| Class: | Grade I |
| Horse Race: | American Pharoah Stakes |
| Location: | Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California, United States |
| Inaugurated: | 1970 |
| Race Type: | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Distance: | miles (8.5 furlongs) |
| Surface: | dirt |
| Track: | left-handed |
| Qualification: | Two-year-olds |
| Weight: | 122lbs |
| Purse: | $300,000 (since 2014)[1] |
The American Pharoah Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of September during the fall meet at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A Grade I event, it is open to two-year-old horses and is held at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt.
The American Pharoah Stakes was run as the Norfolk Stakes through 2011. In 2012, it was renamed to the FrontRunner Stakes after the lease with Oak Tree, the organization that formerly operated Santa Anita's fall meet, ended in 2010.[2] It was renamed again in 2018 in honor of its 2014 winner, American Pharoah, who went on to win the U.S. Triple Crown in 2015.[3]
This race is a Road to the Kentucky Derby Prep Season qualifying race. The winner receives 10 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby.[4] It is also currently part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series. The winner automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
First run in 1970, it became a Grade I event in 1980 but was downgraded to Grade II status in 1993. However, the American Graded Stakes Committee announced its return to Grade I status for 2007.
The race was run over a distance of 1 mile from 1997 through 2001. It was run in two divisions in 1980.[5]
Speed record: (at current distance of 1
miles)Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
Most wins by an owner:
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Win$ | Gr. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Citizen Bull | 2 | Bob Baffert | SF Racing et al. | 1 M | 1:43.07 | $180,000 | G1 | ||
| 2023 | Muth | 2 | Juan Hernandez | Bob Baffert | Zedan Racing | 1 M | 1:42.45 | $180,000 | G1 | |
| 2022 | 2 | Juan Hernandez | Bob Baffert | Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, Paul Weitman | 1 M | 1:43.05 | $180,000 | G1 | ||
| 2021 | 2 | Mike E. Smith | Bob Baffert | Speedway Stables | 1 M | 1:44.75 | $180,000 | G1 | ||
| 2020 | Get Her Number | 2 | Flavien Prat | Peter Miller | Gary Barber | 1 M | 1:44.92 | $180,000 | G1 | |
| 2019 | Eight Rings | 2 | John Velazquez | Bob Baffert | SF Racing LLC et al. | 1 M | 1:45.41 | $180,000 | G1 | |
| 2018 | Game Winner | 2 | Joel Rosario | Bob Baffert | Gary & Mary West | 1 M | 1:43.77 | $180,000 | G1 | |
| align=left colspan=10 | FrontRunner Stakes (2011-2017) | |||||||||
| 2017 | Bolt d'Oro | 2 | Corey Nakatani | Mick Ruis | Ruis Racing | 1 M | 1:43.54 | $180,000 | G1 | |
| 2016 | Gormley | 2 | Victor Espinoza | John Shirreffs | Jerry & Ann Moss | 1 M | 1:43.57 | $180,000 | G1 | |
| 2015 | Nyquist | 2 | Mario Gutierrez | Doug F. O'Neill | Reddam Racing | 1 M | 1:44.89 | $180,000 | G1 | |
| 2014 | American Pharoah | 2 | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | Zayat Stables | 1 M | 1:41.95 | $180,000 | G1 | |
| 2013 | Bond Holder | 2 | Mario Gutierrez | Doug F. O'Neill | Reddam Racing | 1 M | 1:45.02 | $150,000 | G1 | |
| 2012 | Power Broker | 2 | Rafael Bejarano | Bob Baffert | Gary & Mary West | 1 M | 1:44.44 | $150,000 | G1 | |
| align=left colspan=10 | Norfolk Stakes (1970-2011) | |||||||||
| 2011 | Creative Cause | 2 | Joel Rosario | Mike Harrington | Heinz Steinman | 1 M | 1:42.66 | $150,000 | G1 | |
| 2010‡ | Jaycito | 2 | Mike E. Smith | Mike Mitchell | Zayat Stables | 1 M | 1:44.17 | $150,000 | G1 | |
| 2009 | Lookin at Lucky | 2 | Garrett Gomez | Bob Baffert | Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, Paul Weitman | 1 M | 1:43.11 | $180,000 | G1 | |
| 2008 | Street Hero | 2 | Alex Solis | Myung Kwon Cho | Myung Kwon Cho | 1 M | 1:42.12 | $150,000 | G1 | |
| 2007 | Dixie Chatter | 2 | Richard Migliore | Richard E. Mandella | Herman Sarkowsky | 1 M | 1:42.64 | $150,000 | G1 | |
| 2006 | Stormello | 2 | William L. Currin | William L. Currin & Al Eisman | 1 M | 1:43.10 | $150,000 | G2 | ||
| 2005 | Brother Derek | 2 | Alex Solis | Dan L. Hendricks | Cecil N. Peacock | 1 M | 1:44.38 | $120,000 | G2 | |
| 2004 | Roman Ruler | 2 | Corey Nakatani | Bob Baffert | Fog City Stable | 1 M | 1:44.27 | $120,000 | G2 | |
| 2003 | Ruler's Court | 2 | Eoin G. Harty | Darley Stable | 1 M | 1:41.27 | $150,000 | G2 | ||
| 2002 | Kafwain | 2 | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | The Thoroughbred Corp. | 1 M | 1:42.75 | $120,000 | G2 | |
| 2001 | Essence of Dubai | 2 | Alex Solis | Eoin G. Harty | Godolphin Racing | 1 M | 1:37.16 | $150,000 | G2 | |
| 2000 | Flame Thrower | 2 | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | Gary M. Garber | 1 M | 1:34.86 | $120,000 | G2 | |
| 1999 | Dixie Union | 2 | Richard E. Mandella | Diamond A Racing & Herman Sarkowsky | 1 M | 1:35.79 | $120,000 | G2 | ||
| 1998 | Buck Trout | 2 | Mike Harrington | Heinz Steinmann | 1 M | 1:37.55 | $120,000 | G2 | ||
| 1997 | Souvenir Copy | 2 | Gary Stevens | Bob Baffert | Golden Eagle Farm | 1 M | 1:36.00 | $120,000 | G2 | |
| 1996 | Free House | 2 | Kent Desormeaux | Trudy McCaffery & John Toffan | 1 M | 1:43.54 | $120,000 | G2 | ||
| 1995 | Future Quest | 2 | Ron McAnally | VHW Stables | 1 M | 1:43.31 | $120,000 | G2 | ||
| 1994 | Supremo | 2 | Gary Stevens | Richard W. Mulhall | The Thoroughbred Corp. | 1 M | 1:43.48 | $120,000 | G2 | |
| 1993 | Shepherd's Field | 2 | Chris McCarron | Brad MacDonald | Camptown Stable | 1 M | 1:43.11 | $120,000 | G2 | |
| 1992 | River Special | 2 | Kent Desormeaux | Robert B. Hess Jr. | Golden Eagle Farm | 1 M | 1:43.58 | $120,000 | G1 | |
| 1991 | Bertrando | 2 | Alex Solis | Bruce Headley | Headley, Nahem & | 505 Farms | 1 M | 1:42.87 | $164,820 | G1 |
| 1990 | Best Pal | 2 | Pat Valenzuela | Golden Eagle Farm | 1 M | 1:42.80 | $178,620 | G1 | ||
| 1989 | Grand Canyon | 2 | D. Wayne Lukas | D. Wayne Lukas & Overbrook Farm | 1 M | 1:43.20 | $166,440 | G1 | ||
| 1988 | Hawkster | 2 | Pat Valenzuela | J. Shelton Meredith | 1 M | 1:43.40 | $187,740 | G1 | ||
| 1987 | Saratoga Passage | 2 | Joe Steiner | Robert W. Leonard | Saratoga I Stable | 1 M | 1:45.00 | $181,140 | G1 | |
| 1986 | Capote | 2 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas | Barry Beal, L. R. French, Jr. & Gene Klein | 1 M | 1:45.20 | $193,680 | G1 | |
| 1985 | Snow Chief | 2 | Alex Solis | Melvin F. Stute | Grinstead & Rochelle | 1 M | 1:44.60 | $167,340 | G1 | |
| 1984 | Chief's Crown | 2 | Roger Laurin | Star Crown Stable | 1 M | 1:42.40 | $201,960 | G1 | ||
| 1983 | Fali Time | 2 | Sandy Hawley | Gary F. Jones | James L. Mamakos & Marc Stubrin | 1 M | 1:44.20 | $168,930 | G1 | |
| 1982 | Roving Boy | 2 | Joseph Manzi | Robert E. Hibbert | 1 M | 1:41.60 | $181,110 | G1 | ||
| 1981 | Stalwart | 2 | D. Wayne Lukas | Marvin L. Warner | 1 M | 1:42.20 | $140,790 | G1 | ||
| 1980-1 | Sir Dancer | 2 | Frank Olivares | George Arakelian Farms | 1 M | 1:43.80 | $100,980 | G1 | ||
| 1980-2 | High Counsel | 2 | Larry Gilligan | Charles Whittingham | Nelson Bunker Hunt | 1 M | 1:42.80 | $99,780 | G1 | |
| 1979 | The Carpenter | 2 | Chris McCarron | Willard L. Proctor | Cardiff Stud Farm | 1 M | 1:41.80 | $119,280 | G2 | |
| 1978 | 2 | Don Pierce | Gordon C. Campbell | Bernard J. Ridder | 1 M | 1:42.20 | $118,860 | G2 | ||
| 1977 | Balzac | 2 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles Whittingham | Elizabeth A. Keck | 1 M | 1:45.40 | $157,230 | G2 | |
| 1976 | Habitony | 2 | Bill Shoemaker | Tommy Doyle | Anton W. Pejsa | 1 M | 1:42.00 | $79,290 | G2 | |
| 1975 | Telly's Pop | 2 | Francisco Mena | Melvin F. Stute | Howard W. Koch & Telly Savalas | 1 M | 1:43.60 | $74,295 | G2 | |
| 1974 | George Navonod | 2 | Don Pierce | Gordon C. Campbell | Navonod Stables | 1 M | 1:42.20 | $77,370 | G2 | |
| 1973 | Money Lender | 2 | Johnny Longden | Hazel Longden | 1 M | 1:42.60 | $58,050 | G2 | ||
| 1972 | Groshawk | 2 | Charles Whittingham | Quinn & Muffett Martin | 1 M | 1:42.20 | $59,025 | |||
| 1971 | MacArthur Park | 2 | Bill Shoemaker | Tommy Doyle | Mark Three Stable | 1 M | 1:41.80 | $59,445 | ||
| 1970 | June Darling | 2 | William Mahorney | Warren Stute | Clement L. Hirsch | 1 M | 1:43.00 | $45,765 | ||