Wise Dan Stakes

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.

Wise Dan Stakes
Grade II race
LocationChurchill Downs
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated1983 (as Firecracker Handicap)
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
WebsiteChurchill Downs
Race information
Distance1+1⁄16 miles
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFour-year-olds and older
Weight123 lbs. with allowances
Purse$400,000 (2023)

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.[1] In the third running in 1985 the winner Rapid Gray set a new track record for the distance in a time of 1:211⁄5.[2] 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.[3]

The event was classified as Grade III in 1995, and upgraded to Grade II in 2002.[3]

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.[4] 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[5]

The distance was increased from 1 mile to 1+1⁄16 miles also in 2016.[5]

The race was placed on hiatus in June 2022 due to the suspension of turf racing at Churchill Downs.[6]

In 2023 the event was moved to Ellis Park after Churchill Downs closed their spring meeting earlier due to a spate of injuries.[7]

Records
Speed records
  • 1+1⁄16 miles: 1:40.26 – Kasaqui (ARG) (2017)
  • 1 mile: 1:33.78 – Jaggery John (1995)
  • 7 furlongs: 1:21.20 – Rapid Gray (1985)
Margins
Most wins
Most wins by a jockey
Most wins by a trainer
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 Ref
At Ellis Park – Wise Dan Stakes
2023 Stitched 4 Flavien Prat Gregory Foley Nathan McCauley, Michael W. Olszewski & William J. Minton 1+1⁄16 miles 1:40.97 $395,000 II [8]
At Churchill Downs
2022 Race not held[6]
2021 Set Piece (GB) 5 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox Juddmonte Farms 1+1⁄16 miles 1:40.50 $300,000 II [9]
2020 Factor This 5 Shaun Bridgmohan Brad H. Cox Gaining Ground Racing 1+1⁄16 miles 1:41.15 $200,000 II [10]
2019 March to the Arch 4 Tyler Gaffalione Mark E. Casse Live Oak Plantation 1+1⁄16 miles 1:40.58 $250,000 II [11]
2018 Mr. Misunderstood 4 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox Flurry Racing Stables, LLC (Staton Flurry) 1+1⁄16 miles 1:41.83 $200,000 II [12]
2017 Kasaqui (ARG) 7 James Graham Ignacio Correas IV Wimborne Farm (Diane Perkins) 1+1⁄16 miles 1:40.26 $200,000 II [13]
2016 Pleuven (FR) 5 Channing Hill Philip A. Sims Nelson McMakin 1+1⁄16 miles 1:40.96 $200,000 II [14]
Firecracker Stakes
2015 Departing 5 Miguel Mena Albert Stall Jr. Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider 1 mile 1:38.16 $200,000 II [15]
2014 Silver Max 5 Robby Albarado Dale L. Romans Mark Bacon & Dana Wells 1 mile 1:34.21 $224,800 II [16]
Firecracker Handicap
2013 Wise Dan 6 John R. Velazquez Charles LoPresti Morton Fink 1 mile 1:39.82 $168,450 II [17]
2012 Guys Reward 5 Corey J. Lanerie Dale L. Romans Michael J. Bruder 1 mile 1:38.46 $165,900 II [18]
2011 Wise Dan 4 Jon Court Charles LoPresti Morton Fink 1 mile 1:34.59 $203,000 II [19]
2010 Tizdejavu 5 Jesus Lopez Castanon Gregory Fox Michael L Cooper & Pamela C. Ziebart 1 mile 1:35.98 $205,625 II [20]
2009 Mr. Sidney 5 Kent J. Desormeaux William I. Mott Circle E Racing (Lee Einsidler) 1 mile 1:37.28 $167,700 II [21]
2008 Thorn Song 5 Kent J. Desormeaux Dale L. Romans Zayat Stables 1 mile 1:36.89 $213,250 II [22]
2007 Remarkable News (VEN) 5 Ramon A. Dominguez Angel A. Penna Jr. Holly Rincon 1 mile 1:34.74 $232,000 II [23]
2006 Miesque's Approval 7 Eddie Castro Martin D. Wolfson Live Oak Plantation (Charlotte C. Weber) 1 mile 1:34.52 $269,500 II [24]
2005 Kitten's Joy 4 Edgar S. Prado Dale L. Romans Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey 1 mile 1:35.25 $274,000 II [25]
2004 Quantum Merit 5 Shane Sellers Del W. Carroll II Very Un Stable & Joseph Gioia 1 mile 1:34.15 $287,750 II [26]
2003 Tap the Admiral 5 John McKee Del W. Carroll II Stanley Ettinger 1 mile 1:35.48 $288,500 II [27]
2002 Good Journey 6 Pat Day Wallace Dollase Flaxman Holdings, Jarvis Margolis et al. 1 mile 1:34.83 $292,500 II [28]
2001 Irish Prize 5 Gary L. Stevens Neil D. Drysdale Gainsborough Farm 1 mile 1:34.68 $276,000 II [29]
2000 Conserve 4 Shane Sellers Frank L. Brothers Claiborne Farm 1 mile 1:35.12 $287,000 II [30]
1999 Joe Who (BRZ) 4 Robby Albarado Bob Baffert James E. Helzer 1 mile 1:36.78 $238,750 III [31]
1998 Claire's Honor 4 Anthony J. D'Amico Michael A. Tammaro Mereworth Farm 1 mile 1:35.93 $286,500 III [32]
1997 Soviet Line (IRE) 7 Pat Day Kiaran P. McLaughlin Gainsborough Farm 1 mile 1:37.67 $203,350 III [33]
1996 Rare Reason 5 Patrick A. Johnson Walter M. Bindner Jr. Mason C. Rudd 1 mile 1:33.81 $203,000 III [34]
1995 Jaggery John 4 Dean Kutz Peter M. Vestal Tom M. Carey 1 mile 1:33.78 $114,400 III [35]
1994 First and Only 7 Tracy J. Hebert Walter M. Bindner Jr. Mason C. Rudd 1 mile 1:35.33 $113,200 Listed [36]
1993 Cleone 4 Craig Perret William I. Mott Allen E. Paulson 1 mile 1:35.90 $115,100 Listed [37]
1986–1992 Race not held
1985 Rapid Gray 4 Larry Melancon William I. Mott William F. Lucas 7 furlongs 1:21.20 $54,250 [2]
1984 Turn and Cheer 7 James McKnight A. J. Foyt III A. J. Foyt Jr. 7 furlongs 1:25.60 $55,250 [38]
1983 Shot n' Missed 6 Leroy Moyers Brenda Wilson William F. Lucas 7 furlongs 1:23.20 $44,800 [1]

Legend:
  Turf   Dirt

See also

List of American and Canadian Graded races

References
  1. "Thoroughbred Racing Results (1983 Firecracker Handicap - race 9: held 4 July 1983)". The Courier-Journal. 5 July 1983. p. 24. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  2. Rees, Jennie (30 June 1985). "Rapid Gray zips to track record in Firecracker (1985 Firecracker Handicap - race 9: held 29 June 1985)". The Courier-Journal. pp. 11, 50. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  3. "Statistics - Wise Dan Stakes". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  4. Manley, Travers (26 June 2013). "Horse of the Year Wise Dan Headlines 23rd Firecracker Handicap". Churchill Downs. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  5. Lintner, Jonathan (5 January 2016). "Churchill renames spring stakes for Wise Dan". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  6. King, Byron. "Churchill Scraps Turf Use for Remaining Spring Stakes; The track had hoped to run four stakes races on its turf course July 2–3". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 2022-06-28.
  7. King, Byron (2 June 2023). "Churchill Downs Suspends Meet; Dates to Shift to Ellis The ongoing meet at Churchill Downs had been scheduled to run through July 3". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  8. "2023 Wise Dan Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  9. "2021 Wise Dan Stakes Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 26 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  10. "2020 Wise Dan Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  11. "2019 Wise Dan Stakes Grade 2 - (race 6)". Equibase. 15 June 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  12. "2018 Wise Dan Stakes Grade 2 - (race 6)". Equibase. 16 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  13. "2017 Wise Dan Stakes Grade 2 - (race 6)". Equibase. 17 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  14. "2016 Wise Dan Stakes Grade 2 - (race 7)". Equibase. 18 June 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  15. "2015 Firecracker Stakes Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 27 June 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  16. "2014 Firecracker Stakes Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 28 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  17. "2013 Firecracker Handicap Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 29 June 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  18. "2012 Firecracker Handicap Grade 2 - (race 7)". Equibase. 1 July 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  19. "2011 Firecracker Handicap Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  20. "2010 Firecracker Handicap Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 4 July 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  21. "2009 Firecracker Handicap Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 4 July 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  22. "2008 Firecracker Handicap Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 4 July 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  23. "2007 Firecracker Handicap Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 30 June 2007. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  24. "2006 Firecracker Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 1 July 2006. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  25. "2005 Firecracker Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 4 July 2005. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  26. "2004 Firecracker Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 3 July 2004. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  27. "2003 Firecracker Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 5 July 2003. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  28. "2002 Firecracker Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 4 July 2002. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  29. "2001 Firecracker Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 4 July 2001. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  30. "2000 Firecracker Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 4 July 2000. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  31. "1999 Firecracker Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 3 - (race 12)". Equibase. 27 June 1999. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  32. "1998 Firecracker Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 28 June 1998. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  33. "1997 Firecracker Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 29 June 1997. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  34. "1996 Firecracker Breeders' Cup Handicap Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 30 June 1996. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  35. "1995 Firecracker Handicap Grade 3 - (race 10)". Equibase. 4 July 1995. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  36. "1994 Firecracker Handicap Listed - (race 9)". Equibase. 4 July 1994. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  37. "1993 Firecracker Handicap Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 4 July 1993. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  38. Rees, Jennie (30 June 1984). "Turn and Cheer wins Firecracker (1984 Firecracker Handicap - race 9: held 29 June 1984)". The Courier-Journal. p. 31. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
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