The Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged four and older over a distance of one mile on the turf held annually in early May on the Kentucky Derby day meeting at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky during the spring meeting.

History

This race was inaugurated on 7 May 1983 as the Twin Spires Stakes with conditions for three year olds only over a distance of miles on the dirt. The event was won by Le Cou Cou after he was declared the winner after racing stewards disqualified High Honors who lugged in the straight and interfered with Le Cou Cou.

The event was idle for three years and was renewed in 1987 at a shorter distance of miles. The event was renamed Capital Holding Twin Spires Stakes in 1988 the first on many name changes and was run again with that name in 1989.

In 1990, the event was moved to turf and conditions were modified to the current fillies and mares aged three and older.

The event was classified as Grade III in 1997. The American Graded Stakes Committee upgraded the race to its current Grade II status in 2009. In 2009, this race was upgraded from a Grade III to a Grade II event.

The event has had many different sponsors which have been reflected in the name of the event. In 2000, Churchill Downs administration renamed the event to the current Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes while still accepting sponsorship. With added high-profile sponsorship the event has attracted high quality runners in recent years. Tepin, dual winner of the event in 2015 and 2016 won the 2015 Breeders' Cup Mile and in 2016 the prestigious Canadian Grade I Woodbine Mile was crowned US Champion Female Turf Horse in both years.

Records Speed record: 1 mile: 1:33.96 - Heat Haze (GB) (2003)

Margins 5 lengths - Fast Forward (1987)

Most wins: 2 - Foresta (1990, 1991) 2 - Tepin (2015, 2016) 2 - Beau Recall (IRE) (2019, 2020)

Most wins by a jockey: 5 - Pat Day (1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995)

Most wins by a trainer: 5 - Chad C. Brown (2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)

Most wins by an owner: 3 - Juddmonte Farms (2003, 2006, 2011)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefChurchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile Stakes2026Classic Q4John R. VelazquezMark E. CasseGary Barber, Blue Crevalle Racing, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners1 mile1:34.71$976,000II2025Simply in Front 4Luis Saez Eddie KenneallyColebrook Farms1 mile1:35.46$740,670 II2024Chili Flag (FR)5Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownMadaket Stables, Michael Dubb & Michael E. Kisber1 mile1:35.95$665,000II2023Fluffy Socks 5Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownHead Of Plains Partners1 mile1:35.53$500,000II2022Speak Of The Devil (FR)5Flavien PratChad C. BrownPeter M. Brant1 mile1:37.47$500,000II2021Blowout (GB) 5Flavien PratChad C. BrownPeter M. Brant1 mile1:36.30$500,000II2020Beau Recall (IRE)6Manuel FrancoBrad H. CoxSlam Dunk Racing & Medallion Racing1 mile1:35.39$500,000II2019Beau Recall (IRE)5Irad Ortiz Jr.Brad H. CoxSlam Dunk Racing & Medallion Racing1 mile1:37.12$400,000II2018Proctor's Ledge4John R. VelazquezBrendan P. WalshPatricia L. Moseley1 mile1:36.30$300,000II2017Roca Rojo (IRE)5Florent GerouxChad C. BrownSheep Pond Partners, Newport Stables & Bradley Thoroughbreds1 mile1:37.53$300,000II2016Tepin5Julien R. LeparouxMark E. CasseRobert E. Masterson1 mile1:34.36$300,000II2015Tepin4Julien R. LeparouxMark E. CasseRobert E. Masterson1 mile1:34.12$300,000II2014Coffee Clique4Javier CastellanoBrian A. LynchAmerman Racing (Jerry & Joan Amerman)1 mile1:34.66$336,900II2013Stephanie's Kitten4Julien R. LeparouxWayne M. CatalanoKenneth and Sarah Ramsey1 mile1:37.94$288,750II2012Hungry Island4John R. VelazquezEmory A. Hamilton1 mile1:36.20$223,400II2011Aviate (GB)4Kent J. DesormeauxWilliam I. MottJuddmonte Farms1 mile1:36.67$227,800II2010Phola4Todd A. PletcherWilliam & Graydon Patterson, George Saufley & J.J. Pletcher1 mile1:38.35$223,200II2009Tizaqueena4Jamie TheriotMichael StidhamDarley Stable1 mile1:38.86$238,600II2008Bayou's Lassie5Edgar S. PradoDale L. RomansJacks or Better Farm1 mile1:37.70$169,050III2007Take the Ribbon4Rafael BejaranoWallace DollaseEurowest Bloodstock1 mile1:36.89$166,350III2006Mirabilis4Pat ValenzuelaRobert J. FrankelJuddmonte Farms1 mile1:35.93$115,600III2005Miss Terrible (ARG)6Alex O. SolisBradley S. RossCarol & Charles Hammersmith1 mile1:35.89$112,200III2004Shaconage4Brice BlancMitch ShirotaAndrena Van Doren1 mile1:36.10$113,300III2003Heat Haze (GB)4Jose Valdivia Jr.Robert J. FrankelJuddmonte Farms1 mile1:33.96$117,000III2002Stylish4Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. MottThe Thoroughbred Corporation1 mile1:35.72$115,200III2001Iftiraas (GB)4Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. MottGary A. Tanaka1 mile1:36.69$113,600III2000Don't Be Silly5Jorge F. ChavezMerrill R. SchererRobert Hall, Dan Lynch & Merrill R. Scherer1 mile1:34.78$115,400IIIAshland Mile Stakes1999Shires Ende4John R. VelazquezRichard R. SchererCarolyn K. Friedberg1 mile1:35.43$119,600IIIAegon Mile Stakes1998Witchful Thinking4Shane SellersNiall M. O'CallaghanLeslie R. Grimm1 mile1:37.23$120,800IIIProvidian Mile Stakes1997B. A. Valentine4Shane SellersDale L. RomansAlberta Butner1 mile1:36.98$115,800III1996Apolda5Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. MottAllen E. Paulson1 mile1:36.50$85,050Listed 1995Bold Ruritana5Pat DayJames E. DayMinshall Farms1 mile1:34.64$86,325Listed Capital Holding Mile Stakes19944Charles R. Woods Jr.Burk Kessinger Jr.New Phoenix Stable1 mile1:38.58$85,800 Listed 1993Lady Blessington (FR)5Pat DayMark A. HennigTeam Valor Stable1 mile1:34.96$57,800 Listed 1992Quilma (CHI)5Eddie DelahoussayeD. Wayne LukasWilliam S. Farish III et al.1 mile1:35.36$58,900 1991Foresta5Angel Cordero Jr.Thomas K. BohannanLoblolly Stable1 mile1:36.30$59,800 1990Foresta4Angel Cordero Jr.Thomas K. BohannanLoblolly Stable1 mile1:37.20$55,700 Twin Spires Stakes1989Classic Account4Pat DayTerry L. MasonLaura Leigh Stable miles1:51.20$54,050 1988Buoy3Pat DayJoseph M. BolleroLois Bollero miles1:43.40$56,500 1987Fast Forward3Pat DayD. Wayne LukasEugene Klein miles1:43.20$55,450 1984–1996Race not held1983† Le Cou Cou3Donald Lee HowardJames G. ArnettDuane Clark miles1:49.60$52,500

Legend:

Notes:

† In the 1983 inaugural running, High Honors was first past the post but was disqualified for interference in the straight and Le Cou Cou was declared the winner.

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References

External links 2019 Churchill Downs Media Guide - $400,000 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile