The Kentucky Turf Cup is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up, over a distance of miles on turf. It is held annually in September at Kentucky Downs racetrack in Franklin, Kentucky, during their brief turf racing meet. The event currently carries a purse of $2,000,000, which includes $1,000,000 from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.
History
The event was inaugurated on 22 April 1990 as the Sam Houston Stakes on the first ever meeting at the new track, then the Duelling Grounds Racecourse. The race was in honor of Sam Houston, who took part in a duel on the site of where the racetrack is located near the border of Kentucky and Tennessee. The following year, the event was renamed the Sam Houston Handicap, and conditions were changed to a handicap.
In 1996 and 1997, the event was not held because the track was shut down and in bankruptcy proceedings.
When the track reopened in 1998, the race was renamed the Kentucky Cup Turf Handicap as part of the Kentucky Cup Turf Festival. In 2001, the event was classified as a Grade III.
In 2019, the purse was increased to $1,000,000.
In 2021, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association upgraded the event to a Grade II. For the 2021 running, Kentucky Downs renamed the event The Calumet Turf Cup, which Calumet Farm sponsors. The event winner, Imperador, set a new track record for the distance of 2:25.70.
Records Speed record miles: 2:24.72 – Ole Crazy Bone (2025) (new track record)
Margins lengths – Silverfoot (2005)
Most wins 2 – Rochester (2002, 2003) 2 – Da Big Hoss (2015, 2016) 2 – Arklow (2018, 2020)
Most wins by an owner 2 – Augustin Stable (2002, 2003) 2 – Robert E. Courtney Jr. (2011, 2012) 2 – Skychia Racing (2015, 2016) 2 – Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger & Peter Coneway (2018, 2020)
Most wins by a jockey 4 – Florent Geroux (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020)
Most wins by a trainer 6 – Michael J. Maker (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2025)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefKentucky Turf Cup2026Tiffany (IRE)6Luke MorrisSir Mark PrescottElite Racing 004 miles2:26.37$1,095,000 II2025 Ole Crazy Bone 5 Flavien Prat Michael J. Maker Flying P Stable miles 2:24.72 $2,496,667II2024 Grand Sonata 5 Tyler Gaffalione Todd A. Pletcher Whisper Hill Farm miles 2:24.93$1,995,000 II2023 Get Smokin 6 Fernando De La Cruz Mark E. Casse Ironhorse Racing Stable, BlackRidge Stables, T-N-T Equine Holdings & Saratoga Seven Racing Partners miles 2:28.66$1,675,429 II2022 Red Knight 8 Gerardo Corrales Michael J. Maker Trinity Farm miles 2:26.96$694,180IICalumet Turf Cup2021 Imperador (ARG)5 Joseph Talamo Paulo Lobo Bonne Chance Farm and Stud R D I miles 2:25.10$715,105IIKentucky Turf Cup Stakes2020Arklow6Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxDonegal Racing, Joseph Bulger & Peter Coneway miles2:28.66$910,000III2019Zulu Alpha6Jose L. OrtizMichael J. MakerMichael M. Hui miles2:28.62$986,500III2018Arklow4Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxDonegal Racing, Joseph Bulger & Peter Coneway miles2:30.56$746,500III2017Oscar Nominated4Julien R. LeparouxMichael J. MakerKen & Sarah Ramsey miles2:31.37$594,000III2016Da Big Hoss5Florent GerouxMichael J. MakerSkychai Racing (Harvey Diamond & Jim Shircliff) miles2:35.08$594,180III2015Da Big Hoss4Joseph Rocco Jr.Michael J. MakerSkychai Racing (Harvey Diamond & Jim Shircliff) miles2:33.40$600,000III2014Suntracer6Florent GerouxChris M. BlockTeam Block miles2:27.12$347,400III2013Temeraine4Gary L. StevensThomas F. ProctorNiall Racing (Timothy B. & Patrick F. Turney) miles2:29.18$399,000III2012Ioya Bigtime8Jeffrey SanchezChris M. BlockRobert E. Courtney Jr. miles2:30.06$200,000III2011Rahystrada7Greta KuntzweilerByron G. HughesRobert E. Courtney Jr. miles2:32.40$150,000III2010Rezif5Greta KuntzweilerMatthew JacobsonDonald Sexton, Matthew Jacobson & Thomas Baughman miles2:44.74$150,000III2009Cloudy's Knight9Jonathan E. SheppardS J Stables (Shirley & Jerrold Schwartz) miles2:33.96$150,000III2008Rumor Has It7Eduardo E. PerezDavid H. HinsleyWilliam S. Patterson & James F. Glenn miles2:28.27$200,000III20075Jeremy RoseH. Graham MotionThomas Conway miles2:26.98$200,000III2006Embossed (IRE)4Larry MelanconNiall M. O'CallaghanGary A. Tanaka miles2:36.92$200,000III2005Silverfoot5Rafael BejaranoDallas StewartChrysalis Stables (Stephanie S. Clark) miles2:30.30$200,000IIIKentucky Turf Cup Handicap2004Sabiango (GER)6Brice BlancTim YakteenMonty Roberts miles2:33.70$200,000III2003† Rochester7Eddie Martin Jr.Jonathan E. SheppardAugustin Stable miles2:31.39$200,000III2002Rochester6Eddie Martin Jr.Jonathan E. SheppardAugustin Stable miles2:38.28$300,000III2001Chorwon8Jon CourtHal R. WigginsPhoebe Ann Mueller miles2:28.68$300,000III2000Down the Aisle7Robby AlbaradoWilliam I. MottCharles H. Deters miles2:27.70$300,000 Listed1999Fahris (IRE)5Shane SellersKiaran P. McLaughlinShadwell Stable miles2:29.60$300,000 Listed1998Yaqthan (IRE)8Brian Dale PeckMerdonmar Stable (Sheikh Abdullah Majid Al Qasin) miles2:27.60$300,000 Listed1996–1997Race not heldSam Houston Handicap1995Lassigny4Pat DayWilliam I. MottSultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer2:30.60$250,000Listed1994Lindon Lime4Shane SellersW. Elliott WaldenFrank ManseII2:31.40$300,000Listed1993Know Heights (IRE)4Kent DesormeauxRobert B. Hess Jr.Mike H. Sloan, et al.2:25.60$300,000Listed 1992Drummer Boy4Garrett GomezDennis W. EbertElise M. Ebert & Eleanore Cohen2:28.40$300,000Listed1991Silver Medallion5Craig PerretPhilip M. HauswaldJohn A. Franks2:31.30$200,000Listed1990Slow Fuse6Randy P. RomeroJ. Bert SonnierSaron Stable2:33.60$250,000
Notes:
† In the 2003 running, Art Variety was first past the post but was disqualified for interference in the straight and placed third. Rochester was declared the winner.
See also List of American and Canadian Graded races
References