The Forerunner Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1950 through 2007 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Open to three-year-old horses, it was last contested on turf over a distance of one and one-eighth miles (9 furlongs).

Historical notes The Forerunner Stakes was contested at a distance of seven furlongs from its inception in 1950 through 1985. From 1986 through 1988 it was raced at 1 1/16 miles and from 1989 through 2007, at 1 1/8 miles. The event was raced as an overnight allowance from 1950 to 1985. It became a Listed race in 1986 before being upgraded to a Grade 3 event in 1988. In 1999, it returned to Listed status.

From 1996 thru its final running in 2007, the Forerunner offered a purse of $100,000. As recently as 2002, it was listed as an official Triple Crown Prep Race.Churchill Downs - Kentucky Derby race history accessed July 17, 2008

Your Host, owned by Hollywood film producer and studio executive William Goetz, won the 1950 inaugural Forerunner Purse. Ridden by future Hall of Fame inductee Johnny Longden, Your Host broke the Keeneland track record for seven furlongs on dirt with a time of 1:22 2/5. Retired to stud, Your Host most notably sired the legendary Kelso, a Hall of Fame inductee who won American Horse of the Year honors five straight times from 1960 thru 1964.Racing Hall of Fame Retrieved 2011-06-26.

In 1959, Tomy Lee also won the race in another track record time of 1:21 3/5 for seven furlongs on dirt. Tomy Lee then won Keeneland's Blue Grass Stakes and the 1959 Kentucky Derby.

Records Speed record: 1:47 1/5 @ 1-1/8 miles (9 furlongs): Rough Opening (1996) 1:21 2/5 @ 7 furlongs: John Washington (1977)

Most wins by a jockey: 4 - Bill Shoemaker (1959, 1960, 1964, 1982)

Most wins by a trainer: 3 - Jimmy Jones (1956, 1957, 1958) 3 - Woody Stephens (1963, 1984, 1988)

Most wins by an owner: 4 - Cain Hoy Stable (1955, 1963, 1968, 1969)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner (Miles)(Furlongs) Time Gr.2007Moudez3Cornelio VelasquezWilliam I. MottZayat Stables1-1/8 m1:50.16L/R2006Up an Octave3John VelazquezTodd A. PletcherVinery Stables1-1/8 m1:49.78L/R2005Gun Salute3Cornelio VelasquezWilliam I. MottBrant Laue1-1/8 m1:48.51L/R2004Prince Arch3Brice BlancKenneth G. McPeekRaymond H. Cottrell Sr.1-1/8 m1:48.64L/R2003Californian3Kent DesormeauxKristin MulhallThe Thoroughbred Corp.1-1/8 m1:52.00L/R2002Red Masque3Jerry D. BaileyDanny HuttReal Deal Racing1-1/8 m1:49.15L/R2001Kalu3Corey NakataniChristophe ClementBonnie Heath Farm & Robert Schaedle III1-1/8 m1:48.73L/R2000Gateman3Pat DayW. Elliott WaldenKennet Valley Thoroughbreds1-1/8 m1:48.39L/R1999Marquette3Jerry D. BaileyRichard A. Violette Jr.Marguerite Cavanaugh1-1/8 m1:48.60L/R1998Cryptic Rascal3Julie KroneWilliam Badgett Jr.C. Landon Knight1-1/8 m1:49.60G31997Thesaurus3Craig PerretPeter M. VestalCharles J. Cella1-1/8 m1:48.80G31996Rough Opening3Mike E. SmithDavid G. DonkRyehill Farm (Jim & Eleanor Ryan)1-1/8 m1:47.20G31995Dixie Dynasty3Mike E. SmithJ. Bert SonnierW. Harley Stepp Jr.1-1/8 m1:51.20G31994Jaggery John3Dean W. KutzPeter M. VestalThomas M. Carey1-1/8 m1:48.50G31993Explosive Red3Mark LarsenDaniel J. VellaFrank Stronach1-1/8 m1:51.46G31992Free At Last3Jerry D. BaileyD. Wayne LukasClover Racing Stable (Jeff Siegel & Barry Irwin)1-1/8 m1:49.60G31991Bewray3Corey BlackJoseph H. Pierce Jr.Pin Oak Stable & Pastime Stable (G. Watts Humphrey Jr. et al.)1-1/8 m1:51.80G31990Izvestia3Randy RomeroRoger L. AttfieldKinghaven Farms1-1/8 m1:50.20G31989Luge II3Jose A. SantosThomas J. SkiffingtonDogwood Stable1-1/8 m1:50.20G31988Posen3Don BrumfieldWoody StephensKennelot Stable1-1/16 m1:43.00G31987Blue Finn3Dave PennaJames E. DaySam-Son Farm1-1/16 m1:46.20L/R1986Autobot3Earlie FiresJoseph E. BroussardHappy Valley Farm (Gary & Steve Wolfson)1-1/16 m1:48.60L/R1985Proudest Hour3 Gerland Gallitano Joseph M. BolleroRogers Red Top Farm (Walter Mullady) & Patrick J. Flavin7 f1:24.20 1984Devil's Bag3Eddie MapleWoody StephensHickory Tree Stable7 f1:23.601983Derby Double 3Michael Moran Darrell Adams Golden Chance Farm7 f1:23.801982Linkage3Bill ShoemakerHenry S. ClarkChristiana Stables7 f1:22.801981Classic Go Go3Anthony S. BlackJerry C. Meyer Verne H. Winchell7 f1:24.001980Lord Gallant3Don MacBethLou M. GoldfineArthur I. Appleton7 f1:23.201979General Custer 3Don BrumfieldFrank L. BrothersBen Erickson, et al. 7 f1:22.40 1978Chabua3Daryl MontoyaJames P. ConwayEdna T. Thieriot 7 f1:23.801977John Washington 3James McKnightThomas H. Stevens Sr. Betsy S. May7 f1:21.401976Elocutionist3John L. LivelyPaul T. Adwell Eugene C. Cashman7 f1:22.801975Honey Mark3Eddie DelahoussayeLarry Robideaux Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Robert F. Roberts 7 f1:23.801974Aroyoport3Earlie FiresRobert Cramer August Muckler 7 f1:23.401973Royal and Regal3Walter BlumWarren A. Croll Jr. Aisco Stable 7 f1:23.801972Billy Rogell3Earl J. KnappLarry L. Fontenot Charles T. & Perne L. Grissom7 f1:24.801971Going Straight 3Oswaldo Torres Elwood McCann Don Ball 7 f1:23.001970Supreme Quality 3Dave Kassen Loyd Gentry Jr.Walter Kitchen 7 f1:23.001969Ack Ack3Manuel YcazaFrank A. Bonsal Cain Hoy Stable7 f1:22.801968Captain's Gig3Manuel YcazaWilliam W. StephensCain Hoy Stable7 f1:22.201967Racing Room 3Kenny KnappFred Watkins Llangollen Farm7 f1:22.401966He Jr.3Ronald J. CampbellDick Posey Everett Lowrance7 f1:22.401965Bugler3Don BrumfieldJames P. ConwayDarby Dan Farm7 f1:24.401964Hill Rise3Bill ShoemakerWilliam B. FinneganEl Peco Ranch7 f1:22.801963Never Bend3Manuel YcazaWoody StephensCain Hoy Stable7 f1:22.801962Roman Line3James CombestVester R. WrightT. Alie Grissom7 f1:21.801961Four-and-Twenty3Henry E. MorenoVance LongdenAlberta Ranches Ltd.7 f1:23.001960Tompion3Bill ShoemakerRobert L. WheelerC. V. Whitney7 f1:21.801959Tomy Lee3Bill ShoemakerFrank E. ChildsFred W. & Juliette M. Turner Jr.7 f1:21.601958Tim Tam3Bill HartackJimmy JonesCalumet Farm7 f1:22.201957Iron Liege3Dave ErbJimmy JonesCalumet Farm7 f1:22.401956Fabius3John HeckmannJimmy JonesCalumet Farm7 f1:22.801955Racing Fool3John H. AdamsLoyd Gentry Jr.Cain Hoy Stable7 f1:23.601954Timely Tip3Howard CraigReid Armstrong Dr. A. L. Birch 7 f1:23.801953Correspondent3Eddie ArcaroWally DunnMrs. Gordon Guiberson 7 f1:23.001952Cold Command 3Gerald PorchSylvester E. VeitchC. V. Whitney7 f1:24.001951Ruhe3Job Dean JessopRobert V. McGarveyJean Denemark7 f1:24.601950Your Host3Johnny LongdenHarry L. DanielsWilliam Goetz7 f1:22.40

References