The Rushaway Stakes is an American ungraded Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky. It was first run on March 22, 1986, the last year the racetrack was called Latonia. The race is open to three-year-old horses and run over a distance of one and one sixteenth miles (8.5 furlongs).[1] Originally raced on natural dirt, and for the first two years at one mile, since 2021 it has been contested on Tapeta synthetic dirt.[2]
The race is named in honor of the racehorse Rushaway who, on Friday afternoon, May 22, 1936, won the Illinois Derby at Aurora Downs in Aurora, Illinois.[3] That night, the three-year-old gelding was shipped three hundred miles south via express train to the Latonia Race Track in Latonia, Kentucky where on Saturday he won the Latonia Derby. Rushaway's feat of endurance is unmatched and still talked about more than eighty years later.[4] His accomplishment in the Latonia Derby was made even more remarkable because Rushaway was carrying top weight in the eight-horse field by three pounds yet won by 6 lengths and did it in a new race record time for the mile-and-a-quarter distance.[5]
Speed record:
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
Most wins by an owner:
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Dist. (mi) | Time | Win$ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Alternative Route | Mitchell Murrill | Spendthrift/Town & Country Racing | 1 | 1:46.38 | $75,000 | |
| 2017 | Montu | Rodney Prescott | Joseph C. Deegan | Deegan/Alfred Pais/Zephyr Racing | 1 | 1:44.85 | $75,000 |
| 2016 | He'll Pay | Mitchell Murrill | J. Larry Jones | Brereton C. Jones | 1 | 1:44.29 | $75,000 |
| 2015 | align=center colspan=9 | Race not held | |||||
| 2014 | align=center colspan=9 | Race not held | |||||
| 2013 | Crop Report | Joel Rosario | H. Graham Motion | Team Valor International | 1 | 1:45.66 | $75,000 |
| 2012 | Flashy Dresser | Luis Contreras | Frederick J. Seitz | Frederick J. Seitz | 1 | 1:45.58 | $75,000 |
| 2011 | Swift Warrior | Javier Castellano | John Terranova II | James Covello & James Dolan | 1 | 1:45.73 | $100,000 |
| 2010 | Exhi | Russell Baze | Todd Pletcher | Wertheimer et Frère | 1 | 1:44.47 | $100,000 |
| 2009 | Cliffy's Future | Jesus Castanon | Darrin Miller | Silverton Hill LLC | 1 | 1:44.38 | $100,000 |
| 2008 | Big Glen | Rene Douglas | Frank L. Brothers | John T. L. Jones & Bill Jones | 1 | 1:44.55 | $100,000 |
| 2007 | Dominican | Rafael Bejarano | Darrin Miller | Silverton Hill LLC | 1 | 1:43.50 | $100,000 |
| 2006 | High Cotton | Christopher DeCarlo | Todd Pletcher | Peachtree Stable | 1 | 1:45.19 | $100,000 |
| 2005 | Cat Shaker | Joe Bravo | Craig Callis | William T. Callis | 1 | 1:44.49 | $100,000 |
| 2004 | Brass Hat | Jason Lumpkins | William B. Bradley | Fred F. Bradley | 1 | 1:44.36 | $100,000 |
| 2003 | Private Gold | Pat Day | Patrick B. Byrne | Mountain Top & R.B & B.J. Lewis | 1 | 1:45.43 | $100,000 |
| 2002 | Mr. Mellon | Pat Day | W. Elliott Walden | WinStar Farm | 1 | 1:42.80 | $100,000 |
| 2001 | Percy Hope | Jon Court | Anthony Reinstedler | Waterfall Stable | 1 | 1:43.40 | $100,000 |
| 2000 | Ronton | Garrett Gomez | Vladimir Cerin | Jaltipan LLC | 1 | 1:42.80 | $100,000 |
| 1999 | Yankee Victor | Shane Sellers | Carlos J. Morales | Enllomar Stable | 1 | 1:42.80 | $75,000 |
| 1998 | Shot of Gold | Russell Baze | Bob Baffert | Matt Young, et al. | 1 | 1:42.40 | $75,000 |
| 1997 | Anet | Chris McCarron | Bob Baffert | Double Diamond Farm | 1 | 1:40.60 | $75,000 |
| 1996 | Pugnacious | Shane Sellers | David C. Cross Jr. | Gary M. Garber | 1 | 1:43.00 | $75,000 |
| 1995 | Key Guy | Kent Desormeaux | Mark A. Hennig | Team Valor Stables | 1 | 1:44.60 | $75,000 |
| 1994 | Oakmont | Pat Day | Neil J. Howard | W. S. Farish III & Oak Cliff Stable | 1 | 1:43.40 | $60,000 |
| 1993 | Grand Jewel | Jerry D. Bailey | Neil J. Howard | W. S. Farish III & William S. Kilroy | 1 | 1:44.60 | $60,000 |
| 1992 | Dignitas | Julie Krone | George R. Arnold II | John Peace | 1 | 1:47.00 | $50,000 |
| 1991 | Wall Street Dancer | Pat Day | Jesus I. Suarez | John D. Gunther | 1 | 1:41.40 | $37,500 |
| 1990 | Coax Chad | Perry Ouzts | Arthur J. Zeis | Elmer E. Miller | 1 | 1:46.60 | $25,000 |
| 1989 | Arcadia Falls | Pat Day | William R. Helmbrecht | Arcadia Racing Stable | 1 | 1:44.00 | $25,000 |
| 1988 | Dee Lance | Gary L. Stevens | Stig T. Rasmussen | Fortune Stable (lessee) | 1 | 1:44.40 | $30,000 |
| 1987 | Rampaging Native | Steve Neff | William R. Helmbrecht | Wichita Equine | 1 | 1:39.00 | $20,000 |
| 1986 | Best of Rest | Francisco Vidal | Thomas C. Short | Parrish Bros., York & Criswell | 1 | 1:38.20 | $15,000 |