The Turf Classic Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race held annually in early May on the day of the Kentucky Derby, meeting on the turf at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race distance is one and one-eighth miles and is open to horses aged four and older.

History This race was inaugurated on 1 May 1987 as the Early Times Turf Classic Stakes and was the first stakes race run on the new Matt Winn Turf Course. The event was won by the reigning US Champion Male Turf Horse Manila, his eighth straight victory by three lengths as the short 2-5 odds-on favorite in a small field of four starters.

The event was classified as Grade III in 1989 for its third running, upgraded to Grade II in 1994 and since 1996 a Grade I.

The event has had three sponsor name changes which have contributed to the high purse and growth is status of the event. The sponsorship has been by the Brown-Forman Corporation, one of the largest North American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business which is based in Louisville. The sponsorship has been reflected in the name of the event since the first running. Early Times, from 1987 to 1999, Woodford Reserve, from 2000 to 2017 and since 2018 Old Forester.

The event has attracted the finest turf horses. The 1993 winner Lure set the speed record for the event with fast time of 1:46.34. Lure continued on to win the Breeders' Cup Mile for the second time later that year. The following year, in 1994 the winner Paradise Creek won the Arlington Million en route to being voted the U. S. Champion Male Turf Horse. In recent years the winners include two-time US Horse of the Year Wise Dan dual winner in 2013 and 2014 and Bricks and Mortar who would be crowned U. S. Horse of the Year in 2019.

Records Speed record 1:45.96 – Rhetorical (2026)

Margins lengths – Wise Dan (2013)

Most wins 2 – Einstein (BRZ) (2008, 2009) 2 – Wise Dan (2013, 2014) 2 – Divisidero (2016, 2017)

Most wins by an owner 4 – Klaravich Stables (2019, 2020, 2021, 2024)

Most wins by a jockey 4 – Irad Ortiz Jr. (2019, 2021, 2023, 2026)

Most wins by a Trainer 5 – Chad Brown (2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref2026Rhetorical5Irad Ortiz Jr.William WaldenGary Barber, Cheyenne Stable & Wachtel Stable miles1:45.96$1,414,000I2025Spirit of St Louis 6Manuel FrancoChad C. BrownMadaket Stables, Michael Dubb & Richard Schermerhorn miles1:48.20$934,200I2024Program Trading (GB)4Flavien PratChad C. BrownKlaravich Stables miles 1:50.30 $1,000,000I2023Up to the Mark4Irad Ortiz Jr.Todd A. PletcherRepole Stable & St. Elias Stable miles1:47.31$990,000I2022Santin 4Tyler GaffalioneBrendan P. WalshGodolphin miles1:49.72$1,000,000I2021 Colonel Liam4Irad Ortiz Jr.Todd A. PletcherLawana & Robert Low miles1:47.99$1,000,000I4Flavien PratChad C. BrownKlaravich Stables2020Digital Age (IRE)4Javier CastellanoChad C. BrownKlaravich Stables miles1:47.79$1,000,000I20195Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownKlaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence miles1:51.80$1,000,000I2018Yoshida (JPN)4José L. OrtizWilliam I. MottChina Horse Club, WinStar Farm & Head of Plains Partners miles1:54.64$500,000I2017Divisidero5Julien R. LeparouxWilliam B. BradleyGunpowder Farms miles1:52.42$500,000I2016Divisidero4Edgar S. PradoWilliam B. BradleyGunpowder Farms miles1:47.37$500,000I2015Finnegans Wake6Victor EspinozaPeter L. MillerDonegal Racing & Rockingham Ranch miles1:47.24$500,000I2014Wise Dan7John R. VelazquezCharles LoPrestiMorton Fink miles1:47.73$559,100I2013Wise Dan6Jose LezcanoCharles LoPrestiMorton Fink miles1:51.84$546,400I2012Little Mike5Joe BravoDale L. RomansPriscilla Vaccarezza miles1:48.81$561,500I2011Get Stormy5Thomas M. BushSullimar Stables miles1:50.81$581,400I2010General Quarters4Rafael BejaranoThomas R. McCarthyThomas R. McCarthy miles1:53.42$578,100I2009Einstein (BRZ)7Julien R. LeparouxHelen Pitts-BlasiMidnight Cry Stable miles1:49.62$557,600I2008Einstein (BRZ)6Robby AlbaradoHelen Pitts-BlasiPatricia Cunningham & Melissa Greene miles1:50.50$548,300I2007Sky Conqueror5Javier CastellanoDarwin D. Banach William A. Sorokolit Sr. miles1:49.01$561,000I2006English Channel4Garrett K. GomezTodd A. Pletcher James T. Scatuorchio miles1:47.15$454,900I2005America Alive4Robby AlbaradoNeil J. HowardMill House Stable miles1:47.34$470,400I2004Stroll4Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. MottClaiborne Farm miles1:53.00$453,900I2003Honor in War4David R. FloresPaul J. McGee3rd Turn Stables miles1:46.67$445,300I2002Beat Hollow (GB)5Alex O. SolisRobert J. FrankelJuddmonte Farms miles1:47.35$452,500I20016Gary L. StevensNeil D. Drysdale Gainsborough Farms miles1:48.75$349,900I2000Manndar (IRE)4Corey NakataniC. Beau GreelyColumbine Stable, Jay M. Jones & Tom Nichols miles1:47.91$350,500I1999Wild Event6Shane SellersLouis M. GoldfineArthur I. Appleton miles1:47.25$333,300I1998Joyeux Danseur5Robby AlbaradoAlbert Stall Jr.B. Wayne Hughes miles1:48.14$281,100I1997Always a Classic4Jerry D. BaileyMark R. FrostadSam-Son Farm miles1:49.29$234,400I1996Mecke4Pat DayEmanuel TortoraJames R. Lewis Jr. miles1:49.48$254,200I1995Romarin (BRZ)5Corey NakataniRichard E. Mandella Linneo Eduardo de Paula Machado miles1:46.86$246,300II1994Paradise Creek5Pat DayWilliam I. MottMasayuki Nishiyama miles1:48.34$233,950II1993Lure 4Mike E. SmithClaiborne Farm miles1:46.34$181,050III1992Cudas4Pat ValenzuelaRichard J. LundyAllen E. Paulson miles1:46.56$191,850III1991§ Opening Verse5Chris McCarronRichard J. LundyAllen E. Paulson miles1:47.22$192,400III1990Ten Keys6Kent J. DesormeauxMichael V. PinoCharles Linhoss miles1:50.80$169,900III1989Equalize7José A. SantosAngel Penna Sr.Alejandro Menditeguy miles1:51.40$175,600III 1988Yankee Affair6Pat DayHenry L. CarrollJujugen Stable miles1:50.00$186,500 Listed1987Manila 4Jacinto VásquezLeRoy JolleyBradley M. Shannon miles1:48.80$169,300 Listed

Legend:

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

See also

List of graded stakes at Churchill Downs List of American and Canadian Graded races

References