John Henry Turf Championship Stakes

John Henry Turf Championship Stakes
Grade II race
LocationSanta Anita Park
Arcadia, California, United States
Inaugurated1969
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Websitewww.santaanita.com
Race information
Distance1+14 miles (10 furlongs)
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-year-olds & Up
WeightBase weights with allowances:
4-year-olds and up: 126 lbs.
3-year-olds: 122 lbs.
Purse$200,000

The John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (renamed for John Henry who won it three times) is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the Oak Tree Racing Association's Autumn Meeting at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

It is raced over a distance of one and one-quarter miles on the turf and is one of the final prep races leading to the Breeders' Cup Turf. Once a Grade I event, it is now a Grade II and open to horses three years old and up. It currently offers a purse of $200,000.

Inaugurated as the Oak Tree Stakes in 1969, from 1971 through 1995 it was called the Oak Tree Invitational Stakes, and from 1996 through 1999, the Oak Tree Turf Championship Stakes. From 2000 through 2011 it was called the Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship Stakes. The race, now named for John Henry, remains at Santa Anita although the Oak Tree Autumn Meeting was held at Hollywood Park until its closure in December, 2013.

From 1969 through 1994 it was raced at a distance of 1+12 miles.

In winning the 2008 edition, Red Giant set a world record time of 1:57.16 for 1+14 miles on turf.[1]

Records

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Time record: (at current 1+14 miles distance)

Most wins:

Most wins by an owner:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners

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Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Time
2021 United 6 Flavien Prat Richard E. Mandella LNJ Foxwoods (Larry, Nanci & Jaime Roth) 1:58.41
2020 United 5 Flavien Prat Richard E. Mandella LNJ Foxwoods (Larry, Nanci & Jaime Roth) 1:59.17
2019 Cleopatra's Strike 6 Abel Cedillo Philip D'Amato Slam Dunk Racing & M. Nentwig 1:58.22
2018 Liam The Charmer 5 Tyler Gaffalione Michael W. McCarthy Madaket Stables LLC 1:58.01
2017 Itsinthepost 5 Tyler Baze Jeff Mullins Red Baron's Barn LLC 1:58.28
2016 Ashleyluvssugar 5 Gary Stevens Peter Eurton Alesia, Bran Jam Stable, Ciaglia Racing 1:58.35
2015 Race not held
2014 Bright Thought 5 Tyler Baze Philip D'Amato Dye and Venneri Racing 1:58.27
2013 Indy Point 5 Gary Stevens Richard Mandella GusMay-Fer 1:57:47
2012 Slim Shadey 4 Garrett Gomez Simon Callaghan Phil Cunningham 1:59.17
2011 Acclamation 5 Patrick Valenzuela Don Warren Old English Rancho 1:59.45
2010‡ Champ Pegasus 4 Joel Rosario Richard Mandella Diamond A Racing/Vargas 2:01.21
2009 Presious Passion 6 Elvis Trujillo Mary Hartmann Patricia Generazio 1:59.13
2008 Red Giant 4 John Velazquez Todd Pletcher Peachtree Stable 1:57.16
2007 Artiste Royal 6 Joe Talamo Neil D. Drysdale David & Jill Heerensperger 1:59.89
2006 The Tin Man 8 Victor Espinoza Richard Mandella Ralph & Aury Todd 2:00.12
2005 Fourty Niners Son 4 Corey Nakatani Neil D. Drysdale Tom Baxter 2:01.17
2004 Star Over The Bay 6 Tyler Baze Michael R. Mitchell G Racing & VanBurger et al. 1:58.70
2003 Storming Home 5 Gary Stevens Neil D. Drysdale Sheikh Mohammed 2:01.64
2002 The Tin Man 4 Mike E. Smith Richard Mandella Ralph & Aury Todd 1:58.93
2001 Senure 5 Alex Solis Robert J. Frankel Juddmonte Farms 1:59.47
2000 Mash One 6 David R. Flores Robert J. Frankel Amerman Racing / Palumbo 2:00.67
1999 Mash One 5 David R. Flores Robert J. Frankel Amerman Racing / Palumbo 1:59.07
1998 Military 4 Corey Nakatani Wallace Dollase The Thoroughbred Corp. 2:02.04
1997 Rainbow Dancer 6 Alex Solis Jenine Sahadi Evergreen Farm 2:01.94
1996† Admise 4 Kent Desormeaux Walter Greenman Biszantz & Vandeweghe 1:58.48
1995 Northern Spur 4 Chris McCarron Ron McAnally Charles J. Cella 2:02.37
1994 Sandpit 5 Corey Nakatani Richard Mandella Sierra Thoroughbreds 2:25.12
1993 Kotashaan 5 Kent Desormeaux Richard Mandella La Presle Farm 2:25.06
1992 Navarone 4 Pat Valenzuela Rodney Rash Robert E. Hibbert 2:24.29
1991 Filago 4 Pat Valenzuela Robert J. Frankel Edmund A. Gann 2:23.62
1990 Rial 5 Rafael Meza A. Pico Perdomo Enrique Carlos Boelcke 2:23.80
1989 Hawkster 3 Russell Baze Ron McAnally M/M J. Shelton Meredith 2:22.80
1988 Nasr El Arab 3 Gary Stevens André Fabre Sheikh Mohammed 2:25.20
1987± Allez Milord 4 Chris McCarron John Gosden Gallagher Farm 2:36.20
1986 Estrapade 6 Fernando Toro Charles Whittingham Allen E. Paulson 2:26.00
1985 Yashgan 4 Chris McCarron John Sullivan Liebau et al. 2:27.20
1984 Both Ends Burning 4 Russell Baze Neil D. Drysdale Burdett-Coutts & Nelson 2:25.40
1983 Zalataia 4 Freddy Head André Fabre Edith de Gil 2:29.20
1982 John Henry 7 Bill Shoemaker Ron McAnally Dotsam Stable 2:24.00
1981 John Henry 6 Bill Shoemaker Ron McAnally Dotsam Stable 2:23.40
1980 John Henry 5 Laffit Pincay Jr. Ron McAnally Dotsam Stable 2:23.40
1979 Balzac 4 Chris McCarron Charles Whittingham Elizabeth A. Keck 2:25.40
1978 Exceller 5 Bill Shoemaker Charles Whittingham Nelson Bunker Hunt 2:24.60
1977 Crystal Water 4 Bill Shoemaker Roger E. Clapp Connie M. Ring 2:26.40
1976 King Pellinore 4 Bill Shoemaker Charles Whittingham Cardiff Stock Farm 2:31.40
1975 Top Command 4 Bill Shoemaker Charles Whittingham M/M Quinn Martin & Murty Farm (Duane, Wayne, Robert Murty) 2:26.00
1974 Tallahto 4 Laffit Pincay Jr. Charles Whittingham Elizabeth A. Keck 2:25.80
1973 Portentous 3 John Ramirez Evan S. Jackson Daniel Schwartz 2:25.60
1972 Cougar II 6 Bill Shoemaker Charles Whittingham Mary Jones Bradley 2:27.20
1971 Cougar II 5 Bill Shoemaker Charles Whittingham Mary Jones Bradley 2:24.60
1970 Daryl's Joy 4 Johnny Sellers Charles Whittingham R. K. C. Goh 2:26.20
1969 Czar Alexander 4 Ángel Cordero Jr. Angel Penna Sr. Gustave Ring 2:23.40

± In 1987 the winning time may have been affected because the race was started on the backstretch instead of from its normal hillside position.
† In 1996, Bon Point finished first but was disqualified and set back to fifth place.
‡ In 2010 run at Hollywood Park.

Notes

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  1. ^ "Clement Hirsch: Red Giant sets record". 27 September 2008.

References

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