The Mineshaft Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for four-year-olds and older run over a distance of miles on the dirt in mid-February at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event currently offers a purse of $250,000.

History

The event was inaugurated on 18 February 1973 as the Whirlaway Handicap, a handicap event for three-year-olds and older over a distance of one mile and forty years and was won by the five-year-old Guitar Player who was ridden by Leroy Moyers in a time of 1:41. The event was named in honor of Whirlaway, the fifth Triple Crown of Horse Racing winner in 1941.

The event became a preparatory race for the Louisiana Handicap and New Orleans Handicap which were held later in the Fair Ground meeting. The first four winners of the event went on and won the Louisiana Handicap. Most notable of these winners was the 1975 Preakness Stakes winner Master Derby who won the event as a short 2/5 odds-on favorite scoring by eight lengths. Master Derby went on to sweep the Louisiana Handicap and New Orleans Handicap.

The event was run in two divisions in 1975 and the winners were both trained and owned in part by Louie J. Roussel III. In 1985 the distance of the event was increased to miles.

The event was not held between 1986 and 1991.

The event was upgraded to Grade III status in 2003.

In 2005 the event was renamed for Hall of Fame inductee Mineshaft, who finished second in the 2003 running to Balto Star. Although Mineshaft was defeated in this event his record of wins that year including the New Orleans Handicap earned him the title American Horse of the Year and U.S. Champion Older Male Horse. His son Nates Mineshaft won this event in 2012.

The event continues to be a major prep for the New Orleans Handicap.

In 2020 the conditions of the event were changed from a handicap, to a stakes race with allowance weight conditions.

Records Speed record: miles: 1:42.01 – Olympiad (2022) (New Track Record)

Margins: 8 lengths – Master Derby (1976)

Most wins: 2 - Silver Dust (2019, 2020)

Most wins by a jockey: 3 - Eddie Martin Jr. (1994, 1999, 2003) 3 - Robby Albarado (2000, 2002, 2008) 3 - Rosie Napravnik (2011, 2013, 2014)

Most wins by a trainer: 3 - Louie J. Roussel III (1975 - 2 divisions, 1994)

Most wins by an owner: 2 - Louie J. Roussel III (1975, 1994) 2 - John A. Franks (1997, 1999) 2 - Anstu Stables (2003, 2015) 2 - Tom R. Durant (2019, 2020)

Whirlaway/Mineshaft – Louisiana Stakes double: Guitar Player (1973), Tom Tulle (1974), Hearts of Lettuce (1975), Master Derby (1976), Bucks Nephew (1996)

Whirlaway/Mineshaft – New Orleans Handicap double: Master Derby (1976), Precocity (1999), Include (2001), Master Command (2007), Nates Mineshaft (2012), Honorable Duty (2017), Olympiad (2022)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefMineshaft Stakes 2026Hit Show6Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxWathnan Racing miles1:42.49$242,500III 2025Hall of Fame 4Jose L. OrtizSteven M. Asmussen Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Westerburg, Gandharvi & Brook T Smith miles1:42.89$247,500III2024Money Supply5Tyler GaffalioneJoe Sharp Jordan V. Wycoff miles1:44.04$247,500III2023Pioneer of Medina 4Luis SaezTodd A. PletcherSumaya U.S. Stable miles 1:43.59 $250,000III2022Olympiad 4Junior AlvaradoWilliam I. MottGrandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable & LNJ Foxwoods miles 1:42.01 $247,500III2021Maxfield4Florent Geroux Brendan WalshGodolphin Racing miles1:43.67$200,000III2020Silver Dust6Brian Hernandez Jr.W. Bret CalhounTom R. Durant miles1:43.40$200,000IIIMineshaft Handicap 2019Silver Dust5Jack GilliganW. Bret CalhounTom R. Durant miles1:45.46$150,000III2018The Player5Calvin H. BorelWilliam B. BradleyWilliam B. Bradley & Carl Hurst miles1:42.29$147,000III2017Honorable Duty5Julien R. LeparouxBrendan P. WalshDARRS miles1:43.03$122,500III2016Majestic Harbor8Corey J. LaneriePaul J. McGeeGallant Stable miles1:42.86$125,000III2015Street Babe4Kerwin D. ClarkMichael DilgerAnstu Stables miles1:43.58$125,000III2014Bradester4Rosie NapravnikEddie KenneallyJoseph W. Sutton miles1:43.80$150,000III2013Mark Valeski4Rosie NapravnikJ. Larry JonesBrereton C. Jones miles1:44.82$148,500III2012Nates Mineshaft5Jesse M. CampbellAustin K. SmithWindy Hill Farm miles1:43.01$120,000III2011Demarcation7Rosie NapravnikPaul J. McGeeAmerman Racing miles1:43.45$121,250III2010Stonehouse6Miguel MenaJoseph E. BroussardRichard Rudolph & Michael Vranich miles1:44.09$96,000III2009Honest Man5Gabriel SaezJ. Larry JonesFox Hill Farms miles1:44.16$125,000III2008Grasshopper4Robby AlbaradoNeil J. HowardWilliam S. Farish III, Edward J. Hudson, Jr. & Estate of James A. Elkins miles1:43.46$147,000III2007Master Command5John R. Velazquez Aaron U. & Marie D. Jones miles1:42.28$194,000III2006‡Race not held2005Wanderin Boy4Larry MelanconNicholas P. ZitoArthur B. Hancock III miles1:43.08$100,000IIIWhirlaway Handicap2004Olmodavor5Corey J. LanerieRichard E. MandellaWertheimer et Frere miles1:45.59$100,000III2003Balto Star5Eddie Martin Jr.Todd A. PletcherAnstu Stables miles1:43.74$125,000III2002Valhol6Robby AlbaradoDallas E. KeenJames D. Jackson miles1:42.94$125,000 Listed 2001Include4Lonnie MecheBud DelpRobert Meyerhoff miles1:44.01$125,000Listed 2000Take Note of Me6Robby AlbaradoGene A. CilioSteve Holland & Estate of Barry Shipp miles1:42.94$125,000 Listed 1999Precocity5Eddie Martin Jr.Bobby C. BarnettJohn A. Franks miles1:43.42$125,000 Listed 1998Moonlight Dancer6Curt C. BourqueAlbert Stall Jr.Columbine Stable miles1:44.34$125,000 Listed 1997Byars6Curt C. BourqueBobby C. BarnettJohn A. Franks miles1:44.47$100,000 Listed 1996Bucks Nephew6Craig PerretP. Noel HickeyIrish Acres Farm miles1:43.40$63,375 Listed 1995Adhocracy5Larry MelanconCentaur Farms miles1:43.10$52,550 Listed 1994Cool Quaker5Eddie Martin Jr.Louie J. Roussel IIILouie J. Roussel III miles1:42.55$51,674 Listed 1993West by West4Jean-Luc SamynGeorge R. Arnold IIJohn H. Peace miles1:43.80$31,475 1992Irish Swap5Joseph E. BroussardRandall Hendricks miles1:43.00$31,625 1986–1991Race not held1985Rapid Gray6Randy RomeroWilliam I. MottWilliam F. Lucas miles1:43.00$25,000 1982–1984Race not held19814Angelo TrosclairJose A. MartinRandolph Weinsier1:40.40$25,0001980Weather Tamer4Pat Day Clifford Scott Avers Wexler1:42.60$25,0001979Prince Majestic4Eddie Delahoussaye Dewey P. Smith Dorothy Dorset Brown 1:40.20$25,0001978†Race not held1977Cylinder4Ray Sibille Larry Robideaux Jr. Greenbrier Stable1:39.60$25,0001976Master Derby4Darrel McHargueWilliam E. AdamsGolden Chance Farm1:38.80$25,0001975Burglar Alarm5Phil RubbiccoLouie J. Roussel IIILouie J. Roussel III & Wilson Abraham1:39.20$17,500Hearts of Lettuce 5 Allen LeBlancLouie J. Roussel IIIRobert Azar 1:38.80$17,5001974Tom Tulle4Craig PerretJere R. Smith W. Arthur Lofton1:38.80$20,0001973Guitar Player 5A. Leroy Moyers Jr.Jack Van BergM. H. Van Berg Stable 1:41.40$20,000

Notes:

† The 1978 renewal of the Whirlaway Handicap was cancelled after several trainers removed their horses from the entry list and there were insufficient runners to hold the event.

† The 2006 renewal of the Mineshaft Handicap was not scheduled due to the shortened Fair Grounds meeting being transferred to Louisiana Downs with continuing after effects of Hurricane Katrina which damaged the racetrack.

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races References