The Wise Dan Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for horses four-year-old and older run at a distance of one and one sixteenth of a mile on the turf held annually in June at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.
History
The event was inaugurated on 4 July 1983 as the Firecracker Handicap over a distance of 7 furlongs on a sloppy dirt track and was won by Shot n' Missed who defeated the odds on favorite Dave's Friend in a five horse field. In the third running in 1985 the winner Rapid Gray set a new track record for the distance in a time of 1:21. The event was discontinued for seven years and when it was revived in 1993 it was held on the turf course over a distance of one mile.
The event was classified as Grade III in 1995, and upgraded to Grade II in 2002.
The event attracted several champion turf runners including Kitten's Joy who won the event in 2004 and later that year became U.S. Champion Male Turf Horse and Miesque's Approval who won this event in 2006 and later that year would capture the Breeders' Cup Mile.
The only duel winner was Wise Dan of this event who in 2011 won in his turf debut and 2013. Later in 2013 Wise Dan was crowned American Horse of the Year for the second year running.
The race was renamed as the Wise Dan Stakes in 2016
The distance was increased from 1 mile to miles also in 2016.
The race was placed on hiatus in June 2022 due to the suspension of turf racing at Churchill Downs.
In 2023 the event was moved to Ellis Park after Churchill Downs closed their spring meeting earlier due to a spate of injuries.
Records Speed records miles: 1:40.26 – Kasaqui (ARG) (2017) 1 mile: 1:33.78 – Jaggery John (1995) 7 furlongs: 1:21.20 – Rapid Gray (1985)
Margins lengths – Soviet Line (IRE) (1997)
Most wins 2 – Wise Dan (2011, 2013)
Most wins by a jockey 2 – Robby Albarado (1999, 2014) 2 – Kent J. Desormeaux (2008, 2009) 2 – Shane Sellers (2000, 2004) 2 – Pat Day (1997, 2002) 2 – Florent Geroux (2018, 2021)
Most wins by a trainer 4 – Dale L. Romans (2003, 2004, 2008, 2014)
Most wins by an owner 2 – Mason Rudd (1994, 1996) 2 – Gainsborough Farm (1997, 2001) 2 – Live Oak Plantation (2006, 2019)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Churchill Downs – Wise Dan Stakes 2026Lagynos5Jose L. OrtizSteven M. AsmussenHRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Suad miles1:41.68$500,000II2025Brilliant Berti 4Brian Hernandez Jr.Cherie DeVauxKlein Racing miles1:43.41$499,250II2024Ottoman Fleet (GB)5Flavien PratCharlie ApplebyGodolphin Racing miles1:41.26$465,000IIAt Ellis Park 2023Stitched4Flavien PratGregory FoleyNathan McCauley, Michael W. Olszewski & William J. Minton miles1:40.97$395,000IIAt Churchill Downs2022Race not held2021Set Piece (GB)5Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxJuddmonte Farms miles1:40.50$300,000II2020Factor This5Shaun BridgmohanBrad H. CoxGaining Ground Racing miles1:41.15$200,000II2019March to the Arch4Tyler GaffalioneMark E. Casse Live Oak Plantation miles1:40.58$250,000II2018Mr. Misunderstood4Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxFlurry Racing Stables, LLC (Staton Flurry) miles1:41.83$200,000II2017Kasaqui (ARG)7James GrahamIgnacio Correas IVWimborne Farm (Diane Perkins) miles1:40.26$200,000II2016Pleuven (FR)5Channing HillPhilip A. SimsNelson McMakin miles1:40.96$200,000IIFirecracker Stakes2015Departing5Miguel MenaAlbert Stall Jr.Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider1 mile1:38.16$200,000II2014Silver Max5Robby AlbaradoDale L. RomansMark Bacon & Dana Wells1 mile1:34.21$224,800IIFirecracker Handicap2013Wise Dan6John R. VelazquezCharles LoPrestiMorton Fink1 mile1:39.82$168,450II2012Guys Reward5Corey J. LanerieDale L. RomansMichael J. Bruder1 mile1:38.46$165,900II2011Wise Dan4Jon CourtCharles LoPrestiMorton Fink1 mile1:34.59$203,000II2010Tizdejavu5Gregory FoxMichael L Cooper & Pamela C. Ziebart1 mile1:35.98$205,625II2009Mr. Sidney5Kent J. DesormeauxWilliam I. MottCircle E Racing (Lee Einsidler)1 mile1:37.28$167,700II2008Thorn Song5Kent J. DesormeauxDale L. RomansZayat Stables1 mile1:36.89$213,250II20075Ramon A. DominguezAngel A. Penna Jr.Holly Rincon1 mile1:34.74$232,000II2006Miesque's Approval7Eddie CastroMartin D. WolfsonLive Oak Plantation (Charlotte C. Weber)1 mile1:34.52$269,500II2005Kitten's Joy4Edgar S. PradoDale L. RomansKenneth and Sarah Ramsey1 mile1:35.25$274,000II2004Quantum Merit5Shane SellersDel W. Carroll IIVery Un Stable & Joseph Gioia1 mile1:34.15$287,750II2003Tap the Admiral5John McKeeDel W. Carroll IIStanley Ettinger1 mile1:35.48$288,500II2002Good Journey6Pat DayWallace DollaseFlaxman Holdings, Jarvis Margolis et al.1 mile1:34.83$292,500II2001Irish Prize5Gary L. StevensNeil D. DrysdaleGainsborough Farm1 mile1:34.68$276,000II2000Conserve4Shane SellersFrank L. BrothersClaiborne Farm1 mile1:35.12$287,000II1999Joe Who (BRZ)4Robby AlbaradoBob BaffertJames E. Helzer1 mile1:36.78$238,750III1998Claire's Honor4Anthony J. D'AmicoMichael A. TammaroMereworth Farm1 mile1:35.93$286,500III1997Soviet Line (IRE)7Pat DayKiaran P. McLaughlinGainsborough Farm1 mile1:37.67$203,350III1996Rare Reason 5Patrick A. JohnsonWalter M. Bindner Jr.Mason C. Rudd1 mile1:33.81$203,000III1995Jaggery John4Dean KutzPeter M. VestalTom M. Carey1 mile1:33.78$114,400III1994First and Only7Tracy J. HebertWalter M. Bindner Jr.Mason C. Rudd1 mile1:35.33$113,200 Listed 1993Cleone4Craig PerretWilliam I. MottAllen E. Paulson1 mile1:35.90$115,100 Listed 1986–1992Race not held1985Rapid Gray4Larry MelanconWilliam I. MottWilliam F. Lucas 7 furlongs1:21.20$54,250 1984Turn and Cheer 7James McKnightA. J. Foyt IIIA. J. Foyt Jr.7 furlongs1:25.60$55,250 1983Shot n' Missed 6Leroy MoyersBrenda WilsonWilliam F. Lucas 7 furlongs1:23.20$44,800
Legend:
See also List of American and Canadian Graded races
References
External links 2022 Media guide information from Churchill Downs $400,000 Wise Dan (Grade II) -