The Stars and Stripes Stakes was a Grade III horse race in the United States for Thoroughbreds aged three years and up. It was last raced over a distance of 12 furlongs (1½ miles) on the turf at Arlington Park near Chicago as a lead up race to the Arlington Million and Breeders' Cup Turf.
Inaugurated in 1929, it was raced on dirt through 1949 and again in 1973 and 1974. It was hosted by Washington Park Racetrack from 1943 to 1945 and in 1958 and 1959. It was run for three-year-olds only in 1958.
Until the advent of the Breeders' Cup races, the race was known as the Stars and Stripes Handicap and was an important part of the annual racing calendar. It drew the top horses from across the United States and has been won by a number of U.S. Hall of Fame horses as well as U.S. Triple Crown champion Citation.
Key to Content finished first in 1981 but was disqualified and placed fourth. As a result, Rossi Gold and Ben Fab, who finished in a dead heat for second, were moved up to a dead heat for first.
In 2019 the Stars and Stripes Stakes was dropped from the Arlington Park schedule.
Records Speed record on turf: 1:42 1/5 @ 1 1/16 miles: Drumalis (1985) 1:47 1/5 @ 1 1/8 miles: Round Table (1959) 1:55.00 @ 1 3/16 miles: Plate Dancer (1992) 2:27.39 @ 1 1/2 miles: Dark Cove (2013)
Most wins: 3 – Rossi Gold (1981, 1982, 1983)
Most wins by a jockey: 5 – Pat Day (1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1989)
Most wins by a trainer: 5 – Harry Trotsek (1950, 1962, 1972, 1974, 1976)
Most wins by an owner: 4 – Calumet Farm (Warren Wright) (1947, 1948, 1949, 1955) 4 – Hasty House Farm (1950, 1962, 1972, 1974)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner (Miles) Time Grade2018Catcho En Die6Jose Valdivia Jr.Naipaul ChatterpaulNaipaul Chatterpaul & Sotirios Sakatis m2:27.51G32017Keystoneforvictory4Julien LeparouxMichael J. MakerKenneth & Sarah Ramsey m2:29.89G32016Greengrassofwyoming6Shaun BridgmohanMichael J. MakerMichael Hui m2:27.74G32015The Pizza Man6Florent GerouxRoger BrueggemannMidwest Thoroughbreds (Richard & Karen Papiese) m2:34.13G32014The Pizza Man5Florent GerouxRoger BrueggemannMidwest Thoroughbreds (Richard & Karen Papiese) m2:33.67G32013Dark Cove6Rosie NapravnikMichael J. MakerKenneth & Sarah Ramsey m2:27.39G32012Ioya Bigtime5Jeffrey SanchezChris M. BlockTeam Block m2:28.44G32011Free Fighter6Tim ThorntonMichael ReavisFrank Mancari m2:31.98G32010Memorial Maniac5James GrahamLarry DemeritteButterfly Stable (Larry Slavin, et al.) m2:44.29G32009Free Fighter4James GrahamChris M. BlockTeam Block & Thomas Fedro Sr. m2:28.31G32008Silverfoot8René DouglasDallas StewartChrysalis Stables LLC m2:30.40G32007Always First6Robby AlbaradoThomas H. VossMerriefield Farm & Charles Noell m2:31.74G32006Major Rhythm7Earlie FiresEd J. BeamJames Messineo m2:29.93G32005Revved Up7Brice BlancChristophe ClementLive Oak Racing (Charlotte Weber) m2:28.29G32004Ballingarry5René DouglasLaura de Seroux Sidney L. Port Trust et al. m2:36.30G32003Ballingarry4René DouglasLaura de Seroux Sidney L. Port Trust et al. m2:28.30G32002Cetewayo8René DouglasMichael DickinsonJohn A. Chandler m2:27.50G32001Falcon Flight5René DouglasDonald J. Burke IIGary A. Tanaka m2:27.86G32000Williams News5Robby AlbaradoTom AmossOn Target Racing Stable m2:31.22G31998 – 1999 Race not held1997Lakeshore Road4Calvin BorelTom AmossRalph Wilson m2:29.57G31996Vladivostok6Craig Perret Neil J. HowardBayard Sharp m2:30.23 G31995Snake Eyes5Robby AlbaradoSteven L. MorguelanMarco Bommarito & Melvin Isenstein m1:56.46G31994Marastani4Aaron GryderTom AmossTemple Webber Jr. m1:54.64G31993Little Bro Lantis 5Curt Bourque Merrill R. SchererRobert Hall & William McCollough m1:56.92G31992Plate Dancer7Earlie FiresP. Noel Hickey Irish Acres Farm m1:55.00G31991Blair's Cove6Garrett GomezP. Noel Hickey Irish Acres Farm m1:55.95G31990Mister Sicy4Corey BlackNicolas ClémentMr. & Mrs. Michael Cahan m1:54.40G31989Salem Drive7Pat DayThomas J. Skiffington Jr.Virginia Kraft Payson m1:55.20G21988 Race not held1987Sharood4Fernando ToroJohn Gosden Sheikh Mohammed m1:56.20G21986Explosive Darling4Earlie FiresLouis M. Goldfine Richard L. Duchossois m1:48.40G21985Drumalis5Pat DayDarrell ViennaWilliam Gumpert & Robert Kennedy m1:42.20G21984Tough Mickey 4Jean-Luc Samyn Philip G. JohnsonMichelina Napolitano m1:42.40G21983Rossi Gold7Pat DayRaymond S. Lawrence Jr.Leslie Combs II m1:48.80G21982Rossi Gold6Pat DayRaymond S. Lawrence Jr.Leslie Combs II m1:46.00G21981Rossi Gold (DH)5Pat DayRaymond S. Lawrence Jr.Leslie Combs II m1:43.80G21981Ben Fab (DH)4Gary StahlbaumJacques Dumas Fernand Audet & René Benoit 1980Told4Jean-Luc SamynPhilip G. JohnsonMeadowhill m1:43.00G21979Overskate4Robin PlatsGil RowntreeJack H. Stafford m1:44.00G21978Old Frankfort6Ron TurcotteDavid K. Feldman David K. Feldman & Al Wittlin m1:50.20G21977Quick Card4Mickey Solomone Thomas J. KellyJohn M. Schiff m1:43.00G21976Passionate Pirate5Heriberto Arroyo Harry TrotsekDr. Robert A. Franklyn m1:43.00G21975Buffalo Lark5Larry SnyderJoseph M. BolleroRogers Red Top Farm (Walter F. Mullady) m1:43.00G21974Zografos6William Gavidia Harry TrotsekHasty House Farm m1:50.80G21973Triumphant4Anthony F. RiniJoseph M. BolleroMarion O. Reineman 1 m1:34.80G21972Unanime5William Gavidia Harry TrotsekHasty House Farm m1:51.201971Knight in Armor4Mike VeneziaH. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm m1:51.201970Mr. Leader4Jorge TejeiraMacKenzie MillerCragwood Stables m1:47.401969Hawaii5Manuel YcazaMacKenzie MillerCragwood Stables m1:49.801968-1Out The Window4Henry M. Moreno Thomas W. Kelley James R. Chapman m1:50.401968-2Fort Marcy4Carlos H. Marquez J. Elliott BurchRokeby Stables m1:50.601967Climax II6Laffit Pincay Jr.Harold Tinker August Muckler m1:49.6019661966 Climax II5Bill HartackHarold TinkerAugust Muckler m1:50.201965Marlin Bay5Herb HinojosaJohn Russell Verna Lea Farm (Gene & Verna Lee Goff) m1:49.401964Spanish Fort4Don BrumfieldSteve Ippolito Jacnot Stable (O. T. & Jack R. Hogan) m1:48.601963Hard Rock Man 4Walter BlumRobert Cramer R. Morton Johnson m1:48.201962Porvenir II8Avelino GomezHarry TrotsekHasty House Farm m1:51.201961Oink4Johnny SellersSteve Ippolito Jacnot Stable (O. T. & Jack R. Hogan) m1:50.60 1960Dunce4Braulio BaezaMoody JolleyClaiborne Farm m1:57.601959Round Table5Bill ShoemakerWilliam MolterKerr Stable m1:47.201958Terra Firma 3Lois C. Cook R. Douglas PrewittH. Edsall Olson & R. Douglas Prewitt m1:50.60 1957Manasas4Charles E. BurrJohn Zitnik John Zitnik m1:50.60 1956Sir Tribal5Bill HartackSteve Ippolito Charles Fritz m1:49.00 1955Mark-Ye-Well6David ErbHorace A. Jones Calumet Farm m1:48.401954Sir Mango4David ErbCharles E. Eads Harry N. Eads m1:49.40 1953Abbe Sting5Ronald Baldwin John P. Keezek Mrs. John P. Keezek m1:48.401952Royal Mustang4Paul J. BaileyJoseph "Whitey" Jansen Sam E. Wilson Jr. m1:49.20 1951Royal Governor7Eddie ArcaroJames E. RyanEsther D. du Pont Weir m1:49.20 1950Inseparable5Kenneth ChurchHarry Trotsek Hasty House Farm m1:52.20 1949Coaltown4Steve BrooksHorace A. Jones Calumet Farm m1:48.40 1948Citation3Eddie ArcaroHorace A. Jones Calumet Farm m1:49.20 1947Armed6Douglas DodsonHorace A. Jones Calumet Farm m1:49.20 1946Witch Sir4Robert Campbell Leonard J. WilsonLouis Schlosser m1:49.40 1945Devalue7Steve BrooksRalph Salvino Happy Hour Farm m1:51.60 1944Georgie Drum5George Woolf Allen B. DrumhellerAllen B. Drumheller m1:49.80 1943Rounders4Ferrill Zufelt Frank Catrone Valdina Farms m1:53.60 1942Take Wing4Fred A. SmithClyde Troutt Clyde Troutt m1:58.60 1941Steel Heels5Albert SniderFrank Letllier Junius Bell m1:49.80 1940Advocator6John E. Oros Philip F. Dwyer Charles S. Howard m1:50.00 1939Count d'or4Johnny LongdenDon CameronFannie Hertz m1:50.80 1938War Minstrel4Ira HanfordWillie BoothJean Denemark m1:54.201937Corinto5Jack Westrope Frank Gilpin Jean Denemark m1:50.00 1936Stand Pat 5Charles McTague Frank Gilpin Edward F. Seagram m1:49.60 1935Discovery4John BejshakJoseph H. StotlerAlfred G. Vanderbilt Jr. m1:50.80 1934Indian Runner5Allen Tipton George W. Ogle D. A. Wood m1:49.801933Indian Runner4Allen Tipton George W. Ogle D. A. Wood m1:51.401932Equipoise4Raymond Workman Fred HopkinsC. V. Whitney m1:54.801931Plucky Play4Delmar Trivett Elwood L. Fitzgerald Northway Stable (Norman W. Church) m1:50.801930Blue Larkspur 4James W. SmithHerbert J. ThompsonEdward R. Bradley m1:49.40 1929Dowagiac 4Antony Pascuma C. F. Cherry Wild Rose Farm (Valentine "Val" Crane) m1:50.60
References
Arlington Park website