The Fort Lauderdale Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race open for three years old or older, over a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the turf track held annually in December at Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida. The event currently carries a purse of $215,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 5 April 1947 as the Fort Lauderdale Handicap and was won by the 2/5 odds-on favorite Eternal Reward who set a track record of 1:45 for the miles distance on the dirt track. The event was brought forward for the second running during the 1947–48 meeting and was held on 27 December 1947. In 1950 and 1951 the event was run as the Fort Lauderdale Purse.

By the 1950s the event had established itself as a feature handicap for older horses in South Florida. The 1954 running attracted enough entrants that it was split into two divisions. In 1956 the winner New Trend ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Willie Shoemaker set a new track record for the miles distance of 1:42 flat winning easily by lengths.

The following year, in 1957, the U.S. Champion Three-Year-Old Colt Needles, who had won both the 1956 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, ran his last race of his career here. Needles won the race, coming back from 20 lengths behind the leaders to win by two lengths in the end and equal the track record that was set in 1956.

The 1960s were a stable period for the event as it continually was held in early April. During those years the event attracted many fine entrants including three foreign bred winners including Captain Kidd II who won the National Breeders' Produce Stakes in England as a two-year-old, Valentine won won the event by 7 lengths in 1963 ran second in the important Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park in England to Henry The Seventh. The 1965 renewal of the event was as the Fort Lauderdale Purse and was held on the turf track for the first time was won by the Argentine-bred Babington who equaled the world record for the distance in a stunning 1:40.

During the 1970s the legal inflighting between owner Donn family's Gulfstream Park and John W. Galbreath's Hialeah Park over racing date allotments impacted the scheduling of the event. The event was only held five times during that period. During the early 1980s the event was held over a distance of seven furlongs. In 1988 the event was scheduled on the turf over miles and run in split divisions for the second time.

The 1994 winner Paradise Creek won the event as a 3/5 odds-on favorite with a determined stretch drive winning by length. The victory was Paradise Creek's third win in a seven race winning streak. Later in the year Paradise Creek was awarded US Champion Male Turf Horse honors.

In 1995 the American Graded Stakes Committee classified the event as Grade III.

The event was not held in 2001, 2003 and 2004 which led to the event losing it classification.

In 2005 the race was renewed as a Black Type event with stakes allowance conditions with the modified name Fort Lauderdale Stakes.

Assigned Grade III status beginning in 2010. Due to weather, however, the race was run off the turf in 2010. It was run a mile on dirt and was automatically downgraded, pending review, after the event was switched. The American Graded Stakes Committee reinstated the Grade III rating. The decision to reinstate the Grade 3 rating was based on the quality of the horses who competed in the race following the surface change.

In 2013 the event was upgraded once more to Grade II.

In 2019 the distance of the event was increased from miles to miles.

In 2025 the event was downgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Grade III status.

Records Speed record miles turf: 1:43.42 – Wolfie's Dynaghost (2025) (New Track record) miles turf: 1:38.26 – Union Place (2005) miles dirt: 1:41.00 – Rouge Chanteur (1971)

Margins 8 lengths – Belleau Chief (1959)

Most wins by a jockey 8 – Jerry D. Bailey (1978, 1985, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002)

Most wins by a trainer 8 – William I. Mott (1988, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2007)

Most wins by an owner 2 – Allen E. Paulson (1999, 2002) 2 – Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey (2000, 2018)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefFort Lauderdale Stakes2025Wolfie's Dynaghost7Irad Ortiz Jr. Bryan A. LynchWoodslane Farm miles1:43.42$200,000III2024Major Dude 4Irad Ortiz Jr. Todd A. PletcherSpendthrift Farm miles1:45.73$200,000II2023Main Event 4Javier Castellano George WeaverHarrell Ventures miles1:46.47$200,000II2022City Man 5Joel RosarioChristophe Clement Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter & Patty Searles miles1:46.10$200,000II2021Doswell6Junior AlvaradoBarclay TaggJoseph Allen 1:45.60$200,000II2020Largent4Paco LopezTodd A. PletcherEclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Twin Creeks Racing Stables miles1:46.16$200,000II2019Instilled Regard4Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownOXO Equine miles1:47.18$200,000II2018†8Edgar S. PradoMatthew Schera miles1:48.44$200,000IIDecember2018Shining Copper8Jose L. OrtizMichael J. MakerKenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey miles1:43.44$200,000IIJanuary2017Flatlined5Joe BravoCharles L. DickeyBrian Hytrek, Rodney Paden & Ryan Kuhn miles1:41.29$200,000II2016Heart to Heart5Julien R. LeparouxBrian A. LynchTerry Hamilton miles1:41.71$200,000II2015Mshawish5Javier CastellanoTodd A. PletcherAl Shaqab Racing miles1:41.14$200,000II2014Summer Front5Joe BravoChristophe ClementWaterford Stable miles1:42.24$200,000II2013Mucho Mas Macho4Juan C. LeyvaHenry CollazoSignal Hill Farms miles1:40.39$150,000II2012Silver Medallion4Javier CastellanoTodd A. PletcherBlack Rock Stables miles1:43.04$100,000III2011Little Mike4Joe BravoAllen IwinskiPriscilla Vaccarezza & KZ Stables miles1:40.52$100,000III2010Duke of Mischief4Eibar CoaDavid FawkesAlex Lieblong, Marilyn McMaster & David Fawkes1 mile1:37.70$100,000III2009Kiss the Kid6Elvis TrujilloAmy TarrantAmy Tarrant miles1:40.59$100,000 Listed 2008Race not held2007Classic Campaign5Edgar S. PradoWilliam I. MottKinsman Stable miles 1:40.19$75,750 Listed 2006Honor in War7Paul J. McGee3rd Turn Stables miles1:40.13$75,000 Listed 2005Union Place6Javier CastellanoRandy SchulhoferWilliam A. Sorokolit Sr. miles1:38.26$60,000 2003–2004Race not heldFort Lauderdale Handicap 2002Del Mar Show 5Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. Mott Allen E. Paulson Living Trust miles1:41.54$100,000III2001Race not held2000Beckon the King 4Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. Mott Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey miles1:40.36$100,000III1999Garbu 5Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. Mott Allen E. Paulson miles1:39.33$100,000III1998Statesmanship 4Jose A. SantosChristophe ClementPeter F. Karches, Charles E. & Susan T. Harris miles1:40.46$100,000III1997Doublethebetwice 4Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. Mott Kevin B. Halter miles1:42.61$100,000III1996Winged Victory 6Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. Mott Pin Oak Stable miles1:41.94$100,000III1995The Vid 5Jerry D. BaileyMartin D. Wolfson Joseph J. Sullivan miles1:41.12$100,000III1994Paradise Creek 5Mike E. SmithWilliam I. Mott Masayuki Nishiyama miles1:39.30$100,000 Listed 1993Archies Laughter 5Jose A. SantosMilton W. Wolfson Stride Rite Racing Stable miles1:44.13$100,000 Listed 1992Now Listen 5Jose A. SantosRobert J. Frankel Juddmonte Farms miles1:40.44$100,000Listed1991ƒ Miss Josh 5Dave PennaBarclay Tagg Bonner Farm miles1:41.13$100,000 Listed 1990Wanderkin 7Jose A. SantosRichard O'Connell Poma Stable miles1:40.60$100,000 1989Regal Brek 7Randy RomeroMark R. Weiss Selma L. Weiss, Glenda Salyer et al. miles1:44.20$61,650 1988Lordalik (FR) 4Randy RomeroRobert J. Frankel Robert J. Frankel & Jerome S. Moss miles1:41.40$49,150 Kings River II (IRE) 6Randy RomeroWilliam I. Mott Bertram R. Firestone1:41.00$50,1501987Skip Trial 5Randy RomeroSonny Hine Mrs. Zelda Cohen miles1:42.20$59,500 1986Midway Circle 4Jerry D. BaileyWoodford C. Stephens Jayeff B Stable7 furlongs1:23.00$59,150 1985For Halo 4Bryan Fann Mary L. EdensMrs. Adele W. Paxson 7 furlongs1:22.40$56,800 1984Uncle Jeff 5Gene St. LeonFrank Gomez Locust Lane Stable miles1:40.40$44,205 1983Distinctive Pro 4Craig PerretWarren A. Croll Jr. Aisco Stable & Howard Kaskel7 furlongs1:22.40$42,735 1982Hat Room 4Bryan FannWarren A. Croll Jr. Blanche P. Levy7 furlongs1:22.60$30,350 1981Race not held1980Go With the Times 4Craig PerretJoseph M. Bollero Russell L. Reineman Stable7 furlongs1:22.40$29,300 1979Race not held1978Poor Man's Bluff 4Jerry D. BaileyJoseph S. Nash George A. Cavanaugh Jr. miles1:42.40$29,150 1977Race not held1976Enchumao (ARG) 5Marco CastanedaGrover W. Stephens Miss Christine Mancuso miles1:43.40$28,000 1974–1975Race not held1973Gentle Smoke 5Walter BlumDavid SazerForus Stable miles1:41.80$20,000 1972Race not held1971Rouge Chanteur 5Thomas BarrowLouis GoldfineLeonard Prussky miles1:41.00$20,000 1970Al Hattab 4Walter BlumWarren A. Croll Jr. Pelican Stable miles1:42.40$20,000 1969Addy Boy 4William GavidiaGeorge ZatesloKeystone Stable miles1:44.00$15,000 1968Swoonaway 7Jacinto VasquezS. Bryant Ott E. Gay Drake miles1:43.80$15,000 1967Cool Reception 3Johnny SellersLouis C. Cavalaris Jr.Mrs. J. W. Sietz & Mrs. V. P. Reid miles1:43.20$15,000 1966Pollux 3Ray BroussardDouglas A. DodsonCharles Parker miles1:44.00$15,000 Fort Lauderdale Purse1965Babington (ARG) 6Michael SolomoneArnold N. WinickJohn M. Olin miles1:40.80$10,000 Fort Lauderdale Handicap1964Tumble Turbie 5Larry GilliganH. G. BrockmanTumblewood Stables miles1:43.60$15,000 1963Valentine (GB) 5Larry GilliganHarold O. SimmonsLouis Christopher miles1:43.20$15,000 1962Cactus Tom 5Johnny SellersH. C. DodsonNatiolee Stable miles1:44.60$15,000 1961Heroshogala 5Howard GrantJoe BradyMrs. Mary D. Keim miles1:43.60$15,000 1960Captain Kidd II (GB) 4Michael SolomoneHarris BrownMrs. Tilyou Christopher miles1:42.00$15,000 1959Belleau Chief 4Lois C. CookEdward B. CarpenterMrs. Lora Birr miles1:41.80$15,000 1958§ Air Pilot 4Frank SmithJim ConwayMrs. Ada L. Rice miles1:42.20$15,000 1957Needles 4David ErbHugh L. FontaineD. & H. Stable miles1:42.00$28,200 1956New Trend 4William ShoemakerMeshach TenneyRex. C. Ellsworth miles1:42.00$10,000 1955Two Fisted 4Ronnie BaldwinElmer KalenskyMarvin E. Affelds miles1:43.40$7,500 1954Amphiblen 6William CookL.J. KeatingJacnot Stable miles1:46.40$10,000 Go A Bit 7Walter B. WilliamsFrank I. WrightTinkham Veale II1:46.00$10,0001953Elixir 5Charles E. BurrDavid J. SchneiderDavid J. Schneider miles1:43.40$15,000 1952Thee and Me 4Porter RobertsMose ShapoffSamuel H. Popkin miles1:44.60$7,500 Fort Lauderdale Purse1951Black George 4Logan BatchellerRaymond BarnettWilliam H. Venneman miles1:43.00$7,500 1950Sallequilo (ARG) 6Fernando FernandezThomas Bonham Correll Stable miles1:43.80$5,000 Fort Lauderdale Handicap1949Big Dial 4Ernest E. HartGeorge B. Jacobson miles1:48.80$7,500 1947‡Bug Juice 4Joseph LicausiRalph W. McIlvianBermil Farm miles1:43.40$15,000 December1947Eternal Reward 4Jack RichardsChester J. HallLouis Augustus & Charles Nahm miles1:45.40$9,050 April

Legend:

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

ƒ Filly or Mare

† In 2018 the event was held twice in the calendar year. For the 2017–18 meeting the event was held in January and in the 2018–19 meeting the event was held in December

‡ In 1947 the event was held twice in the calendar year. The inaugural running was held in April and for the 1947–48 season the event was scheduled in December

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References