The River City Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of one and one eighth miles on the turf held annually in November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The event offers a purse of $300,000.

History The name of the event is after a nickname for the city of Louisville where river traffic between the upper Ohio River and the Gulf of Mexico provided the early settlement of Louisville as it grew as a portage site.

The event was inaugurated on 30 October 1978, opening day of Churchill Downs Fall meeting as the River City Handicap as a six furlong dirt race and was won by Inca Roca who won his fifth race from fourteen starts in a time of 1:10.

The event was run over six furlongs until 1981 and then increased to 1 mile. In 1987 the event was scheduled on the turf over a distance of miles. The following year the distance of the event increased to miles but it was moved off the turf and onto the main track due to inclement weather.

The American Graded Stakes Committee classified the event as Grade III in 1996 and was won by the 2/1 favourite Same Old Wish. Same Old Wish would win the event again the following year as a seven-year-old.

The event was run as a handicap prior to 2019.

The race was not run from 2020 to 2021 and in 2022 when the event was resumed it was moved to the dirt track due to the state of turf track and was downgraded to Listed status.

Records

Speed record: miles: 1:45.58 – Wolfie's Dynaghost (2025) 1 mile (dirt): 1:36.20 - Taylor's Special (1986)

Margins: 7 lengths – Go With the Times (1979)

Most wins: 2 – Same Old Wish (1996, 1997) 2 – Dr. Kashnikow (CAN) (2001, 2002) 2 – Mr. Misunderstood (2018, 2019)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – Friendship Stable (1996, 1997) 2 – Erdenheim Farm (2001, 2002) 2 – Flurry Racing Stables (2018, 2019)

Most wins by a jockey: 6 – Pat Day (1982, 1984, 1986, 1991, 1999, 2000)

Most wins by a trainer: 3 – Claude R. McGaughey III (1984, 2023, 2024)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefRiver City Stakes2025Wolfie's Dynaghost 7Luis SaezBrian A. LynchWoodslane Farm miles1:45.58$300,000III2024Battle of Normandy 4Luan MachadoClaude R. McGaughey IIIWest Point Thoroughbreds & Woodford Racing miles1:48.79$290,500III2023Smokin' T 4John R. VelazquezClaude R. McGaughey IIIDATTT Stable miles1:50.66$289,858III2022Hozier 4Julien R. LeparouxRodolphe BrissetStoryteller Racing miles1:51.67 $292,500Listed2020–2021Race not held2019Mr. Misunderstood 5Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxFlurry Racing Stables miles1:53.31$175,000IIIRiver City Handicap2018Mr. Misunderstood 4Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxFlurry Racing Stables miles1:55.94$100,000III2017Shining Copper 7Corey J. LanerieMichael J. Maker Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey miles1:52.78$100,000III2016Thatcher Street 5Brian Hernandez JrIan R. WilkesRandall L. Bloch, Phil Milner, John Seiler & Amtietan miles1:51.45$100,000III2015Heart to Heart (CAN) 4Julien R. LeparouxBrian A. Lynch Terry Hamilton miles1:52.16$100,000III2014Villandry 5Julien R. LeparouxCharles LoPresti Gainesway Stable miles1:48.54$114,000III2013Potomac River 4Juan P. VargasSergio Baez Maribel Ruelas miles1:51.20$116,300 III2012Keep Up 5Miguel MenaAlex Clarkson Mill Ridge Farm miles1:48.05$115,700III2011Blues Street 7Robby AlbaradoEddie Kenneally Anstu Stables miles1:51.72$111,000III2010Battle of Hastings (GB) 4Joel RosarioGregory Fox Mike House miles1:48.90$111,200III2009Rahystrada 5Leandro D. GoncalvesByron G. HughesRobert E. Courtney Jr. miles1:49.18$112,700III2008Karelian 6William D. TroiloGeorge R. Arnold II Green Lantern Stables miles1:50.06$114,400IIIDemarcation 4Paul J. McGee Amerman Racing Stables2007Thorn Song 4Kent J. DesormeauxDale L. Romans Zayat Stables miles1:51.37$227,400III2006Bayeux 5John R. VelazquezGerard A. Butler Michael Tabor miles1:48.77$168,900III2005America Alive 4Robby AlbaradoNeil J. Howard Mill House miles1:50.78$167,700III2004G P Fleet 4Jose R. Martinez Jr.Steven B. Flint Richard Bertram & Elaine Klein miles1:51.26$174,300III2003Hard Buck (BRZ) 4Brice BlancKenneth G. McPeek Team Victory II miles1:51.60$172,800III2002Dr. Kashnikow (CAN) 5Robby AlbaradoJohn R. S. Fisher Erdenheim Farm miles1:51.44$175,650III2001Dr. Kashnikow (CAN) 4Robby AlbaradoJohn R. S. Fisher Erdenheim Farm miles1:47.90$177,300III2000Brahms 3Pat DayW. Elliott Walden Tom Van Meter miles1:48.09$180,450III1999Comic Strip 4Pat DayNeil J. Howard William S. Farish III, G. Watts Humphrey Jr. & James Elkins miles1:50.71$171,150III1998Wild Event 5Shane SellersLouis M. Goldfine Arthur I. Appleton miles1:49.18$187,800III1997Same Old Wish 7Shane SellersRobert Barbara Friendship Stable miles1:50.90$171,900III1996Same Old Wish 6Shane SellersRobert Barbara Friendship Stable miles1:49.21$113,100III1995Homing Pigeon 5Randy RomeroHarvey L. Vanier Nancy A. Vanier miles1:51.00$112,800Listed 1994Lindon Lime 4Shane SellersW. Elliott Walden Frank Mansell miles1:49.30$116,400 Listed 1993Secreto's Hideaway 4Willie MartinezAkiko M. Gothard Mickey Liber miles1:53.83$111,800 Listed 1992 5Dave PennaTino Attard Kirby Canada Farm miles1:49.31$112,400 Listed 1991Spending Record 4Pat DayD. Wayne Lukas Moyglare Stud Farm miles1:50.34$115,500 Listed 1990Silver Medallion 4Craig PerretPhilip M. Hauswald Brereton C. Jones miles1:50.80$87,000 1989Spark O'Dan 4Joe M. JohnsonGary G. Hartlage William S. Greene miles1:50.80$85,275 1988Ile de Jinsky 4Eugene J. Sipus Jr.William C. Thomas Finish Line Stable miles1:53.20$68,310 1987Kings River II (IRE) 5Mike E. SmithWilliam I. Mott Bertram Firestone miles1:45.40$57,150 River City Stakes1986Taylor's Special 5Pat DayWilliam I. Mott William Lucas 1 mile1:36.20$46,165 1985Banner Bob 6K. Keith AllenJerome J. Sarner Jr. William J. & Sharon Walsh 1 mile1:36.60$44,800 1984Eminency 4Pat Day Happy Valley Farm 1 mile1:38.40$28,350 1983Northern Majesty 3Sam Maple Leslie Combs II & C. C. Green1 mile1:37.00$28,450 River City Handicap1982Pleasing Times 3Pat DayJoseph M. Bollero Tom Gentry 1 mile1:38.20$31,250 1981Suliman 4Larry SnyderRobert E. Holthus Joyce Starr & Dixie Holthus 6 furlongs1:10.60$30,950 1980Tinsley's Hope 6Julio C. EspinozaWilliam C. Thomas Henry Pace 6 furlongs1:11.00$29,300 1979Go With the Times 3Gerland Gallitano Joseph M. Bollero Russell Reineman 6 furlongs1:10.20$25,000 1978Inca Roca 5Julio C. EspinozaEarl J. PuckettCharles Jarrell 6 furlongs1:10.40$27,475

Legend:

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References

External links Churchill Downs Media Guide - $300,000 River City (Grade III)