Clark Stakes

Clark Stakes
Grade II race
LocationChurchill Downs
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated1875
Race typeThoroughbred – Flat racing
Websitewww.churchilldowns.com
Race information
Distance1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationThree-years-old & up
WeightAssigned
Purse$750,000 (2021)

The Clark Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Among the oldest races in the United States, it was first run in 1875, the year the racetrack opened for business. Currently a Grade II event, it is open to horses age three and older and is contested on dirt over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs). It was known as the Clark Handicap through 2018 before the race conditions were changed to set weights and allowances in 2019.

The race is named in honor of Colonel M. Lewis Clark, founder of the Louisville Jockey Club which built Churchill Downs.

Through 1901, it was restricted to three-year-old horses.

Since inception, the Clark Handicap has been run at various distances:

  • 2 miles : 1875–1880
  • 1+1⁄4 miles : 1881–1895
  • 1+1⁄8 miles : 1896–1901, 1922–1924, 1955–present
  • 1+1⁄16 miles : 1902–1921, 1925–1954

The race was run in two divisions in 1953.

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 1+1⁄8 miles)

  • 1:47.28 – Victory Gallop (12 June, 1999)

Most wins

  • 2 – Hodge (1915, 1916)
  • 2 – Bold Favorite (1968, 1969)
  • 2 – Bob's Dusty (1977, 1978)

Most wins by a jockey

Most wins by a trainer

Most Wins by an owner

  • 3 – Robert N. Lehmann (1977, 1978, 1979)

Winners

Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
 Time
2022 Proxy 4 Joel Rosario Michael Stidham Godolphin 1:48.89
2021 Maxfield 4 Jose Ortiz Brendan Walsh Godolphin 1:48.97
2020 Bodexpress 4 Rafael Bejarano Gustavo Delgado Top Racing LLC 1:49.12
2019 Tom's d'Etat 6 Joel Rosario Albert Stall Jr. G M B Racing 1:48.84
2018 Leofric 5 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox Steve Landers 1:48.59
2017 Seeking the Soul 4 John Velazquez Dallas Stewart Charles Fipke 1:48.88
2016 Gun Runner 3 Florent Geroux Steven M. Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds & Three Chimneys Farm 1:48.50
2015 Effinex 4 Mike E. Smith James A. Jerkens Tri-Bone Stables 1:48.92
2014 Hoppertunity 3 Martin Garcia Bob Baffert Michael Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman 1:49.88
2013 Will Take Charge 3 Luis Saez D. Wayne Lukas Willis D. Horton 1:49.39
2012 Shackleford 4 Jesus Castanon Dale L. Romans Michael Lauffer & Bill Cubbedge 1:49.12
2011 Wise Dan 4 John Velazquez Charles Lopresti Morton Fink 1:48.95
2010‡ Giant Oak 4 Shaun Bridgmohan Chris M. Block Virginia H. Tarra Trust 1:50.82
2009 Blame 3 Jamie Theriot Albert Stall Jr. Adele Dilschneider & Claiborne Farm 1:49.39
2008 Einstein 6 Julien Leparoux Helen Pitts-Blasi M. L. Garretson, trustee 1:49.79
2007 A. P. Arrow 5 Ramon Dominguez Todd Pletcher Allen E. Paulson LT 1:48.66
2006 Premium Tap 4 Kent Desormeaux John C. Kimmel George Kline, Peter Alevizos & David Whelihan 1:47.39
2005 Magna Graduate 3 John Velazquez Todd Pletcher Elisabeth Alexander 1:50.89
2004 Saint Liam 4 Edgar Prado Richard E. Dutrow Jr. M/M William K. Warren Jr. 1:50.81
2003† Quest 4 Javier Castellano Nick Zito A. B. Hancock III & G. F. Healy 1:52.42
2002 Lido Palace 5 Jorge F. Chavez Robert J. Frankel John & Jerry Amerman 1:49.13
2001 Ubiquity 4 Craig Perret William I. Mott Gary & Mary West 1:48.26
2000 Surfside 3 Pat Day D. Wayne Lukas Overbrook Farm 1:48.75
1999 Littlebitlively 5 Calvin Borel Bobby Barnett John A. Franks 1:50.88
1998 Silver Charm 4 Gary Stevens Bob Baffert Bob & Beverly Lewis 1:49.00
1997 Concerto 3 Jerry Bailey William I. Mott Kinsman Stable 1:49.60
1996 Isitingood 5 David Flores Bob Baffert Mike Pegram & Terry Henn 1:48.80
1995 Judge T C 4 Joe Johnson Gary G. Hartlage Bea & Robert H. Roberts 1:49.80
1994 Sir Vixen 6 Dean Kutz Mark Danner Mark & Vickie Copass 1:51.20
1993 Mi Cielo 3 Mike E. Smith Peter M. Vestal Thomas M. Carey 1:51.40
1992 Zeeruler 4 Garrett Gomez Donnie K. Von Hemel John A. Franks 1:50.00
1991 Out of Place 4 Herb McCauley Claude R. McGaughey III Cynthia Phipps 1:52.20
1990 Secret Hello 3 Pat Day Frank L. Brothers Lazy Lane Farm 1:50.60
1989 No Marker 5 Danny Cox Patti Johnson Billy Ray Gowdy 1:51.20
1988 Balthazar B. 5 Kent Desormeaux Paul J. McGee Paul J. McGee et al. 1:51.20
1987 Intrusion 5 Larry Melancon Lee J. Rossi Carl J. Maggio 1:51.40
1986 Come Summer 4 Patrick Johnson George R. Arnold II Surf & Turf Stable 1:49.80
1985 Hopeful Word 3 Pat Day Carl Bowman M. Clifton, R. Doll & B. Morris 1:51.00
1984 Eminency 6 Pat Day Claude R. McGaughey III Happy Valley Farm 1:49.00
1983 Jack Slade 3 James McKnight David Kassen Andrew Adams 1:49.80
1982 Hechizado 6 Randy Romero Ray Lawrence Jr. Charles Schmidt Jr. 1:52.20
1981 Withholding 4 Larry Melancon Ronnie Warren M/M Russell Michael Jr. 1:52.00
1980 Sun Catcher 3 Don Brumfield Dianne Carpenter Sundance Stable & D. Nedeff 1:53.40
1979 Lot o' Gold 3 Julio Espinoza Smiley Adams Robert N. Lehmann 1:50.80
1978 Bob's Dusty 4 Richard dePass Smiley Adams Robert N. Lehmann 1:50.20
1977 Bob's Dusty 3 Richard dePass Smiley Adams Robert N. Lehmann 1:49.80
1976 Yamanin 4 Garth Patterson George T. Poole Hajima Doi 1:54.40
1975 Warbucks 5 Larry Melancon Don Combs Edward E. Elzemeyer 1:54.40
1974 Mr. Door 3 William Gavidia Thomas W. Kelley Bromagen Cattle Co. et al. 1:52.20
1973 Golden Don 3 Mike Manganello Oscar Dishman Archie Donaldson 1:52.80
1972 Fairway Flyer 3 David Whited John J. Greely III William Floyd 1:53.80
1971 Sado 4 Don Brumfield Harold Tinker W. Cal Partee 1:53.60
1970 Watch Fob 5 Danny Gargan George T. Poole C. V. Whitney 1:51.20
1969 Bold Favorite 4 Doug Richard Del W. Carroll Michael Grace Phipps 1:50.40
1968 Bold Favorite 3 Robert Nono Del W. Carroll Michael Grace Phipps 1:49.20
1967 Random Shot 4 Billy Phelps James R. Cowden Jr. James R. Cowden Sr. 1:50.80
1966 Flick II 4 Hector Pilar Larry H. Thompson Alamode Farm 1:49.60
1965 Big Brigade 4 Jimmy Nichols Edgar S. Brumfield M/M Robert F. Roberts 1:50.80
1964 Lemon Twist 4 Billy Phelps Peter C. Keiser Theodore D. Buhl 1:50.60
1963 Copy Chief 3 Don Brumfield S. Bryant Ott Fourth Estate Stable 1:49.20
1962 Crimson Satan 3 Herb Hinojosa Charley Kerr Crimson King Farm 1:50.00
1961 Aeroflint 3 Eugene Curry Keneth G. Hall Mrs. Raymond Bauer 1:48.40
1960 Counterate 3 John L. Rotz John J. Greely III Cornelius V. Whitney 1:49.00
1959 Las Olas 4 Fred A. Smith III Charles E. Eads Harry N. Eads 1:48.40
1958 My Night Out 5 John L. Rotz John J. Gavin Jr. Wells Bros. 1:50.00
1957 Ezgo 3 John Delahoussaye Larry H. Thompson Larry H. Thompson 1:50.80
1956 Swoon's Son 3 David Erb Lex Wilson E. Gay Drake 1:50.60
1955 Happy Go Lucky 6 Lois C. Cook Harold G. Bockman Harold G. Bockman 1:51.60
1954 Bay Bloom 5 J. King Fred H. Pohl Fred H. Pohl 1:44.00
1953-1 Chombro 6 Lois C. Cook John Hanover D. J. Gleason 1:45.60
1953-2 Second Avenue 6 Carroll Bierman Lex Wilson Theodore D. Buhl 1:45.60
1952 Seaward 7 Kenneth Church Harry Trotsek Hasty House Farm 1:44.40
1951 Wistful 5 Douglas Dodson Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1:44.00
1950 Mount Marcy 5 Steve Brooks Sylvester Veitch Cornelius V. Whitney 1:44.60
1949 Shy Guy 4 Conn McCreary Jack C. Hodgins Dixiana 1:45.20
1948 Star Reward 4 Steve Brooks Jack C. Hodgins Dixiana 1:46.60
1947 Jack S. L. 7 Steve Brooks William Resseguet Mrs. J. S. Letellier 1:49.60
1946 Hail Victory 4 Douglas Dodson Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1:47.80
1945 Sentiment Sake 4 Fred Wirth Milton Rieser Wathen R. Knebelkamp 1:47.20
1944 Alquest 4 Johnny Adams Jack H. Skirvin Ernst Farm 1:45.20
1943 Anticlimax 4 Carroll Bierman Knox Osborne Hal Price Headley 1:46.00
1942 Whirlaway 4 Wendell Eads Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1:44.80
1941 Haltal 4 Conn McCreary Steve Judge Woodvale Farm 1:44.80
1940 Up the Creek 4 G. Wallace Roy Waldron Milky Way Farm 1:46.00
1939 Arabs Arrow 5 Carroll Bierman Gilbert Hardy Louise J. Hickman 1:45.80
1938 Main Man 4 Willis F. Ward Howard Hoffman Jerome B. Respess 1:46.80
1937 Count Morse 4 Irving Anderson Frank J. Kearns Calumet Farm 1:45.20
1936 Corinto 4 Charley Kurtsinger Bert S. Michell Mrs. Emil Denemark 1:44.80
1935 Beaver Dam 3 R. Montgomery George Gould T. S. & J. S. Mulvihill 1:47.40
1934 Esseff 4 Lee Humphries Clyde Van Dusen Dixiana 1:44.00
1933 Osculator 4 Silvio Coucci Joseph H. Stotler William R. Coe 1:45.40
1932 Pittsburgher 4 Charles Corbett Jim H. Moody Shady Brook Farm 1:50.20
1931 Bargello 5 K. Russell Mose Goldblatt Cornelius V. Whitney 1:44.80
1930 Stars and Bars 4 L. Jones Edward Haughton Greentree Stable 1:47.40
1929 Martie Flynn 4 Carl Meyer Robert V. McGarvey Stuyvesant Peabody 1:46.60
1928 Jock 4 Eddie Ambrose John F. Schorr John W. Schorr 1:45.00
1927 Helen's Babe 4 Walter Lilley Walter W. Taylor NF 1:46.00
1926 San-utar 5 Mack Garner Pete Coyne NF 1:45.40
1925 Spic and Span 4 George Fields Harry M. Unna J. C. McGill 1:47.60
1924 Chilhowee 3 G. Harvey John C. Gallaher John & Allen Gallaher 1:54.40
1923 Audacious 7 Bert Kennedy Auval John Baker Wilfrid Viau 1:54.60
1922 Exterminator 7 B. Kennedy Eugene Wayland Willis Sharpe Kilmer 1:50.00
1921 Ginger 5 T. Murray Kay Spence H. H. Hewitt 1:45.00
1920 Boniface 5 Earl Sande H. Guy Bedwell J. K. L. Ross 1:45.80
1919 Midway 5 Harold Thurber John S. Ward James W. Parrish 1:46.60
1918 Beaverkill 4 O. Willis S. Miller Henderson Ogden Stable 1:48.20
1917 Old Rosebud 6 Danny Connelly Frank D. Weir F. D. Weir & H. C. Applegate 1:45.20
1916 Hodge 5 Claude Hunt Kay Spence W. J. Weber 1:45.40
1915 Hodge 4 Charles Borel Kay Spence W. J. Weber 1:44.60
1914 Belloc 3 Albert Mott E. Cunningham NF 1:45.00
1913 Buckhorn 4 Roscoe Goose Jack D. Adkins Rod J. MacKenzie 1:48.20
1912 Adams Express 4 Carroll H. Shilling Frank M. Taylor Harry C. Hallenbeck 1:45.20
1911 Star Charter 3 J. Wilson G. M. Johnson John W. Schorr 1:47.80
1910 King's Daughter 7 Ted Koerner George Denny Thomas C. McDowell 1:45.60
1909 Miami 3 Matt McGee W. L. Lewis Johnson N. Camden Jr. 1:45.20
1908 Polly Prim 5 Vincent Powers Fred Luzader J. R. Wainwright 1:58.80
1907 The Minks 4 Dave Nicol W. Wells NF 1:50.80
1906 Hyperion II 3 W. McIntyre Joseph S. Hawkins Joseph S. Hawkins & Co. 1:49.00
1905 Batts 4 Dave Nicol Richard P. Brooks William F. Schulte 1:53.75
1904 Colonial Girl 5 Lucien Lyne Charles E. Rowe Charles E. Rowe 1:48.75
1903 Love Labor 6 Scully A. Hazlett NF 1:48.00
1902 Death 7 John Slack H. Robinson NF 1:47.00
1901 His Eminence 3 James Winkfield Frank B. Van Meter Frank B. Van Meter 1:55.00
1900 Lieut. Gibson 3 Jimmy Boland Charles H. Hughes Charles Smith 1:54.00
1899 Corsini 3 Nash Turner Edward C. Corrigan Edward C. Corrigan 2:01.60
1898 Plaudit 3 Robert Williams John E. Madden John E. Madden 1:56.50
1897 Ornament 3 Alonzo Clayton Charles T. Patterson C. T. Patterson & Co. 1:55.00
1896 Ben Eder 3 Willie Simms NF Hot Springs Stable 1:56.50
1895 Halma 3 James Perkins Byron McClelland Byron McClelland 2:15.50
1894 Chant 3 William Martin H. Eugene Leigh Leigh & Robert L. Rose 2:19.50
1893 Boundless 3 Eddie Kunze William Lee McDaniel John E. Cushing & John W. Orth 2:12.00
1892 Azra 3 Alonzo Clayton John H. Morris Bashford Manor Stable 2:20.00
1891 High Tariff 3 Monk Overton NF Augustus Eastin & Samuel E. Larabie 2:12.00
1890 Riley 3 Isaac Burns Murphy Edward C. Corrigan Edward C. Corrigan 2:16.25
1889 Spokane 3 Thomas Kiley John Rodegap Noah Armstrong 2:12.50
1888 Gallifet 3 Andrew McCarthy Jr. NF Melbourne Stable 2:15.25
1887 Jim Gore 3 L. Jones NF A. G. McCampbell 2:11.25
1886 Blue Wing 3 Edward Garrison NF Melbourne Stable 2:10.00
1885 Bersan 3 Isaac Burns Murphy Green B. Morris Green B. Morris & James D. Patton 2:09.25
1884 Buchanan 3 Isaac Burns Murphy William Bird William Cottrill 2:12.00
1883 Ascender 3 John Stoval J. Pate R. C. Pate 2:18.00
1882 Runnymede 3 Jim McLaughlin James G. Rowe Sr. Dwyer Bros. Stable 2:15.50
1881 Hindoo 3 Jim McLaughlin James G. Rowe Sr. Dwyer Bros. Stable 2:10.25
1880 Kinkead 3 Jim McLaughlin NF NF 3:37.75
1879 Falsetto 3 Isaac Burns Murphy Eli Jordan J. W. Hunt Reynolds 3:40.50
1878 Leveller 3 Robert Swim NF R. H. Owens 3:37.00
1877 McWhirter 3 C. Miller Abraham Perry Abraham Buford II 3:30.50
1876 Creedmore 3 Howard D. Williams NF Williams & Owings 3:34.75
1875 Voltigeur 3 McGrath B. Green W. G. Harding 3:30.75
† In 2003, Evening Attire won the race but was disqualified for interference in the stretch and set back to second.
‡ In 2010, Successful Dan won the race but was disqualified and placed third for interference.

References