The Stephen Foster Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three and older over a distance of miles on the dirt run annually in mid-June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is named in honor of famed composer Stephen Foster, who wrote numerous melodies including "My Old Kentucky Home" which is the song that is annually played as the Kentucky Derby field parades on the track.

History The Stephen Foster Handicap was inaugurated on 19 June 1982 as the Stephen Foster Handicap and has progressed from Grade III status in 1988 to Grade II in 1995 to Grade I in 2002. In 2019, it was downgraded to Grade II. In 2023 the event was upgraded by the American Graded Stakes Committee to Grade I.

Currently offering a purse of $2,000,000, the race draws some of the top older horses from various parts of the United States. Since 2015 the event is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" event, offering the winner an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

The race was restricted to horses four years of age an older in 1983 and from 1985 through 1987.

The 2006 edition of the Stephen Foster Handicap produced its biggest upset ever when jockey Calvin Borel aboard 91-1 longshot Seek Gold defeated the favored 2003 winner, Perfect Drift.

Four horses used victories in the Stephen Foster as part of their resumes in Horse of the Year campaigns. The four are Black Tie Affair (1991), Saint Liam (2005), Curlin (2008), and Gun Runner (2017). Five horses have won the Stephen Foster and the Breeders' Cup Classic in the same year. Black Tie Affair (1991), Awesome Again (1998) and Blame (2010) won both races at Churchill Downs. Saint Liam (2005) won his running of the Classic at Belmont Park. Gun Runner (2017) won the Classic at Del Mar. Curlin (2008) carried the highest impost of any Stephen Foster winner: 128 pounds. Colonial Colony (2004) carried the lightest winning Foster impost at 111 pounds.

The race moved for one year in 2023 to Ellis Park on the Indiana-Kentucky border as a result of numerous spring meeting fatalities.

Records

Speed record 1:47.28 - Victory Gallop (1999)

Margins 7 lengths - Gun Runner (2017)

Most wins 2 - Vodika Collins (1982, 1983) 2 - Recoup the Cash (1994, 1995)

Most wins by a jockey 3 - Robby Albarado (2007, 2008, 2009) 3 - Pat Day (1985, 1998, 2003) 2 - Jose L. Ortiz (2021, 2026)

Most wins by a trainer 3 - Steven M. Asmussen (2008, 2017, 2026) 2 - Forrest Kaelin (1982, 1983) 2 - Jere Smith Jr. (1994, 1995) 2 - Patrick B. Byrne (1997, 1998) 2 - Mark E. Casse (2011, 2015) 2 - Dallas Stewart (2009, 2019) 2 - Albert Stall Jr. (2010, 2020) 2 - William I. Mott (2011, 2015) 2 - Todd A. Pletcher (2024, 2025)

Most wins by an owner 2 - Milbert B. Collins (1982, 1983) 2 - Richard E. Trebat (1994, 1995) 2 - Stronach Stables (1998, 2000) 2 - West Point Thoroughbreds (2007, 2009) 2 - Claiborne Farm (1992, 2010) 2 - Godolphin (2002, 2021) 2 - Winchell Thoroughbreds (2017, 2026)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time Purse Grade RefAt Churchill Downs – Stephen Foster Stakes2026 Magnitude 4 Jose L. Ortiz Steven M. Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds 1:48.03$1,998,000I 2025Mindframe 4Irad Ortiz Jr.Todd A. PletcherRepole Stable & St. Elias Stables 1:47.48$940,000I 2024Kingsbarns4Luis SaezTodd A. PletcherSpendthrift Farm1:48.09$1,000,000I At Ellis Park 2023West Will Power 6Flavien PratBrad H. CoxGary & Mary West1:47.93$1,000,000I At Churchill Downs2022Olympiad4Junior AlvaradoWilliam I. MottGrandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables & LNJ Foxwoods 1:47.66$600,000II2021Maxfield 4Jose L. Ortiz Brendan P. Walsh Godolphin 1:48.53$600,000II2020Tom's d'Etat 7Miguel MenaAlbert Stall Jr.G M B Racing 1:47.30$500,000II2019Seeking the Soul6John R. VelazquezDallas StewartCharles E. Fipke1:49.27$600,000IIStephen Foster Handicap 2018Pavel4Mario GutierrezDoug F. O'NeillReddam Racing1:49.21$500,000I2017Gun Runner4Florent GerouxSteven M. AsmussenWinchell Thoroughbreds & Three Chimneys Farm1:47.56$500,000I2016Bradester6Joe Bravo Eddie Kenneally Joseph Sutton1:48.85$500,000I2015Noble Bird4Shaun BridgmohanMark E. CasseJohn C. Oxley1:47.94$500,000I2014Moonshine Mullin6Calvin H. BorelRandy L. MorseRandy Patterson1:49.66$500,000I2013 Fort Larned5Ian R. Wilkes Janis R. Whitham 1:47.45$500,000I2012 Ron the Greek5Jose LezcanoWilliam I. MottBrous Stable, Wachtel Stable & Jack Hammer1:50.51$437,200I2011Pool Play6Miguel MenaMark E. Casse William S. Farish IV1:50.52$561,300I2010 Blame4Garrett K. GomezAlbert Stall Jr.Claiborne Farm & Adele Dilschneider1:49.37$671,700I2009 Macho Again4Robby AlbaradoDallas StewartWest Point Thoroughbreds 1:49.75$660,000I2008 Curlin4Robby AlbaradoSteven M. AsmussenStonestreet Stables et al.1:49.68$1,000,000I2007 Flashy Bull4Robby AlbaradoKiaran P. McLaughlinWest Point Thoroughbreds 1:48.63$829,500I2006Seek Gold6Calvin H. BorelRon MoquettBowman Couch Racing1:49.24$844,500I2005 Saint Liam5Edgar S. PradoRobert J. FrankelMr. & Mrs. William K. Warren Jr. 1:47.52$828,000I2004Colonial Colony6Rafael BejaranoWalter M. Bindner Jr.Lakeside Farms (Chris Nolan)1:50.40$893,725I2003 Perfect Drift4Pat DayMurray W. JohnsonStonecrest Farm1:47.55$856,500I2002 Street Cry (IRE)4Jerry D. BaileySaeed bin SuroorGodolphin1:50.44$833,250I2001Guided Tour5Larry MelanconNiall M. O'CallaghanMorton Fink1:47.74$831,000II2000 Golden Missile5Joe OrsenoStronach Stables1:49.56$810,000II1999 Victory Gallop4Jerry D. BaileyW. Elliott WaldenPrestonwood Farm1:47.28$827,250II1998 Awesome Again4Pat DayPatrick B. ByrneStronach Stables1:48.61$799,500II1997City by Night4Shane SellersPatrick B. ByrneRichard & Nancy Kaster1:50.52$163,950II1996Tenants Harbor4Francisco C. TorresRobert L. DesensiMichael Sheehan1:49.94$166,050II1995Recoup the Cash5Aaron GryderJere R. Smith Sr.Richard E. Trebat1:49.39$168,149II1994Recoup the Cash4Juvenal Lopez DiazJere R. Smith Sr.Richard E. Trebat1:49.46$163,500III1993Root Boy5Tommy TurnerLouis D. Bernier Jr.Richard F. Blue Jr.1:50.80$114,000III1992Discover4Brent E. BartramSteven C. PenrodClaiborne Farm1:50.14$115,900III19915Juvenal Lopez DiazErnie T. PoulosJeffrey Sullivan1:49.80$109,100III1990No Marker6Aaron GryderPatricia L. JohnsonBilly Ray Gowdy1:49.80$112,200III1990 Stephen Foster Handicap - Race 9: held 23 June 1990 1989Air Worthy4Donald Joseph SotoWilliam G. HuffmanJohn Carlesimo1:49.60$112,700III1989 Stephen Foster Handicap - Race 9: held 24 June 19891988Honor Medal7Luis Enrique OrtegaNeil D. DrysdaleLettuce Farm1:50.60$129,700III1988 Stephen Foster Handicap - Race 9: held 25 June 19881987Red Attack5Jack KaenelD. Wayne LukasPillar Stud, Inc.1:51.20$103,775 1987 Stephen Foster Handicap - Race 9: held 13 June 19871986Hopeful Word5K. Keith AllenCarl E. BowmanJames Clifton, Robert Doll, Barrett Morris1:49.40$102,050 1986 Stephen Foster Handicap - Race 9: held 14 June 19861985Vanlandingham4Pat DayLoblolly Stable1:48.80$79,250 1985 Stephen Foster Handicap - Race 9: held 16 June 19851984Mythical Ruler6James McKnightFred V. WirthAlbert Risen1:49.60$73,550 1984 Stephen Foster Handicap - Race 8: held 25 August 19841983Vodika Collins5Leroy MoyersForrest KaelinMilbert B. Collins1:49.20$54,750 1983 Stephen Foster Handicap - Race 9: held 25 June 19831982Vodika Collins4Thomas BarrowForrest KaelinMilbert B. Collins1:51.80$57,900 Inaugural 1982 Stephen Foster Handicap - Race 9: held 19 June 1982

See also Stephen Foster Handicap "top three finishers" and starters List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area List of graded stakes at Churchill Downs List of American and Canadian Graded races

References

External links Ten Things You Should Know about the Stephen Foster Handicap at Hello Race Fans! Media guide information from Churchill Downs $750,000 Stephen Foster (Grade II)