1974 - My Juliet
  • 1973 - Fairway Fable
  • 1973 - Shoo Dear
  • 1972 - Vaguely Familiar
  • 1971 - Candid Catherine
  • 1970 - Fair Ye Well
  • 1969 - Artists Proof

See also

References
  1. "Pocahontas Stakes Profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  2. Two Fewer Graded Stakes in 2010
  3. "2016 Breeders' Cup Challenge Features 59 Grade/Group 1 Races in 12 Countries". breederscup.com. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  4. "Sam F. Davis Joins 'Road to Kentucky Derby'". Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  5. "Pocahontas Stakes (Gr. 2) - List of winners". Equibase. 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
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