Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Explained

Class:Grade III
Horse Race:Houston Ladies Classic Stakes
Location:Sam Houston Race Park
Houston, Texas, United States
Inaugurated:2013
Race Type:Thoroughbred – flat racing
Website:Sam Houston Race Park
Distance: miles
Surface:Dirt
Track:left-handed
Qualification:Fillies and mares, four-years-old and older
Weight:123 lbs with allowances
Purse:$300,000 (since 2023)

The Houston Ladies Classic Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age four and older over a distance of one and aon-sixteenth miles on the dirt track held annually in late January at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas. The event currently carries a purse of $300,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 26 January 2013 and was won by Fox Hill Farms' 3/2 favorite Canadian-bred Joyful Victory who was ridden by Rosie Napravnik and trained by J. Larry Jones by lengths in a time of 1:42.30 setting a new track record for the miles distance breaking the former record set by Desert Air on 13 February 1999 of 1:42.79.[1] The inaugural event was the richest Thoroughbred event on the program and in Texas which featured four stakes races worth $725,000.[1] Later in the year Joyful Victory was retired by her owners and was sold in the November in the Fasig-Tipton select sale for US$2 million to Aaron & Marie Jones.[2]

With the quality mares that were entering the event it was not long before the American Graded Stakes Committee gave the race a graded status of Grade III for the fourth running in 2016.[3] The 2016 winner Forever Unbridled later in year won two Grade I events and ran third in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Park as a 15/1 longshot to Beholder.[4] The following year Forever Unbridled was undefeated and did win the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

After finishing third in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs,[5] Midnight Bisou began her 2019 four-year-old career in the Houston Ladies Classic. Starting as the 2/5 odds-on favorite, Midnight Bisou closed fast in late stretch to be win in the final strides. Midnight Bisou would win six more graded events and finish second in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Park.[6] Her performance during the year was enough to earn her US Champion Older Dirt Female Horse honors.

The event is one of only two graded stakes races held at the track along with the Grade III John B. Connally Turf Cup. Along with the Pulse Power Turf Sprint and Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile, the Houston Ladies Classic Stakes is one of the main events of the Houston Racing Festival.[7]

Records

Speed record:

Margins:

Most wins:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

YearWinnerAgeJockeyTrainerOwnerDistanceTimePurseGradeRef
align=center 2024Bellamore align=center 6Stewart ElliottSteven M. AsmussenKaleem Shahalign=center milesalign=center 1:46.24align=center $300,000align=center III[8]
align=center 2023Pauline's Pearl align=center 5Stewart ElliottSteven M. AsmussenStonestreet Stablesalign=center milesalign=center 1:45.69align=center $300,000align=center III[9]
align=center 2022Pauline's Pearl align=center 4Steven M. AsmussenStonestreet Stablesalign=center milesalign=center 1:44.43align=center $400,000align=center III[10]
align=center 2021Letruskaalign=center 5Fausto GutierrezSt. George Stablealign=center milesalign=center 1:45.02align=center $300,000align=center III[11]
align=center 2020Lady Applealign=center 4Ricardo Santana Jr.Steven M. AsmussenPhoenix Thoroughbred III & KatieRich Stables align=center milesalign=center 1:44.19align=center $300,000align=center III[12]
align=center 2019Midnight Bisoualign=center 4Mike E. SmithBloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables & Allen Racing align=center milesalign=center 1:44.52align=center $300,000align=center III[13]
align=center 2018Tiger Mothalign=center 6Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxJohn D. Guntheralign=center milesalign=center 1:46.01align=center $400,000align=center III[14]
align=center 2017Unbridled Moalign=center 4Jose L. OrtizTodd A. PletcherRed Oak Stable align=center milesalign=center 1:42.89align=center $400,000align=center III[15]
align=center 2016align=center 4Joel RosarioDallas StewartCharles Fipkealign=center milesalign=center 1:43.74align=center $400,000align=center III[16]
align=center 2015Cassattalign=center 4Kerwin D. ClarkJ. Larry JonesFox Hill Farm align=center milesalign=center 1:44.96align=center $400,000align=center Listed [17]
align=center 2014Rose to Goldalign=center 4Jesus M. RiosSal SantoroKathleen Amayaalign=center milesalign=center 1:43.87align=center $400,000align=center Listed [18]
align=center 2013align=center 5Rosie NapravnikJ. Larry JonesFox Hill Farm align=center milesalign=center 1:42.30align=center $400,000align=center [19]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Shinar . Jack . Joyful Victory Sets Track Mark at Sam Houston Gray mare dominates inaugural running of $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic Jan. 26. . Bloodhorse.com . 24 January 2022 . 26 January 2013.
  2. Web site: Joyful Victory (ON) - Horse Profile . equibase . 24 January 2022 . 2022 . FTKNOV 80 Mixed N/A Aaron & Marie Jones Taylor Made Sales Agency $2,000,000 Sold.
  3. Web site: Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (Gr. 3) . www.equibase.com . 24 January 2022 . en.
  4. Web site: 2016 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff Grade 1 - (race 9) . Equibase . 4 November 2016 . 23 January 2022.
  5. Web site: Chart of the 2018 Breeders' Cup Distaff . Equibase . 2 September 2019.
  6. Web site: Chart of the 2019 Breeders' Cup Distaff . Equibase . 2 September 2019.
  7. Web site: 2022 Stakes Schedule Sam Houston Race Park . Sam Houston Race Park . 2022 . 22 January 2022.
  8. Web site: 2024 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 10) . Equibase . 27 January 2024 . 30 January 2024.
  9. Web site: 2023 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9) . Equibase . 28 January 2023 . 30 January 2024.
  10. Web site: 2022 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8) . Equibase . 30 January 2022 . 30 January 2022.
  11. Web site: 2021 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8) . Equibase . 31 January 2021 . 23 January 2022.
  12. Web site: 2020 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8) . Equibase . 26 January 2020 . 23 January 2022.
  13. Web site: 2019 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9) . Equibase . 27 January 2019 . 23 January 2022.
  14. Web site: 2018 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9) . Equibase . 28 January 2018 . 23 January 2022.
  15. Web site: 2017 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9) . Equibase . 29 January 2017 . 23 January 2022.
  16. Web site: 2016 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9) . Equibase . 30 January 2016 . 23 January 2022.
  17. Web site: 2015 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Listed - (race 8) . Equibase . 24 January 2015 . 23 January 2022.
  18. Web site: 2014 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Listed - (race 9) . Equibase . 25 January 2014 . 23 January 2022.
  19. Web site: 2013 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Black Type - (race 9) . Equibase . 26 January 2013 . 23 January 2022.

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