Stephen Foster Handicap - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Stephen Foster Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...

run in mid-June near the end of the Churchill Downs

Churchill Downs

Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...

Spring Meet in Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...

. The race is named in honor of famed composer Stephen Foster

Stephen Foster

Stephen Collins Foster , known as the "father of American music", was the pre-eminent songwriter in the United States of the 19th century...

, who wrote numerous melodies including "My Old Kentucky Home

My Old Kentucky Home

"My Old Kentucky Home" is a minstrel song by Stephen Foster , probably composed in 1852. It was published as "My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night" in January 1853 by Firth, Pond, & Co. of New York...

" which is the song that is annually played as the Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...

field parades on the track.

The Stephen Foster Handicap was created in 1982, for three-year-olds and up and is run on the dirt at a distance of one and one-eighth miles. It has progressed from Grade III

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

status in 1988 to Grade II in 1995 and is a Grade I event since 2002. The race now serves as the only Grade I stakes held at Churchill Downs during the Spring Meet outside of Derby Week's running of the Kentucky Oaks

Kentucky Oaks

The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers 1⅛ miles at Churchill Downs; the horses carry 121 pounds . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year...

, Woodford Reserve Turf Classic and the Kentucky Derby. The race had been restricted to horses four years of age an older in 1983 and from 1985 through 1987. Currently offering a purse of $600,000 added, the race draws some of the top older horses from various parts of the United States.

The 2006 edition of the Stephen Foster Handicap produced its biggest upset ever when jockey Calvin Borel

Calvin Borel

Calvin H. Borel is an American jockey in thoroughbred horse racing and rode the victorious mount in the 2007 Kentucky Derby, the 2009 Kentucky Derby and the 2010 Kentucky Derby...

aboard 91-1 longshot Seek Gold defeated the favored 2003 winner, Perfect Drift

Perfect Drift

Perfect Drift, is an American thoroughbred gelding racehorse. He is sired by the leading stud, Dynaformer, out of the Naskra mare, Nice Gal....

. http://www.ntra.com/races.aspx?id=18172

Three horses used victories in the Stephen Foster as part of their resumes in Horse of the Year campaigns. The three are Black Tie Affair (1991), Saint Liam (2005) and Curlin (2008). Three horses have won the Stephen Foster and the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the same year. Black Tie Affair (1991) and Awesome Again (1998) won both races at Churchill Downs. Saint Liam won his running of the Classic at Belmont Park. Curlin (2008) carried the highest impost of any Stephen Foster winner: 128 pounds. Colonial Colony (2004) carried the lightest winning Foster impost at 111 pounds.

Records

Speed record:

1:47.28 - Victory Gallop
Victory Gallop
Victory Gallop was an American-based Thoroughbred racehorse. As a three-year-old he won the Belmont Stakes denying Real Quiet the Triple Crown...

(1999)

Most wins:

Vodika Collins (1982, 1983)
Recoup the Cash (1994, 1995)

Most wins by a jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

:

3 - Robby Albarado
Robby Albarado
Robby J. Albarado is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He began riding at the age of 12 at bush tracks in his native Louisiana and after turning professional, earned his first win at Evangeline Downs in 1990...

(2007, 2008, 2009)
3 - Pat Day
Pat Day
Patrick Alan "Pat" Day is an American jockey. He is a four-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1991...

(1985, 1998, 2003)

Most wins by a trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

:

2 - Forrest Kaelin (1982, 1983)
2 - Jere Smith, Jr. (1994, 1995)
2 - Patrick B. Byrne
Patrick B. Byrne
Patrick B. Byrne is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer who has won three Breeders' Cup races and who in 1997 conditioned Favorite Trick to American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and American Horse of the Year honors and Countess Diana to American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly honors.A native of...

(1997, 1998)

Most wins by an owner:

2 - M.B. Collins (1982, 1983)
2 - Richard E. Trebat (1994, 1995)
2 - Stronach Stables
Stronach Stables
Stronach Stables is the North American racing arm of prominent Thoroughbred horse racing owner and breeder, Frank Stronach.The Stronach racing operation has owned and raced notable Thoroughbreds Glorious Song, Touch Gold and Giacomo in partnership with others...

(1998, 2000)
2 - West Point Thoroughbreds (2007, 2009)

Winners of the Stephen Foster Handicap since 1982

{| class = "wikitable sortable" | border="2" cellpadding="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size:90%"
|- bgcolor="#DACAA5" align="center"
| width="42px" | Year

| width="110px" | Winner

| width="32px" | Age

| width="110px" | Jockey

| width="125px" | Trainer

| width="198px" | Owner

| width="60px" | Distance
(Miles)

| width="50px" | Time

| width="60px" | Purse

| width="38px" | Grade

|-{| class="wikitable"
|-
| align=center|2011
| Pool Play
| align=center|6
| Miguel Mena
| Mark E. Casse
| William S. Farish, Jr.
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:50.52
| align=center|$561,300
| align=center|I
|-
| align=center|2010
| Blame

Blame (horse)

Blame is a bay homebred colt owned by Claiborne Farm in association with Adele B. Dilschneider. He was sired by Claiborne's Arch out of the Seeking the Gold mare Liable. He was trained during his racing career by Al Stall Jr., and partnered with veteran jockey Garrett Gomez during his 2010...

Claiborne Farm

Claiborne Farm is a thoroughbred Horse breeding operation in near Paris, Kentucky. It was established in 1910, by Arthur B. Hancock, owner of Ellerslie Farm in Albemarle County, Virginia, and has been operated by members of his family ever since.-Owners:...

/Dilschneider
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.37
| align=center|$671,700
| align=center|I
|-
| align=center|2009
| Macho Again

Macho Again

Macho Again is a retired American thoroughbred stallion racehorse. He was sired by the 2000 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Macho Uno, who in turn was a son of leading sire Holy Bull. He is out of the mare Go Donna Go, who is the daughter of Wild Again.Macho Again got his start as a...

| align=center|4
| Robby Albarado

Robby Albarado

Robby J. Albarado is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He began riding at the age of 12 at bush tracks in his native Louisiana and after turning professional, earned his first win at Evangeline Downs in 1990...

| Dallas Stewart

Dallas Stewart

Dallas Stewart trains a string of thoroughbred horses in Kentucky from bases at Churchill Downs, Turfway Park, Keeneland Race Course, Fair Grounds Race Course, Arlington Park and Saratoga Race Course. Before venturing out on his own, he spent 12 years working under the tutelage of leading trainer...

| West Point Thoroughbreds
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.75
| align=center|$660,000
| align=center|I
|-
| align=center|2008
| Curlin
| align=center|4
| Robby Albarado

Robby Albarado

| Steve Asmussen

Steve Asmussen

Steven Mark Asmussen is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. Born into a horse racing family, his parents, Keith and Marilyn "Sis" Asmussen, are both trainers who operate El Primero Training Center off the Mines Road in Laredo, the seat of Webb County in south Texas...

| Stonestreet Stables et al.
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.68
| align=center|$1,000,000
| align=center|I
|-
| align=center|2007
| Flashy Bull

Flashy Bull

Flashy Bull by Jerry and Liz Squyres at Crowning Point Farm in Paris, Kentucky is an American thoroughbred stallion racehorse. He was sired by the 1994 U.S...

| align=center|4
| Robby Albarado

Robby Albarado

| Kiaran McLaughlin

Kiaran McLaughlin

Kiaran P. McLaughlin is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He currently has a blog website, at http://kiaranmclaughlin.com where he updates what horses he has racing for that particular day...

| West Point Thoroughbreds
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:48.63
| align=center|$829,500
| align=center|I
|-
| align=center|2006
| Seek Gold
| align=center|6
| Calvin Borel

Calvin Borel

Calvin H. Borel is an American jockey in thoroughbred horse racing and rode the victorious mount in the 2007 Kentucky Derby, the 2009 Kentucky Derby and the 2010 Kentucky Derby...

| Ronald Moquett
| Bowman Couch Racing, LLC
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.24
| align=center|$844,500
| align=center|I
|-
| align=center|2005
| Saint Liam

Saint Liam

Saint Liam was an American thoroughbred racehorse who was voted 2005 Eclipse Award Horse of the Year honors....

| align=center|5
| Edgar Prado
| Robert J. Frankel
| M/M William Warren, Jr.
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:47.52
| align=center|$828,000
| align=center|I
|-
| align=center|2004
| Colonial Colony
| align=center|6
| Rafael Bejarano
| Walter Binder, Jr.
| Lakeside Farms, LLC (Chris Nolan)
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:50.40
| align=center|$893,725
| align=center|I
|-
| align=center|2003
| Perfect Drift

Perfect Drift

Perfect Drift, is an American thoroughbred gelding racehorse. He is sired by the leading stud, Dynaformer, out of the Naskra mare, Nice Gal....

| align=center|4
| Pat Day

Pat Day

Patrick Alan "Pat" Day is an American jockey. He is a four-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1991...

| Murray Johnson
| Stonecrest Farm
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:47.55
| align=center|$856,500
| align=center|I
|-
| align=center|2002
| Street Cry

Street Cry

Street Cry is a Thoroughbred racehorse, winner of the 2002 Dubai World Cup, the 2002 Stephen Foster Handicap and runner up in the 2002 Whitney Handicap...

| align=center|4
| Jerry D. Bailey
| Saeed bin Suroor

Saeed bin Suroor

Saeed bin Suroor , is a horse racing trainer. Formerly a policeman, he took out his training license in 1994 and the following year was appointed as the trainer for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation....

| Godolphin Racing
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:50.44
| align=center|$833,250
| align=center|I
|-
| align=center|2001
| Guided Tour
| align=center|5
| Larry Melancon

Larry Melancon

Larry J. Melancon is an American jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing who rides primarily on the Kentucky-Arkansas circuit....

| Niall O'Callaghan
| Morton Fink
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:47.74
| align=center|$831,000
| align=center|II
|-
| align=center|2000
| Golden Missile

Golden Missile

Golden Missile is a multi-millionaire American Thoroughbred racehorse and successful sire. Bred in Kentucky by W. Bruce Lunsford and raced under the Adena Springs banner for owner Frank Stronach, he had a record of 25: 7-7-4 with career earnings of $2,194,510...

| align=center|5
| Kent Desormeaux

Kent Desormeaux

Kent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...

| Joe Orseno

Joe Orseno

Joseph F. Orseno is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He began his career as a professional trainer in 1977 and in 1997 joined Frank Stronach's racing stables. In 2000, Orseno conditioned Red Bullet, an upset winner of the Preakness Stakes...

| Stronach Stables

Stronach Stables

Stronach Stables is the North American racing arm of prominent Thoroughbred horse racing owner and breeder, Frank Stronach.The Stronach racing operation has owned and raced notable Thoroughbreds Glorious Song, Touch Gold and Giacomo in partnership with others...

| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.56
| align=center|$810,000
| align=center|II
|-
| align=center|1999
| Victory Gallop

Victory Gallop

Victory Gallop was an American-based Thoroughbred racehorse. As a three-year-old he won the Belmont Stakes denying Real Quiet the Triple Crown...

| align=center|4
| Jerry D. Bailey
| Elliott Walden
| Prestonwood Farm
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:47.28
| align=center|$827,250
| align=center|II
|-
| align=center|1998
| Awesome Again

Awesome Again

Awesome Again is an Canadian Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. Owned and bred by Frank Stronach of Newmarket, Ontario, Awesome Again was sired by Deputy Minister and out of the 2000 Broodmare of the Year Primal Force....

| align=center|4
| Pat Day

Pat Day

Patrick Alan "Pat" Day is an American jockey. He is a four-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1991...

| Patrick B. Byrne

Patrick B. Byrne

Patrick B. Byrne is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer who has won three Breeders' Cup races and who in 1997 conditioned Favorite Trick to American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and American Horse of the Year honors and Countess Diana to American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly honors.A native of...

| Stronach Stables

Stronach Stables

| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:48.61
| align=center|$799,500
| align=center|II
|-
| align=center|1997
| City by Night
| align=center|4
| Shane Sellers

Shane Sellers

Shane Jude Sellers is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. At age eleven, he began working around horses and in 1983 rode his first winner at Evangeline Downs....

| Patrick B. Byrne

Patrick B. Byrne

| Richard & Nancy Kaster
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:50.52
| align=center|$163,950
| align=center|II
|-
| align=center|1996
| Tenants Harbor
| align=center|4
| Francisco Torres
| Robert Desensi
| Michael Sheehan
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.94
| align=center|$166,050
| align=center|II
|-
| align=center|1995
| Recoup the Cash
| align=center|5
| Aaron Gryder

Aaron Gryder

Aaron Tod Gryder is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey.Growing up fifteen minutes away from the Santa Anita racetrack, as a boy Gryder had no contact with horses other than his father and his grandparents' interest in attending the nearby races...

| Jere Smith, Jr.
| Richard E. Trebat
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.39
| align=center|$168,149
| align=center|II
|-
| align=center|1994
| Recoup the Cash
| align=center|4
| Jose Diaz
| Jere Smith, Jr.
| Richard E. Trebat
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.46
| align=center|$163,500
| align=center|III
|-
| align=center|1993
| Root Boy
| align=center|5
| Tommy Turner
| Louis Bernier
| Richard F. Blue, Jr.
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:50.80
| align=center|$114,000
| align=center|III
|-
| align=center|1992
| Discover
| align=center|4
| Brent Bartram
| Steve Penrod

Steve Penrod

Steve Penrod is a distinguished professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. His education and career have led him to become an expert in the areas of psychology and law. He has contributed heavily to the field of psychology in the area of eyewitness memory, specifically the...

| Claiborne Farm

Claiborne Farm

| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:50.14
| align=center|$115,900
| align=center|III
|-
| align=center|1991
| Black Tie Affair

Black Tie Affair

Black Tie Affair was a thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by American businessman Stephen D. Peskoff, he was out of the mare Hat Tab Girl and sired by Miswaki, who also sired Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Urban Sea and who was a two-time Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland.Black Tie...

| align=center|5
| Jose Diaz
| Ernie T. Poulos

Ernie T. Poulos

Ernest T. Poulos was an American Thoroughbred horse trainer. A native of Chicago, he conditioned horses at local tracks for many years but gained national attention when he took over the training of Black Tie Affair in 1989...

| Jeffrey Sullivan
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.80
| align=center|$109,100
| align=center|III
|-
| align=center|1990
| No Marker
| align=center|6
| Aaron Gryder

Aaron Gryder

| Patricia Johnson
| Billy Ray Gowdy
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.80
| align=center|$112,200
| align=center|III
|-
| align=center|1989
| Air Worthy
| align=center|4
| Daniel Soto
| William G. Huffman
| John Carlesimo
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.60
| align=center|$112,700
| align=center|III
|-
| align=center|1988
| Honor Medal
| align=center|7
| Luis Ortega
| Neil D. Drysdale
| Lettuce Farm
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:50.60
| align=center|$129,700
| align=center|III
|-
| align=center|1987
| Red Attack
| align=center|5
| Jack Kaenel
| D. Wayne Lukas

D. Wayne Lukas

Darrell Wayne Lukas is a former educator who became one of the most successful horse trainers in American Thoroughbred horse racing history and a U.S...

| Pillar Stud, Inc.
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:51.20
| align=center|$103,775
|
|-
| align=center|1986
| Hopeful Word
| align=center|5
| Keith Allen
| Carl Bowman
| Morris, Clifton & Doll
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.40
| align=center|$102,050
|
|-
| align=center|1985
| Vanlandingham

Vanlandingham

Vanlandingham was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was bred and raced by the Loblolly Stable, owned by Arkansas businessman John Ed Anthony.Vanlandingham was conditioned for racing by future U.S...

| align=center|4
| Pat Day

Pat Day

Patrick Alan "Pat" Day is an American jockey. He is a four-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1991...

| C. R. McGaughey III
| Loblolly Stable

Loblolly Stable

Loblolly Stable was a Thoroughbred horse breeding and racing stable in Lake Hamilton, Arkansas owned by businessman John Ed Anthony and his former wife Mary Lynn. The stable's first top runner was Cox's Ridge who won important races in 1977 and 1978 and went on to become an excellent sire...

| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:48.80
| align=center|$79,250
|
|-
| align=center|1984
| Mythical Ruler
| align=center|6
| James McKnight
| Fred Wirth
| Albert Risen
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.60
| align=center|$73,550
|
|-
| align=center|1983
| Vodika Collins
| align=center|5
| Leroy Moyers
| Forrest Kaelin
| M. B. Collins
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:49.20
| align=center|$54,750
|
|-
| align=center|1982
| Vodika Collins
| align=center|4
| Tommy Barrow
| Forrest Kaelin
| M. B. Collins
| align=center|1-1/8
| align=center|1:51.80
| align=center|$57,900
|
|-
|}

Records

Winners of the Stephen Foster Handicap since 1982

See also