The Louisiana Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four years and older over a distance miles on the dirt track held annually during the third week of January at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana.

History Inaugurated on December 12, 1942, the first running of the Louisiana Handicap was won by Calumet Farm's 1941 U.S. Triple Crown winner Whirlaway. It would be the last race of Whirlaway's brilliant career and he was voted his second straight American Horse of the Year title.

Since inception, the Louisiana Handicap has been run at two different distances: miles : 1947, 1952–present miles : 1942–1943, 1945–1946, 1949–1951

The event was not held in 1944, 1948, 2005 and 2006.

The event was renamed to the Louisiana Stakes in 2016.

In 2020 the event was upgraded to Grade III.

Records Speed record: (at current distance of miles) 1:42.40 - Soy Numero Uno (1977)

Most wins: 3 - Tenacious (1958, 1959, 1960)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time2026Accelerize4Flavien PratTodd A. PletcherSpendthrift Farm LLC and Repole Stable1:43.432025Hit Show5Florent GerouxBrad CoxWathnan Racing (Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani)1:44.912024Saudi Crown4Florent GerouxBrad CoxFMQ Stables (Faisal Al Qahtani)1:43.202023Happy American5James GrahamNeil PessinLothenbach Stables, Inc. (Robert J. Lothenbach)1:45.332022Mandaloun4Florent GerouxBrad CoxJuddmonte 1:42.522020Blended Citizen5Florent GerouxBrad CoxSayjay Racing, G. Hall & B. Hubbard 1:43.292019Harlan Punch 6Florent GerouxBrad CoxFront Row Racing, Ten Strike Racing, K. McReynolds & B. Miller1:45.052018Cedartown 4Joe BravoMichael StidhamGodolphin1:44.182017Hawaakom7Miguel MenaWesley E. HawleyStephan H. Smoot & Wesley E. Hawley 1:44.012016International Star4Miguel MenaMichael J. MakerKenneth and Sarah Ramsey1:44.442015Hard Aces5Jose RiquelmeJ. Larry JonesDreamchaser Thorobreds (Managing partners: Jeffrey Faulk & Michael Jay Cavanah)1:44.612014Fordubai4Robby AlbaradoGreg GeierJim Tafel1:43.372013Infrattini 5Miguel MenaPaul McGeeZ Thoroughbreds (founder & Managing Partner: Steve Zerda)1:44.622012Thiskyhasnolimit5Shane SellersSteven AsmussenCathy & Robert Zollars / Mark Wagner1:43.672011Recapturetheglory6Jamie TheriotLouie Roussel IIILouie Roussel III & Ronnie Lamarque1:43.412010Friesan Fire4Shaun BridgmohanSteve AsmussenVinery Stables & Fox Hill Farm (Richard C. "Rick" Porter II)1:43.392009Good And Lucky6Pat ValenzuelaJosie CarrollJames & Alice Sapara1:43.462008Silver Lord5Corey LanerieSteve AsmussenBowman Couch Racing1:43.612007Sandburr 8James GrahamMichael StidhamFeel The Thunder Stable (Marty Nixon)1:45.102004Gigawatt4Brian J. HernandezSteve FlintSteve Ramsey 1:43.582003Spanish Empire4Eddie Martin, Jr.Steve AsmussenJubilee Stable, et al.1:43.582002Connected5Larry MelanconDavid M. CarrollAlexander & Groves Revocable Trust1:44.822001San Pedro4Ray SibilleJoseph E. BroussardRichard F. Rudolph1:44.772000Guided Tour4Larry MelanconNiall M. O'CallaghanMorton Fink1:44.001999Neon Shadow5Willie MartinezRay TamargoRay Tamargo1:43.601998Take Note of Me4Ray SibilleGene CilioBarry Shipp & Steve Holland1:43.601997Scott's Scoundrel5E. J. PerrodinPaul PellerinVirgil Huskey1:44.001996Buck's Nephew6Randy RomeroP. Noel HickeyIrish Acres Farm (P. Noel & Margaret "Bobby" Hickey)1:45.001995Buck's Nephew5Robby AlbaradoP. Noel HickeyIrish Acres Farm (P. Noel & Margaret "Bobby" Hickey)1:43.801994Fappiano's Star6Willie MartinezJoseph O. DuhonMelissa Meche1:44.001993Far Out Wadleigh5E. J. PerrodinRay FrederickWadleigh/Latino Racing Stable1:44.601992Erica's Dream4Kenny BourqueBobby C. BarnettJohn A. Franks1:44.201991Majesty's Imp5Bobby Walker, Jr.Sturgis DucoingBatarasan Stable (Chuck Tanner, Rick Rhoden, Bob Skinner)1:47.601990Festive5Shane RomeroThomas M. AmossJohn A. Franks1:45.801989The Flips Comin4Joe JudiceSam PariseBarbara A. Allen1:44.401988Under Orders6Shane RomeroLouie Roussel IIILouie Roussel III1:45.401987Royal Strength4Charles Woods Jr.Donald WinfreyJames Devaney1:48.601986Hopeful Word5Pat DayCarl BowmanBarrett M. Morris1:45.201985Silent King4Ronnie FranklinBud DelpHawksworth Farm (Harry & Teresa Meyerhoff)1:43.201984Explosive Bid6Charles Woods Jr.Bud DelpHawksworth Farm (Harry & Teresa Meyerhoff)1:44.801983Listcapade4E. J. PerrodinDewey SmithDorothy Dorsett Brown1:44.001982Aspro4Bobby Walker, Jr.Bud DelpJames A. Bayard1:44.401981Sun Catcher4Alonzo GuajardoDianne CarpenterSundance Stable1:43.201980A Letter To Harry6Randy RomeroJohn T. OxleyEstate Raymond F. Salmen1:45.201979Dr. Riddick5Larry J. DurousseauFrank L. BrothersAlbert M. Stall Jr.1:45.401978Prince Majestic4Eddie DelahoussayeDewey SmithDorothy Dorsett Brown1:44.801977Soy Numero Uno4Ray BroussardHomer C. PardueJoseph R. Straus & Izzy Proler1:42.401976Master Derby4Craig PerretSmiley AdamsGolden Chance Farm (Robert E. Lehmann)1:43.201975Hearts of Lettuce5Allen LeBlancLouie Roussel IIIRobert Azar1:43.401974Tom Tulle4Craig PerretJere R. SmithW. Arthur Lofton1:43.401973Guitar Player (DH)5Phil RubbiccoJack Van BergM.H. Van Berg Stable Inc.1:45.201973List (DH)5Jimmy NicholsAlcee RichardDorothy Dorsett Brown1:45.201972List4Jimmy NicholsAlcee RichardDorothy Dorsett Brown1:44.401971Bon Bon4Nelson MenardW. R. HarpClover S Farm1:43.601970Etony5Phil RubbiccoGeorge GeierGray & Schmieds1:44.401969Irish Dude5Sandino HernandezJack M. BradleyRichard W. Taylor1:45.001968Diplomat Way4Leroy MoyersJohn O. MeauxHarvey Peltier1:43.801967Florida Value4Richard WinantJohn DupuyH. S. Cohoon1:43.801966Blue Murder6Robert L. BairdSam PariseR. V. Stockton1:44.801965Charolero6Glynn BernisJohn O. MeauxT. Allie Grissom1:48.201964Shoot Luke4Dennis WardOdie ClellandMrs. J. M. Branham1:46.601963Hoop Bound6William SkuseClifford ScottMrs. Clifford Scott1:45.401962Orleans Doge4William SkuseWilliam J. ResseguetW. J. Resseguet & Ben Weiner1:45.801961Road House4Sandino HernandezJoseph H. Pierce, JrWilson & Allen1:46.401960Tenacious6Ray BroussardJohn B. TheallDorothy Dorsett Brown1:44.801959Tenacious5Ray BroussardJohn B. TheallDorothy Dorsett Brown1:45.201958Tenacious4Ray BroussardJohn B. TheallDorothy Dorsett Brown1:44.001957Speed Rouser5Johnny HeckmannHarold C. HoffmanDr. Sidney H. Babbitz1:46.201956Ja Ja4Ralph BorgemenkeLarry H. ThompsonAlamode Stable (Modie J. Spiegel)1:48.60

Earlier winners

1955 - Epic King 1954 - Roedna 1953 - Spur On 1952 - Light Broom 1951 - Thelma Berger 1950 - Roseborough 1949 - Grand Entry 1947 - Dockstader 1946 - Flareback 1945 - South Dakota 1943 - First Fiddle 1942 - Whirlaway

Notes

References

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races The 2009 Louisiana Handicap at ESPN