Horse race
The Mint Julep Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares , four years old and older over a distance of one and one sixteenth miles on the turf scheduled annually in late May or early June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky .[ 1] It currently offers a purse of $225,000.[ 1]
History
From its inaugural running in 1977 to 1986, the event was run on the dirt course, but was moved to the turf course beginning in 1987.[ 2]
The race is named for the Mint Julep , a popular drink with racing fans at Churchill Downs , particularly seen on Kentucky Derby day.
The event was split into divisions in 1987 and 1990.[ 3]
Between 1983 and 2004 the conditions of the event were for fillies and mares that were four year olds and older.[ 4]
In 2001 the event was upgraded to a Grade III .[ 1]
From 2001 to 2014 the event was known as the Early Time Mint Julep Handicap.[ 4] Beginning in 2015, the Mint Julep Handicap became the Old Forester Mint Julep Handicap for sponsorship reasons.[ 4]
Distances
It has been run at the following distances:
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles (1.71 km) : 1990–present
1+ 1 ⁄8 miles (1.81 km) : 1988–1989
1 mile (1.61 km) : 1983–1987
7 furlongs (1.41 km) : 1977–1982
Records
Speed record
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles – 1:40.70 Quite A Bride (2007)
Margins
5 lengths – Lillian Russell (1981)
Most wins
2 – Megans Bluff (2001, 2002)
Most wins by an owner
2 – Carl F. Pollard (2003, 2015)
2 – James C. Routsong (2001, 2002)
2 – Richard and Bertram Klein (2013, 2016)
2 – Madaket Stables (2020, 2021)
Most wins by a jockey
Most wins by a trainer
Winners
Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Distance
Time
Purse
Grade
Ref
2024
Delahaye
5
Tyler Gaffalione
Chad C. Brown
William H. Lawrence & Three Chimneys Farm
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:45.46
$249,668
III
[ 5]
2023
Henrietta Topham
5
James Graham
Geoff Mulcahy
Cambus-Kenneth Farm
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:42.46
$222,000
III
[ 6]
2022
Gam's Mission
4
Adam Beschizza
Cherie DeVaux
Lazy F Ranch
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:43.53
$193,350
III
[ 7]
2021
Mintd (IRE )
5
Ricardo Santana Jr.
Brendan P. Walsh
Bradley Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables , Team Hanley, Tim & Anna Cambron
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:43.92
$150,000
III
[ 8]
2020
Secret Message
5
John Velazquez
H. Graham Motion
Madaket Stables , Heider Family Stables, ERJ Racing, Elayne Stables & S. Bouchey
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:43.13
$100,000
III
[ 9]
2019
Mom's On Strike
5
Adam Beschizza
Joe Sharp
Carl R. Moore Management & Brad Grady
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:47.63
$125,000
III
[ 10]
2018
Lovely Bernadette
5
Corey J. Lanerie
Bernard S. Flint
James M. Miller
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:42.36
$100,000
III
[ 11]
2017
Dona Bruja (ARG)
5
Declan Cannon
Ignacio Correas IV
Ivan Gasparotto
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:41.46
$100,000
III
[ 12]
2016
Cash Control
4
Shaun Bridgmohan
Brad H. Cox
Richard & Bertram Klein
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:41.12
$100,000
III
[ 13]
2015
Kiss Moon
4
Corey J. Lanerie
David R. Vance
Carl F. Pollard
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:40.94
$100,000
III
[ 14]
2014
Honey Hues
5
Jesus Lopez Castanon
Bernard S. Flint
L.T B. Inc/Childers
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:41.75
$110,400
III
[ 15]
2013
Miz Ida
4
Shaun Bridgmohan
Steve Margolis
Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:42.37
$109,100
III
[ 16]
2012
Bizzy Caroline
4
Manoel Cruz
Kenneth G. McPeek
Catesby W. Clay
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:43.29
$111,000
III
[ 17]
2011
My Baby Baby
6
Manoel Cruz
Kenneth G. McPeek
Magdalena Racing
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:42.40
$113,900
III
[ 18]
2010
Hot Cha Cha
4
James Graham
Philip A. Sims
Nelson McMakin
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:43.27
$110,800
III
[ 19]
2009
Acoma
4
Corey J. Lanerie
David M. Carroll
Helen Groves & Helen Alexander
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:43.10
$109,000
III
[ 20]
2008
Dreaming of Anna
4
Garrett K. Gomez
Wayne M. Catalano
Frank C. Calabrese
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:42.77
$169,950
III
[ 21]
2007
Quite a Bride
4
Robby Albarado
William I. Mott
Haras Santa Maria de Araras
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:40.70
$164,100
III
[ 22]
2006
My Typhoon (IRE)
4
Robby Albarado
William I. Mott
Live Oak Racing
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:41.55
$115,000
III
[ 23]
2005
Delta Princess
6
Robby Albarado
William I. Mott
Saud bin Khaled
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:42.43
$110,100
III
[ 24]
2004
Stay Forever
7
Eddie Castro
Martin D. Wolfson
Santa Cruz Ranch/Juan Rizo
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:42.66
$168,300
III
[ 25]
2003
Kiss the Devil
5
Lonnie Meche
David R. Vance
Carl F. Pollard
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:41.73
$168,300
III
[ 26]
2002
Megans Bluff
5
Craig Perret
John K. Hennig
James C. Routsong
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:42.87
$112,900
III
[ 27]
2001
Megans Bluff
4
Craig Perret
John K. Hennig
James C. Routsong
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:42.88
$113,600
III
[ 28]
2000
Pratella
5
Larry Melancon
Burk Kessinger Jr.
Bruce Barton/Alvin Haynes
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:43.08
$111,900
Listed
[ 29]
1999
Mingling Glances
5
Larry Melancon
Burk Kessinger Jr.
Morven Stud Farm
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:42.59
$114,400
Listed
[ 30]
1998
B. A. Valentine
5
Francisco C. Torres
Dale L. Romans
Alberta Butner
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:41.42
$114,200
Listed
[ 31]
1997
†Valor Lady
5
Robby Albarado
Mark A. Hennig
Amerman Racing Stable
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:41.20
$114,900
Listed
[ 32]
1996
Bail Out Becky
4
Craig Perret
William I. Mott
Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:41.86
$84,150
Listed
[ 33]
1995
Romy
4
Juvenal Lopez Diaz
Moises R. Yanez
William L. Pacella et al.
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:42.69
$84,525
Listed
[ 34]
1994
Words of War
5
Carlos H. Marquez Jr.
Joseph E. Kasperski Jr.
Lawrence Karp
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:40.98
$85,650
Listed
[ 35]
1993
Classic Reign
4
Fabio A. Arguello Jr.
James E. Day
Sam-Son Farm
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:42.84
$57,500
Listed
[ 36]
1992
Lady Shirl
5
Patrick A. Johnson
P. Noel Hickey
Irish Acres Farm (P. Noel Hickey)
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:41.41
$57,050
Listed
[ 37]
1991
Dance for Lucy
5
Larry Melancon
Sheldon Wolfe
Alexander Schmidt
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:43.07
$57,150
Listed
[ 38]
1990
Tunita
5
Robert J. Thibeau Jr.
George R. Arnold II
John Peace
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:43.80
$48,425
Listed
Division 1 [ 39] [ 4]
Phoenix Sunshine
5
Joseph Deegan
Del Loveland
Judy Hicks
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
1:43.20
$48,425
Listed
Division 2 [ 40] [ 4]
1989
Here's Your Silver
4
Michael McDowell
Steven C. Penrod
Hermitage Farm
1+ 1 ⁄8 miles
1:50.40
$57,100
Listed
[ 41] [ 4]
1988
How I Wish
4
Earlie Fires
Joseph E. Broussard
Estate of Joe Siggio
1+ 1 ⁄8 miles
1:51.00
$56,400
Listed
[ 42] [ 4]
1987
Thunderdome
4
Steve H. Bass
Harry E. Trotsek
Edward A. Seltzer
1 mile
1:37.80
$40,005
Listed
Division 1 [ 43] [ 4]
Innsbruck (GB)
4
Sandy Hawley
William I. Mott
Diana Firestone
1 mile
1:38.00
$35,280
Listed
Division 2 [ 44] [ 4]
1986
Zenobia Empress
5
Earlie Fires
Joseph M. Bollero
Russell Fortune Jr.
1 mile
1:35.80
$44,695
Listed
[ 45] [ 4]
1985
Stave
4
Charles R. Woods Jr.
Ted McClain
Hidaway Farm
1 mile
1:35.00
$32,375
Listed
[ 46] [ 4]
1984
Lass Trump
4
Garth Patterson
C. R. McGaughey III
Al Samford
1 mile
1:37.00
$40,410
Listed
[ 47] [ 4]
1983
Naskra Magic
4
Phil Rubbicco
James O. Keefer
Jim Thomas
1 mile
1:36.60
$35,750
Listed
[ 48] [ 4]
1982
Kate's Cabin
4
Eddie Snell
Lee Snell
Ruth Cummings
7 furlongs
1:25.20
$36,100
Listed
[ 49] [ 4]
1981
Lillian Russell
4
Ronald J. Hirdes Jr.
Raymond S. Lawrence Jr.
Leslie Combs II
7 furlongs
1:23.20
$29,950
Listed
[ 50] [ 4]
1980
Likely Exchange
6
David E. Whited
Thomas H. Stevens Sr.
G. Watts Humphrey Jr. & Pamela Firman
7 furlongs
1:24.20
$30,225
Listed
[ 51] [ 4]
1979
Bold Rendezvous
4
Alexander L. Fernandez
James E. Morgan
John Bolan, T. Wood Jr. & C. Labanz
7 furlongs
1:25.00
$28,175
Listed
[ 52] [ 4]
1978
Time for Pleasure
4
Thomas Barrow
Phil A. Grosser
William Q. Muir
7 furlongs
1:23.40
$22,475
[ 53] [ 4]
1977
Satan's Cheer
5
Mike Manganello
Peter W. Salmen Jr.
Crimson King Farm
7 furlongs
1:24.00
$22,000
[ 54]
Legend:
Turf
Dirt
Notes:
†In 1997, Romy won but was disqualified for interference in the stretch and set back to fourth.[ 32]
References