Cardinal Stakes (USA)

This article is about an American horse race. For the British horse race, see Cardinal Stakes (Great Britain).

The Cardinal Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares three-years-old and older over a distance of one and one eighth miles on the turf held annually in November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The event offers a purse of $100,000.

Cardinal Stakes

Class	Grade III
Location	Churchill Downs Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated	1974 (as Kentucky Cardinal Stakes)
Race type	Thoroughbred – Flat racing
Website	Churchill Downs
Race information
Distance	1+1⁄8 miles
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	fillies and mares, three-year-olds and older
Weight	Base weights with allowances: 4-year-olds and up: 125 lbs. 3-year-olds: 122 lbs.
Purse	$300,000 (2023)

History

The event was named after the official state bird of Kentucky, the Northern cardinal.

The event was inaugurated on 23 November 1974, as the Kentucky Cardinal Stakes as a 1+1⁄16 miles dirt race for three year olds and was won by veterinarian Albert F. Polk Jr's Cut the Talk, who was trained by Ohio native James E. (Jim) Morgan^[1] and ridden by Darrell Brown in a time of 1:451⁄5.^[2]

The event was run for three year olds only one more time in 1975. In the 1976 the conditions of the event were changed to fillies and mares that were three years old or older at a distance of seven furlongs as the Kentucky Cardinal Handicap.^[3] In 1982 the event was increased to 1 mile for one year and in 1983 increased again to back its inaugural running distance of 1+1⁄16 miles.^[4] In 1987 the event was scheduled on the turf over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles with the name Cardinal Handicap.^[4] The following year the distance of the event increased to 1+1⁄8 miles but it was moved off the turf and onto the main track due to inclement weather.^[5]

The American Graded Stakes Committee classified the event as Grade III in 1995.^[3] The 2017 edition of the race, won by Tricky Escape, was run on dirt as the turf course was deemed unfit for racing. The race's Grade III status was kept for 2017.^[6]

The event has been run in split divisions nine times, the last of which was in 1990.^[7]

The event was run as a handicap prior to 2019.^[8]

The event was not run in 2020 and 2021.

Records

Speed record:

• 1+1⁄8 miles: 1:47.29 – Daisy Devine (2012)
• 1+1⁄16 miles (dirt): 1:45.20 - Cut the Talk (1974)
• 7 furlongs (dirt): 1:24.20 - Unreality (1978), Safe Play (1981)

Margins:

• 10 lengths – Star Fortress (IRE) (2023)

Most wins:

• no horse with more than one win

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 – Helen C. Alexander (1988, 1992, 2009)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 5 – Pat Day (1983, 1987, 1990, 1994, 1995)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 6 – William I. Mott (1985, 1987, 1995, 1997, 2008, 2011)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance	Time	Purse	Grade	Ref
Cardinal Stakes
2023	Star Fortress (IRE)	4	Luis Saez	Cherie DeVaux	John D. Gunther & Eurowest Bloodstock Services	1+1⁄8 miles	1:51.10	$267,500	III	[9]
2022	Dalika (GER)	6	Brian Hernandez Jr.	Albert Stall Jr.	Bal Mar Equine	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.61	$268,500	III	[10]
2020–2021		Race not held
2019	Kallio	4	Tyler Gaffalione	Brendan P. Walsh	Madaket Stables, Tim & Anna Cambron, Bradley Thoroughbreds	1+1⁄8 miles	1:55.07	$175,000	III	[11]
Cardinal Handicap
2018	English Affair	5	Corey J. Lanerie	George R. Arnold II	Calumet Farm	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.41	$100,000	III	[12]
2017	Tricky Escape	4	Christopher P. DeCarlo	Lynn A. Ashby	Jon A. Marshall	1+1⁄8 miles	1:53.85	$100,000	III	Off turf[13]
2016	Cash Control	5	Shaun Bridgmohan	Brad H. Cox	Richard & Bertram Klein	1+1⁄8 miles	1:49.39	$100,000	III	[14]
2015	Button Down (GB)	4	Paco Lopez	Josie Carroll	Greenwood Lodge Farm	1+1⁄8 miles	1:56.19	$100,000	III	[15]
2014	Strike Charmer	4	Chris Landeros	David M. Carroll	Courtlandt Farms	1+1⁄8 miles	1:49.97	$119,700	III	[16]
2013	Abaco	5	Rosie Napravnik	Claude R. McGaughey III	Phipps Stable	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.85	$112,800	III	[17]
2012	Daisy Devine	4	Calvin H. Borel	Andrew McKeever	James M. Miller	1+1⁄8 miles	1:47.29	$111,500	III	[18]
2011	Deluxe	4	Julien R. Leparoux	William I. Mott	Juddmonte Farms	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.53	$109,900	III	[19]
2010	Askbut I Won'ttell	4	Shaun Bridgmohan	Chris M. Block	Team Block & Rich Ege	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.41	$109,900	III	[20]
2009	Acoma	4	Jesus Lopez Castanon	David M. Carroll	Helen C. Alexander & Helen K. Groves	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.02	$111,700	III	[21]
2008	Indescribable	4	Kent J. Desormeaux	William I. Mott	Courtlandt Farms	1+1⁄8 miles	1:55.77	$113,400	III	[22]
2007	Criminologist	4	John R. Velazquez	Claude R. McGaughey III	Stuart S. Janney III & Phipps Stable	1+1⁄8 miles	1:51.06	$164,550	III	[23]
2006	Sabellina	5	Julien R. Leparoux	Charles Simon	Jay A. Lieberman	1+1⁄8 miles	1:49.96	$171,750	III	[24]
2005	Sundrop (JPN)	4	Mark Guidry	Saeed bin Suroor	Godolphin Racing	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.10	$175,050	III	[25]
2004	Aud	4	Brice Blanc	Anthony L. Reinstedler	Willmott Stables	1+1⁄8 miles	1:53.94	$173,550	III	[26]
2003	Riskaverse	4	Cornelio Velasquez	Patrick J. Kelly	Fox Ridge Farm	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.53	$175,200	III	[27]
2002	Quick Tip	4	Robby Albarado	Neil J. Howard	William S. Farish III	1+1⁄8 miles	1:51.08	$173,100	III	[28]
2001	Watch	4	Craig Perret	Frank L. Brothers	Claiborne Farm	1+1⁄8 miles	1:49.12	$169,350	III	[29]
2000	Illiquidity	4	Jon Court	Patrick B. Byrne	Stonerside Stable	1+1⁄8 miles	1:49.72	$176,100	III	[30]
1999	Pratella	4	Brian Dale Peck	Burk Kessinger Jr.	Bruce Barton & Alvin D. Haynes	1+1⁄8 miles	1:48.88	$171,450	III	[31]
1998	B. A. Valentine	5	Jorge F. Chavez	Dale L. Romans	Alberta Butner	1+1⁄8 miles	1:48.62	$180,150	III	[32]
1997	Colcon	4	Jerry D. Bailey	William I. Mott	Cavallix	1+1⁄8 miles	1:51.89	$175,650	III	[33]
1996	† Miss Caerleona (FR)	4	Larry Melancon	Niall M. O'Callaghan	Stonerside Stable	1+1⁄8 miles	1:47.81	$117,500	III	[34]
1995	Apolda	4	Pat Day	William I. Mott	Allen E. Paulson	1+1⁄8 miles	1:49.59	$116,200	III	[35]
1994	Bold Ruritana (CAN)	4	Pat Day	James E. Day	Minshall Farms	1+1⁄8 miles	1:48.25	$117,500	Listed	[36]
1993	River Ball (ARG)	4	James Parsley	Thomas Kurt Arnemann	Thomas & Jurgen K Arnemann	1+1⁄8 miles	1:55.79	$115,300	Listed	[37]
1992	Auto Dial	4	Shane Sellers	Frank L. Brothers	Helen C. Alexander	1+1⁄8 miles	1:52.04	$110,000	Listed	Off turf[38]
1991	Christiecat	4	Angel Cordero Jr.	Patrick J. Kelly	Fox Ridge Farm	1+1⁄8 miles	1:51.10	$115,400	Listed	[39]
1990	Dance for Lucy	4	Dave Penna	Sheldon Wolfe	Alex Schmidt	1+1⁄8 miles	1:51.80	$60,425		Division 1[40]
	Lady in Silver	4	Pat Day	Flint S. Schulhofer	Morven Stud		1:51.40	$59,675		Division 2[41]
1989	Townsend Lass	4	K. Keith Allen	Mark A. Rimer	Richard Kaster & Bruce Dresdner	1+1⁄8 miles	1:52.00	$88,050		[42]
1988	Top Corsage	5	Pat Valenzuela	Jerry M. Fanning	Helen C. Alexander	1+1⁄8 miles	1:52.40	$56,650		Off turf[5]
1987	Lake Champlain (IRE)	4	Pat Day	William I. Mott	Mrs. Diana Firestone	1+1⁄16 miles	1:46.20	$57,600		[43]
1986	Oriental	4	K. Keith Allen	Jack Van Berg	Robert Kruger, Robert Snell & William Thimigan	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.80	$47,775		[44]
Kentucky Cardinal Stakes
1985	Mrs. Revere	4	Larry Melancon	William I. Mott	Dr. Hiram Polk & David Richardson	1+1⁄16 miles	1:48.20	$33,682		Division 1[45]
	Mr. T.'s Tune	4	K. Keith Allen	Carl A. Nafzger	Warren Terry		1:47.20	$34,182		Division 2[46]
1984	Electric Fanny	3	Julio C. Espinoza	Harvey L. Vanier	GM Breeding Farms	1+1⁄16 miles	1:48.00	$32,725		[47]
1983	Charge My Account	4	Pat Day	Claude R. McGaughey III	Cooper Hartley (Lessee)	1+1⁄16 miles	1:47.20	$29,800		[48]
Kentucky Cardinal Handicap
1982	Betty Money	3	Bernon Sayler	Ronnie G. Warren	Russell Michael Jr.	1 mile	1:38.80	$31,988		Division 1[49]
	Promising Native	3	Sam Maple	Ronnie G. Warren	Ronnie G. Warren et al.		1:39.60	$31,112		Division 2[50]
1981	Knights Beauty	4	Travis Wayne Hightower	Emmett N. Sylvester	William J. Forster	7 furlongs	1:24.80	$31,950		Division 1[51]
	Safe Play	3	Stanley Spencer	Harvey L. Vanier	Carl Lauer & Nancy Vanier		1:24.20	$29,075		Division 2[52]
1980	Vite View	4	Don Brumfield	Michael B. Ball	Mira Ball	7 furlongs	1:24.80	$28,000		Division 1[53]
	Champagne Ginny	3	Don Brumfield	Ray Metcalf	Elkcam Stable		1:24.60	$27,850		Division 2[54]
1979	Impetuous Gal (CAN)	4	Earlie Fires	Joseph M. Bollero	Edward A. Cox Jr.	7 furlongs	1:24.60	$27,850		Division 1[55]
	Gap Axe	4	Don Brumfield	David Kassen	Andrew Adams		1:24.80	$29,350		Division 2[56]
1978	Love to Tell	3	Eddie Delahoussaye	James E. Morgan	James Crutcher	7 furlongs	1:24.40	$27,512		Division 1[57]
	Unreality	4	Lane Suire	Ralph Irwin	Karil Vangeloff		1:24.20	$27,762		Division 2[58]
1977	Likely Exchange	3	James McKnight	Thomas H. Stevens Sr.	Mrs. Pamela Stark Humphrey	7 furlongs	1:24.80	$22,575		Division 1[59]
	Famed Princess	4	Concepcion Ledezma	Harry Trotsek	Mrs. Bobby Russell & Ed Seltzer		1:24.80	$22,825		Division 2[60]
1976	Hope of Glory	4	Don Brumfield	Ted McClain	Donald McKellar	7 furlongs	1:25.00	$22,563		Division 1[61]
	Vivacious Meg	4	Bobby Breen	Doug Dodson	Eagle Mountain Farm		1:25.40	$22,563		Division 2[62]
Kentucky Cardinal Stakes
1975	Visier	3	Rene Riera Jr.	Richard J. Fischer	Juliette Combs Trapp	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.80	$26,500		3YO only[63]
1974	Cut the Talk	3	Darrell Brown	James E. Morgan	Albert F. Polk Jr.	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.20	$22,075		3YO only[2]

Legend:
  Dirt   Turf
Notes:
† In the 1996, running Bail Out Becky was first past the post by 2+1⁄2 lengths but was disqualified for interference as the horse turned into the straight bumping the eventual second-place finisher Miss Caerleona. Miss Caerleona was declared the winner and Bail Out Becky placed second.^[64]

See also

• List of American and Canadian Graded races