American Pharoah Stakes

The American Pharoah Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of September during the fall meet at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A Grade I event, it is open to two-year-old horses and is held at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt.

American Pharoah Stakes

Class	Grade I
Location	Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California, United States
Inaugurated	1970
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.oaktreeracing.com
Race information
Distance	1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs)
Surface	dirt
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Two-year-olds
Weight	122 pounds (55 kg)
Purse	$300,000 (since 2014)[1]

The American Pharoah Stakes was run as the Norfolk Stakes through 2011. In 2012, it was renamed to the FrontRunner Stakes after the lease with Oak Tree, the organization that formerly operated Santa Anita's fall meet, ended in 2010.^[2] It was renamed again in 2018 in honor of its 2014 winner, American Pharoah, who went on to win the U.S. Triple Crown in 2015.^[3]

This race is a Road to the Kentucky Derby Prep Season qualifying race. The winner receives 10 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby.^[4] It is also currently part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series. The winner automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

First run in 1970, it became a Grade I event in 1980 but was downgraded to Grade II status in 1993. However, the American Graded Stakes Committee announced its return to Grade I status for 2007.^[1]

The race was run over a distance of 1 mile from 1997 through 2001. It was run in two divisions in 1980.^[5]

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 11⁄16 miles)

• 1:41.27 - Ruler's Court (2003)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 7 - Alex Solis (1985, 1991, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 13 - Bob Baffert (1997, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - Golden Eagle Farm (1990, 1992, 1997)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance	Time	Win$	Gr.
2024	Citizen Bull	2	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	SF Racing et al.[a]	11⁄16 M	1:43.07	$180,000	G1
2023	Muth	2	Juan Hernandez	Bob Baffert	Zedan Racing	11⁄16 M	1:42.45	$180,000	G1
2022	Cave Rock	2	Juan Hernandez	Bob Baffert	Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, Paul Weitman	11⁄16 M	1:43.05	$180,000	G1
2021	Corniche	2	Mike E. Smith	Bob Baffert	Speedway Stables	11⁄16 M	1:44.75	$180,000	G1
2020	Get Her Number	2	Flavien Prat	Peter Miller	Gary Barber	11⁄16 M	1:44.92	$180,000	G1
2019	Eight Rings	2	John Velazquez	Bob Baffert	SF Racing LLC et al.	11⁄16 M	1:45.41	$180,000	G1
2018	Game Winner	2	Joel Rosario	Bob Baffert	Gary & Mary West	11⁄16 M	1:43.77	$180,000	G1
FrontRunner Stakes (2011-2017)
2017	Bolt d'Oro	2	Corey Nakatani	Mick Ruis	Ruis Racing	11⁄16 M	1:43.54	$180,000	G1
2016	Gormley	2	Victor Espinoza	John Shirreffs	Jerry & Ann Moss	11⁄16 M	1:43.57	$180,000	G1
2015	Nyquist	2	Mario Gutierrez	Doug F. O'Neill	Reddam Racing	11⁄16 M	1:44.89	$180,000	G1
2014	American Pharoah	2	Victor Espinoza	Bob Baffert	Zayat Stables	11⁄16 M	1:41.95	$180,000	G1
2013	Bond Holder	2	Mario Gutierrez	Doug F. O'Neill	Reddam Racing	11⁄16 M	1:45.02	$150,000	G1
2012	Power Broker	2	Rafael Bejarano	Bob Baffert	Gary & Mary West	11⁄16 M	1:44.44	$150,000	G1
Norfolk Stakes (1970-2011)
2011	Creative Cause	2	Joel Rosario	Mike Harrington	Heinz Steinman	11⁄16 M	1:42.66	$150,000	G1
2010‡	Jaycito	2	Mike E. Smith	Mike Mitchell	Zayat Stables	11⁄16 M	1:44.17	$150,000	G1
2009	Lookin at Lucky	2	Garrett Gomez	Bob Baffert	Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, Paul Weitman	11⁄16 M	1:43.11	$180,000	G1
2008	Street Hero	2	Alex Solis	Myung Kwon Cho	Myung Kwon Cho	11⁄16 M	1:42.12	$150,000	G1
2007	Dixie Chatter	2	Richard Migliore	Richard E. Mandella	Herman Sarkowsky	11⁄16 M	1:42.64	$150,000	G1
2006	Stormello	2	Kent Desormeaux	William L. Currin	William L. Currin & Al Eisman	11⁄16 M	1:43.10	$150,000	G2
2005	Brother Derek	2	Alex Solis	Dan L. Hendricks	Cecil N. Peacock	11⁄16 M	1:44.38	$120,000	G2
2004	Roman Ruler	2	Corey Nakatani	Bob Baffert	Fog City Stable	11⁄16 M	1:44.27	$120,000	G2
2003	Ruler's Court	2	Alex Solis	Eoin G. Harty	Darley Stable	11⁄16 M	1:41.27	$150,000	G2
2002	Kafwain	2	Victor Espinoza	Bob Baffert	The Thoroughbred Corp.	11⁄16 M	1:42.75	$120,000	G2
2001	Essence of Dubai	2	Alex Solis	Eoin G. Harty	Godolphin Racing	1 M	1:37.16	$150,000	G2
2000	Flame Thrower	2	Victor Espinoza	Bob Baffert	Gary M. Garber	1 M	1:34.86	$120,000	G2
1999	Dixie Union	2	Alex Solis	Richard E. Mandella	Diamond A Racing & Herman Sarkowsky	1 M	1:35.79	$120,000	G2
1998	Buck Trout	2	Eddie Delahoussaye	Mike Harrington	Heinz Steinmann	1 M	1:37.55	$120,000	G2
1997	Souvenir Copy	2	Gary Stevens	Bob Baffert	Golden Eagle Farm	1 M	1:36.00	$120,000	G2
1996	Free House	2	Kent Desormeaux	J. Paco Gonzalez	Trudy McCaffery & John Toffan	11⁄16 M	1:43.54	$120,000	G2
1995	Future Quest	2	Kent Desormeaux	Ron McAnally	VHW Stables	11⁄16 M	1:43.31	$120,000	G2
1994	Supremo	2	Gary Stevens	Richard W. Mulhall	The Thoroughbred Corp.	11⁄16 M	1:43.48	$120,000	G2
1993	Shepherd's Field	2	Chris McCarron	Brad MacDonald	Camptown Stable	11⁄16 M	1:43.11	$120,000	G2
1992	River Special	2	Kent Desormeaux	Robert B. Hess Jr.	Golden Eagle Farm	11⁄16 M	1:43.58	$120,000	G1
1991	Bertrando	2	Alex Solis	Bruce Headley	505 Farms	11⁄16 M	1:42.87	$164,820	G1
1990	Best Pal	2	Pat Valenzuela	Ian P. D. Jory	Golden Eagle Farm	11⁄16 M	1:42.80	$178,620	G1
1989	Grand Canyon	2	Chris McCarron	D. Wayne Lukas	D. Wayne Lukas & Overbrook Farm	11⁄16 M	1:43.20	$166,440	G1
1988	Hawkster	2	Pat Valenzuela	Ron McAnally	J. Shelton Meredith	11⁄16 M	1:43.40	$187,740	G1
1987	Saratoga Passage	2	Joe Steiner	Robert W. Leonard	Saratoga I Stable	11⁄16 M	1:45.00	$181,140	G1
1986	Capote	2	Laffit Pincay Jr.	D. Wayne Lukas	Barry Beal, L. R. French, Jr. & Gene Klein	11⁄16 M	1:45.20	$193,680	G1
1985	Snow Chief	2	Alex Solis	Melvin F. Stute	Grinstead & Rochelle	11⁄16 M	1:44.60	$167,340	G1
1984	Chief's Crown	2	Don MacBeth	Roger Laurin	Star Crown Stable	11⁄16 M	1:42.40	$201,960	G1
1983	Fali Time	2	Sandy Hawley	Gary F. Jones	James L. Mamakos & Marc Stubrin	11⁄16 M	1:44.20	$168,930	G1
1982	Roving Boy	2	Eddie Delahoussaye	Joseph Manzi	Robert E. Hibbert	11⁄16 M	1:41.60	$181,110	G1
1981	Stalwart	2	Chris McCarron	D. Wayne Lukas	Marvin L. Warner	11⁄16 M	1:42.20	$140,790	G1
1980-1	Sir Dancer	2	Frank Olivares	Charles M. Marikian	George Arakelian Farms	11⁄16 M	1:43.80	$100,980	G1
1980-2	High Counsel	2	Larry Gilligan	Charles Whittingham	Nelson Bunker Hunt	11⁄16 M	1:42.80	$99,780	G1
1979	The Carpenter	2	Chris McCarron	Willard L. Proctor	Cardiff Stud Farm	11⁄16 M	1:41.80	$119,280	G2
1978	Flying Paster	2	Don Pierce	Gordon C. Campbell	Bernard J. Ridder	11⁄16 M	1:42.20	$118,860	G2
1977	Balzac	2	Bill Shoemaker	Charles Whittingham	Elizabeth A. Keck	11⁄16 M	1:45.40	$157,230	G2
1976	Habitony	2	Bill Shoemaker	Tommy Doyle	Anton W. Pejsa	11⁄16 M	1:42.00	$79,290	G2
1975	Telly's Pop	2	Francisco Mena	Melvin F. Stute	Howard W. Koch & Telly Savalas	11⁄16 M	1:43.60	$74,295	G2
1974	George Navonod	2	Don Pierce	Gordon C. Campbell	Navonod Stables	11⁄16 M	1:42.20	$77,370	G2
1973	Money Lender	2	Jerry Lambert	Johnny Longden	Hazel Longden	11⁄16 M	1:42.60	$58,050	G2
1972	Groshawk	2	Bill Shoemaker	Charles Whittingham	Quinn & Muffett Martin	11⁄16 M	1:42.20	$59,025
1971	MacArthur Park	2	Bill Shoemaker	Tommy Doyle	Mark Three Stable	11⁄16 M	1:41.80	$59,445
1970	June Darling	2	William Mahorney	Warren Stute	Clement L. Hirsch	11⁄16 M	1:43.00	$45,765

‡ In 2010 run at Hollywood Park.

1. The complete ownership list of Citizen Bull is as follow: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan^[6]

See also

• Road to the Kentucky Derby