Suwannee River Stakes

The Suwannee River Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run at Gulfstream Park located in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Open to fillies and mares four-year-olds and up, the Grade III event is set at a distance of 9 furlongs or one and one eighth mile on the turf. The Suwannee River currently offers a purse of $125,000 and is run under allowance weight conditions. Prior to 2009, it was run as a Handicap

The race itself was named after Stephen Foster's song "Old Folks at Home" (known better by the name "Suwannee River"). It is now the state of Florida's state song.

The race was inaugurated in 1947. It was held as an overnight handicap between 1948 and 1950–1952. The race was not held in 1949. It was given grade-three status from 1973–1978 and again from 1982–present. The race had been run at six furlongs, seven furlongs, one mile, one and one sixteenth miles and its current distance of one and one eighth miles. The race itself has been so popular among trainers that the race has been run in two divisions many years and in three divisions in three separate years.

Records Speed record: 1-1/8 miles – 1:45.38 – Dickinson (2017) 1-1/16 miles – 1:45.10 – Vigorous Lady (1991) 1-mile – 1:34.60 – Jabot (1976) 7 furlongs – 1:22.40- Airmans Guide (1961)

Most wins by a jockey: 6 – Jerry D. Bailey (1983, 1984, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997) 5 – Craig Perret (1979, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989) 4 – Jean-Luc Samyn (1981, 1981, 1986 & 2003)

Most wins by a trainer: 5 – Christophe Clement (1995, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008) 4 – Thomas J. Skiffington Jr. (1987, 1988, 1989, 2001) 4 – Harry Trotsek (1955, 1977, 1982 & 1984)

Most wins by an owner: 4 – Edward A. Seltzer (1982, 1984, 1987, 1989)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse2022Stolen Holiday 4Junior AlvaradoClaude R. McGaughey IIIAnnette Allen miles1:34.32$125,0002021Sweet Melania4John VelazquezTodd PletcherRobert and Lawana Low miles1:34.19$100,0002020Starship Jubilee7Luis SaezKevin AttardBlue Heaven Farm miles1:47.54$150,0002019Valedictorian5Tyler GaffalioneKelly BreenEpic Racing miles1:50.12$150,0002018 Elysea's World5Javier CastellanoChad C. Brown Sheep Pond Part/All Pro Rac miles1:47.75$150,0002017 Dickinson5 Paco Lopez Kiaran McLaughlin Godolphin Racing LLC miles1:45.38$150,0002016 Tammy the Torpedo 4 Joel Rosario Chad C. Brown Long Lake Stable/Beacon Hill miles1:48.28$150,0002015 Sandiva (IRE) 4 Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher Al Shaqab Racing miles1:47.31$150,0002014 Parranda 5 Jose Lezcano Rodolfo Garcia Lone Stable miles1:49.07$150,0002013 Channel Lady 5 Javier Castellano Claude McGaughey III Phipps Stable miles1:48.82$150,0002012 Snow Top Mountain 5 Jose Lezcano Thomas F. Proctor Barbara Hunter miles1:52.86$150,0002011 Cherokee Queen6 Alex Solis Martin D. Wolfson Farnsworth Stables LLC miles1:46.62$150,0002010 Tottie4 Jose Lezcano Chad C. Brown J. H. Richmond-Watson miles1:50.34$125,0002009 Lady Carlock5 Jermaine Bridgmohan Carl Nafzger Bentley Smith miles1:47.65$125,0002008 La Dolce Vita6 Kent Desormeaux Christophe Clement Ronchalon Stable miles1:46.64$100,0002007 Naissance Royale5 Edgar Prado Christophe Clement Monceaux Stable miles1:46.58$100,0002006 Eyes on Eddy4 Rafael Bejarano Paul J. McGee Ralls & Foster LLC miles1:49.56$100,0002005 Snowdrops5 Edgar Prado Christophe Clement Howard G. Spinks miles1:46.40$100,0002004 Wishful Splendor5 José Santos Sal Russo John B. Manganaro Jr. miles1:54.86$100,0002003 Amonita5 Jean-Luc Samyn Christophe Clement Haras du Mezeray miles1:47.90$100,0002002 Snow Dance4 Pat Day John T. Ward Jr. John C. Oxley miles1:49.04$100,0002001 Spook Express3 Mike E. Smith Thomas Skiffington Jr. Kinloch Enterprises miles1:47.28$60,0002000 Pico Teneriffe4 Jorge F. Chavez Todd A. Pletcher Melnyk Racing Stables miles1:47.83$45,0001999 Winfama6 Richard Migliore Martin D. Wolfson Santa Cruz Ranch miles1:52.38$45,0001998 Seebe4 Darci S. Rice Jonathan Sheppard Augustin Stable miles1:47.58$45,0001997 Golden Pond4 Jerry D. Bailey Martin D. Wolfson David W. Hutson miles1:47.87$45,0001996 Class Kris4 Pat Day James E. Picou Fred W. Hooper miles1:49.17$45,0001995 Cox Orange5 Jerry D. Bailey Christophe Clement Sheikh Mohammed miles1:47.43$45,0001994 Marshua's River7 José A. Santos David M. Carroll James T. Gottwald miles1:46.68$450001993 Via Borghese4 Jerry D. Bailey Angel Penna Jr. Malcolm E. Parrish miles1:48.22$402301992 Julie La Rousse4 Jerry D. Bailey Angel Penna Jr. Malcolm E. Parrish miles1:48.48$38,6701991 Vigorous Lady5 Michael A. Lee Joseph Bertolino Monarch Stable, Inc. miles1:45.10$36,1201990 Princess Mora4 Miguel A. González Jose A. Mendez Fred Berens & Sol Garazi miles1:41.20$38,9701989 # Love You By Heart 4 Randy Romero John M. Veitch Daniel M. Galbreath miles1:41.60$37,2751989 # Fieldy 6 Craig Perret Thomas Skiffington Edward A. Seltzer miles1:41.60$36,9751988 # Go Honey Go 7 Julio Pezua Sonny Hine Scott C. Savin miles1:41.80$38,4901988 # Anka Germania 6 Craig Perret Thomas Skiffington Glencrest Farm miles1:41.80$39,0901987 # Fieldy (DH) 4 Randy Romero Thomas Skiffington Jr. Edward A. Seltzer miles1:44.20$17,8101987 # Fama (DH)4 Craig Perret Angel Penna Sr. Jaime Rizo-Patron miles1:44.20$17,8101987 # Singular Bequest 4 Earlie Fires Larry Geiger Marcel Walder miles1:43.60$26,4151986 # Chesire Kitten 4 Jean-Luc Samyn Sonny Hine Scott C. Savin miles1:44.80$30,9901986 # Videogenic 4 Robbie Davis Gasper S. Moschera Albert Davis miles1:44.60$30,9601985 # Early Lunch 4 Walter Guerra James E. Bracken R. L. Bowen/T. M. Macioce1 mile1:35.60$28,5201985 # Sherizar4 James McKnight Jim Newman Eloise McCoy 1 mile1:36.40$28,8191985 # Burst of Colors 5 José A. Santos Gary P. Simms Krulik & Lewis1 mile1:35.60$28,8191984 Sulemeif4 Jerry D. Bailey Harry Trotsek Ed Seltzer & Roy Gottlieb1 mile1:36.80$39,3301983 # Norsan 4 Jerry D. Bailey Carlos A. Garcia Gustave Ring 1 mile1:38.20$28.8901983 # Syrianna 4 Jacinto Vásquez David A. Whiteley Pen-Y-Bryn Farm7 furlongs1:24.20$27,3901983 # Promising Native 4 Don MacBeth Ronnie G. Warren Ronnie G. Warren7 furlongs1:23.80$27,0601982 # Pine Flower 4 Craig Perret Paul V. Hartz S. G. Olsson1 mile1:35.40$27,0001982 # Teacher's Pet 5 Carlos Marquez Harry Trotsek Edward A. Seltzer1 mile1:35.20$27,3001981 # Honey Fox 4 Jean-Luc Samyn Flint S. Schulhofer Jerome M. Torsney1 mile1:38.20$28,8901981 # Exactly So 4 Jean-Luc Samyn Philip G. Johnson Robert G. Kluener1 mile1:35.80$22,5681980 # Ouro Verde 4 Ramon I. Encinas Angel Penna Sr. Daniel Wildenstein1 mile1:37.20$18,8701980 # Just A Game4 Don Brumfield David A. Whiteley Peter M. Brant & H. Joseph Allen1 mile1:35.20$18,8701979 # Navajo Princess 5 Craig Perret Douglas Dodson Glen Oaks Farm1 mile1:35.20$19,6501979 # Calderina 4 Jeffrey Fell J. Bert Sonnier Owen Helman 1 mile1:36.20$19,2001978 Lens Determined4 Jean Cruguet Duke Davis Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Smith 1 mile1:35.60$19,2601977 Bronze Point4 Heriberto Arroyo Harry Trotsek Harold B. Noonan7 furlongs1:24.20$21,3901976 Jabot4 Heliodoro Gustines Woody Stephens Claiborne Farm1 mile1:34.60$21,3301975 Deesse Du Val4 Mike Hole Stephen A. DiMauro Joan C. Johnson 1 mile1:35.40$20,4001974 Dove Creek Lady4 Miguel A. Rivera Fred Nelson Margaret V. Dowd1 mile1:36.40$21,9601973 Ziba Blue6 Mike Miceli Jake B. Dodson Audley Farm Stable1 mile1:35.80$21,2701972 # Irish Party 4Robert WoodhouseVictor MorganRobert Gasparri1 mile1:37.20$16,4701972 # Stay Out Front 6 Jacinto Vásquez Jerome J. Sarner Jr. Dorothy De Vries1 mile1:37.20$16,6201971 # Delta Sal 5 Walter Blum Donald H. Divine W. L. Lyons Brown1 mile1:35.60$15,6901971 # Sign of the Times 4 Jacinto Vásquez Jerome J. Sarner Jr. Brown Villa Farm1 mile1:36.00$15,9901970 # Blue Rage 4 Mickey Solomone Ronnie G. Warren Russell Reineman1 mile1:43.20$33,3001970 # Starstrand 4 Don MacBeth James E. Koffman Karif L. Vangeloff1 mile1:43.60$32,8001969 Spire5 Ray Broussard Mike Fogarty George R. Wallace1 mile1:39.40$14,5001968 Ludham4 Kenny Knapp Frank I. Wright Happy Hill Farm miles1:41.80$23,3001967 Cologne4 Leroy Moyers Frank H. Merrill Jr. Mrs. Romola Voynow miles1:47.00$22,2001966 Wild Note4 Ray Broussard Douglas Dodson Mrs. Charles F. Parker7 furlongs1:22.80$13,5751965 Old Hat 6 Don Brumfield Charles C. Norman Stanley Conrad7 furlongs1:23.00$12,7751964 Smart Deb4 Walter Blum Arnold N. Winick Russell Reineman7 furlongs1:23.00$9,6001963 Old Hat 4 Howard Grant Charles C. Norman Stanley Conrad7 furlongs1:23.00$9,3501962 Coup d'État5 Bill Hartack Les Lear Les Lear7 furlongs1:23.40$9,6251961 Airmans Guide4 Bill Hartack Burton B. Williams Hugh A. Grant Sr.7 furlongs1:22.40$9,6501960 Royal Native4 Bill Hartack Kenny Noe Sr. William B. MacDonald Jr. miles1:42.00$9,0751959 Oil Rich4 Johnny Sellers Walter A. Kelley Elmendorf Farm miles1:44.00$9,6001958 Rosewood4 Charles Burr Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm miles1:45.80$17,4251957 Estacion4 William M. Cook Marion H. Van Berg Marion H. Van Berg miles1:42.40$17,0501956 Tremor4 Bill Shoemaker Sunny Fitzsimmons Belair Stud miles1:43.00$10,5051955 Queen Hopeful4 John H. Adams Harry Trotsek Hasty House Farm miles1:43.60$10,9501954 Atalanta 6 Harrison B. Wilson Preston M. Burch Brookmeade Stable miles1:43.60$10,6501953 Sunny Dale5 Kenneth Church Dwight Denham Buddah Stable miles1:44.60$17,5001952 Penson6 Kenneth Church George S. Howell Mrs. William E. Snell miles1:44.60$1,8751951 Circus Clown6 James Stout Thomas F. Root Sr. William J. Walden6 furlongs1:10.20$4,7501950 Theory3 Eldon Nelson Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm6 furlongs1:09.00$3,2501949no race1948 Buzfuz6 Albert Snider Joe Rosen Sunshine Stable 6 furlongs1:11.20$8,2001947 Ariel Song4 Douglas Dodson Albert Dunne Bobanet Stable7 furlongs1:24.20$4,100

A # designates that the race was run in multiple divisions that year.

References