| Class: | Grade II |
| Horse Race: | The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes |
| Location: | Dependant on where the Breeders' Cup is held that year (See Winner section) |
| Inaugurated: | 2008 (as Breeders' Cup Marathon at Santa Anita Park) |
| Race Type: | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Distance: | miles (13 furlongs) (2020) |
| Surface: | Dirt |
| Track: | left-handed |
| Qualification: | Three-years-old and older |
| Weight: | Base Weights for Northern Hemisphere: Three-Year-Olds - 122 lbs. Older 126 lbs. Base Weights for Southern Hemisphere: Three-Year-Olds - 118 lbs. Older 126 lbs. with allowances |
| Purse: | $250,000 (since 2023) |
| Sponsor: | Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (since 2017) |
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up, and contested on dirt usually at a distance of miles. The race has a purse of US$250,000. It is run as part of the undercard on either the Friday card or Saturday card of the Breeders' Cup.
The race was originally established in 2008 as part of the annual Breeders' Cup World Championships with its inaugural running on October 25, 2008 at a distance of miles as the Breeders' Cup Marathon. The inaugural running took place on the second day of the Breeders' Cup on the Pro-Ride synthetic dirt at the 2008 host track, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.[1]
In 2009, the distance was extended by 2 furlongs to miles.[2]
Due to technical requirements, the race was not eligible for classification as a graded stakes race in its first two runnings.[3] It received Grade III status effective in 2010.[4] The race was upgraded to Grade II status for 2011.[5] The race was originally run under Weight for Age conditions.
On April 25, 2014, the Breeders' Cup announced that the Marathon would be discontinued.[6] The event was renamed to the Marathon Stakes as an undercard Breeders' Cup stakes race. The purse of the event was reduced from $500,000 to $200,000. The first year, the race was sponsored by the Las Vegas Tourism Board. The event's conditions were changed to Set Weights with allowances.[7]
Citing that "the conditions of the race have not developed into a competition that we believe reaches the standard set by the remaining races comprising the Championships", the Breeders' Cup Committee announced its discontinuation.[6]
However, the venue that holds the Breeders' Cup has been running the event with separate sponsorship.
In 2020 the event was renamed to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes,[8] sponsors since 2017.[1]
Margins:
Most wins:
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
Most wins by an owner:
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes | |||||||||||
| 2023 | Salesman (IRE) | 6 | Flavien Prat | Wertheimer et Frère | miles | 2:44.08 | $250,000 | II | [9] | ||
| 2022 | Next | 4 | Luan Machado | William Cowans | Michael A. Foster | miles | 2:42.59 | $342,667 | II | [10] | |
| 2021 | Lone Rock | 6 | Ramon Vazquez | Flying P Stable & R. A. Hill Stable | miles | 2:42.61† | $250,000 | II | [11] | ||
| 2020 | Rocketry | 6 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | James A. Jerkens | Centennial Farms | miles | 2:42.57 | $200,000 | II | [12] | |
| Marathon Stakes | |||||||||||
| 2019 | Itsinthepost (FR) | 7 | Drayden Van Dyke | Jeff Mullins | Red Baron's Barn | miles | 3:03.95 | $200,351 | II | [13] | |
| 2018 | Rocketry | 4 | Joel Rosario | Centennial Farms | miles | 2:57.62 | $200,000 | II | [14] | ||
| 2017 | Destin | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Twin Creeks Racing Stables & Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners | miles | 2:57.77 | $201,035 | II | [15] | |
| 2016 | Scuba | 5 | Brendan P. Walsh | DARRS | miles | 2:58.20 | $201,380 | II | [16] | ||
| 2015 | Bailoutbobby | 5 | Joel Rosario | Doug F. O'Neill | R3 Racing | miles | 2:56.75 | $200,000 | II | [17] | |
| Las Vegas Marathon Stakes | |||||||||||
| 2014 | Cary Street | 5 | Miguel Mena | Brendan P. Walsh | Brendan P. Walsh & Marc Detampel | miles | 2:58.29 | $200,750 | II | [18] | |
| Breeders' Cup Marathon | |||||||||||
| 2013 | London Bridge | 3 | Mike E. Smith | Jo Hughes | Eastwind Racing & Martha Trussell | miles | 2:58.32 | $460,000 | II | [19] | |
| 2012 | 9 | Aaron Gryder | Guillermo Frankel | Stud Dona Pancha | miles | 2:57.25 | $454,500 | II | [20] | ||
| 2011 | Afleet Again | 4 | Cornelio Velasquez | Kasey K Racing Stable | miles | 3:00.39 | $454,500 | II | [21] | ||
| 2010 | Eldaafer | 5 | John R. Velazquez | Diane D. Morici | IEAH Stables and Mansour Albaroudy | miles | 2:59.62 | $454,500 | III | [22] | |
| 2009 | Man of Iron | 3 | Johnny Murtagh | Aidan P. O'Brien | Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor | miles | 2:54.11 | $454,500 | Listed | [23] | |
| 2008 | Muhannak (IRE) | 4 | Patrick J. Smullen | Ralph Beckett | Richard Pegum | miles | 2:28.24 | $496,930 | Listed | [24] | |
Legend:
Notes:
† New track record