Houston Ladies Classic Stakes

The Houston Ladies Classic Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age four and older over a distance of one and aon-sixteenth miles on the dirt track held annually in late January at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas. The event currently carries a purse of $400,000.

Houston Ladies Classic Stakes
Grade III race
LocationSam Houston Race Park
Houston, Texas, United States
Inaugurated2013
Race typeThoroughbred – flat racing
WebsiteSam Houston Race Park
Race information
Distance1+1⁄16 miles
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationFillies and mares, four-years-old and older
Weight123 lbs with allowances
Purse$400,000 (since 2022)

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 26 January 2013 and was won by Fox Hill Farms' 3/2 favorite Canadian-bred Joyful Victory who was ridden by Rosie Napravnik and trained by J. Larry Jones by 4+1⁄4 lengths in a time of 1:42.30 setting a new track record for the 1+1⁄16 miles distance[1] breaking the former record set by Desert Air on 13 February 1999 of 1:42.79.[2] The inaugural event was the richest Thoroughbred event on the program and in Texas which featured four stakes races worth $725,000.[2] Later in the year Joyful Victory was retired by her owners and was sold in the November in the Fasig-Tipton select sale for US$2 million to Aaron & Marie Jones.[3]

With the quality mares that were entering the event it was not long before the American Graded Stakes Committee gave the race a graded status of Grade III for the fourth running in 2016.[4] The 2016 winner Forever Unbridled later in year won two Grade I events and ran third in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Park as a 15/1 longshot to Beholder.[5] The following year Forever Unbridled was undefeated and did win the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

After finishing third in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs,[6] Midnight Bisou began her 2019 four-year-old career in the Houston Ladies Classic. Starting as the 2/5 odds-on favorite, Midnight Bisou closed fast in late stretch to be win in the final strides.[7] Midnight Bisou would win six more graded events and finish second in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Park.[8] Her performance during the year was enough to earn her US Champion Older Dirt Female Horse honors.

The event is one of only two graded stakes races held at the track along with the Grade III John B. Connally Turf Cup. Along with the Pulse Power Turf Sprint and Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile, the Houston Ladies Classic Stakes is one of the main events of the Houston Racing Festival.[9]

Records

Speed record:

  • 1+1⁄16 miles: 1:42.30 – Joyful Victory (2013) (New Track Record)

Margins:

  • 4+1⁄4 lengths – Joyful Victory (2013)

Most wins:

  • No horse has won the event more than once

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

  • 2 – Fox Hill Farm (2013, 2015)

Winners
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
2022 Pauline's Pearl 4 Joel Rosario Steven M. Asmussen Stonestreet Stables 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.43 $400,000 III [10]
2021 Letruska 5 Jesus Lopez Castanon Fausto Gutierrez St. George Stable 1+1⁄16 miles 1:45.02 $300,000 III [11]
2020 Lady Apple 4 Ricardo Santana Jr. Steven M. Asmussen Phoenix Thoroughbred III & KatieRich Stables 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.19 $300,000 III [12]
2019 Midnight Bisou 4 Mike E. Smith Steven M. Asmussen Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables & Allen Racing 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.52 $300,000 III [7]
2018 Tiger Moth 6 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox John D. Gunther 1+1⁄16 miles 1:46.01 $400,000 III [13]
2017 Unbridled Mo 4 Jose L. Ortiz Todd A. Pletcher Red Oak Stable 1+1⁄16 miles 1:42.89 $400,000 III [14]
2016 Forever Unbridled 4 Joel Rosario Dallas Stewart Charles Fipke 1+1⁄16 miles 1:43.74 $400,000 III [15]
2015 Cassatt 4 Kerwin D. Clark J. Larry Jones Fox Hill Farm 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.96 $400,000 Listed [16]
2014 Rose to Gold 4 Jesus M. Rios Sal Santoro Kathleen Amaya 1+1⁄16 miles 1:43.87 $400,000 Listed [17]
2013 Joyful Victory (CAN) 5 Rosie Napravnik J. Larry Jones Fox Hill Farm 1+1⁄16 miles 1:42.30 $400,000 [1]

See also

References
  1. "2013 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Black Type - (race 9)". Equibase. 26 January 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  2. Shinar, Jack (26 January 2013). "Joyful Victory Sets Track Mark at Sam Houston Gray mare dominates inaugural running of $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic Jan. 26". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  3. "Joyful Victory (ON) - Horse Profile". equibase. 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022. FTKNOV 80 Mixed N/A Aaron & Marie Jones Taylor Made Sales Agency $2,000,000 Sold
  4. "Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (Gr. 3)". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  5. "2016 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff Grade 1 - (race 9)". Equibase. 4 November 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  6. "Chart of the 2018 Breeders' Cup Distaff". Equibase. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  7. "2019 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 27 January 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  8. "Chart of the 2019 Breeders' Cup Distaff". Equibase. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  9. "2022 Stakes Schedule Sam Houston Race Park" (PDF). Sam Houston Race Park. 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  10. "2022 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  11. "2021 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 31 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  12. "2020 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  13. "2018 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 28 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  14. "2017 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  15. "2016 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  16. "2015 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Listed - (race 8)". Equibase. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  17. "2014 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes Listed - (race 9)". Equibase. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
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