Louisiana Stakes

The Louisiana Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four years and older over a distance 1+1⁄16 miles on the dirt track held annually during the third week of January at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Louisiana Stakes

Class	Grade III
Location	Fair Grounds Race Course New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Inaugurated	1942 (as Louisiana Handicap)
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.fairgroundsracecourse.com
Race information
Distance	1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs)
Surface	Dirt
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Four-years-old & up
Weight	Assigned
Purse	$150,000 (2022)

History

Inaugurated on December 12, 1942, the first running of the Louisiana Handicap was won by Calumet Farm's 1941 U.S. Triple Crown winner Whirlaway. It would be the last race of Whirlaway's brilliant career and he was voted his second straight American Horse of the Year title.^[1]

Since inception, the Louisiana Handicap has been run at two different distances:

• 1+1⁄16 miles  : 1947, 1952–present
• 1+1⁄8 miles : 1942–1943, 1945–1946, 1949–1951

The event was not held in 1944, 1948, 2005 and 2006.^[2]

The event was renamed to the Louisiana Stakes in 2016.^[3]

In 2020 the event was upgraded to Grade III.^[3]

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 1+1⁄16 miles)

• 1:42.40 - Soy Numero Uno (1977)

Most wins:

• 3 - Tenacious (1958, 1959, 1960)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2024	Saudi Crown	4	Florent Geroux	Brad Cox	FMQ Stables	1:43.20
2023	Happy American	5	James Graham	Neil Pessin	Lothenbach Stables	1:45.33
2022	Mandaloun	4	Florent Geroux	Brad Cox	Juddmonte	1:42.52
2020[4]	Blended Citizen[a]	5	Florent Geroux	Brad Cox	Sayjay Racing, G. Hall & B. Hubbard	1:43.29
2019[6]	Harlan Punch	6	Florent Geroux	Brad Cox	Front Row Racing, Ten Strike Racing, K. McReynolds & B. Miller	1:45.05
2018[7]	Cedartown	4	Joe Bravo	Michael Stidham	Godolphin	1:44.18
2017	Hawaakom	7	Miguel Mena	Wesley E. Hawley	Smoot, Stephan H. and Hawley, Wesley E.	1:44.01
2016	International Star	4	Miguel Mena	Michael J. Maker	Sarah & Kenneth Ramsey	1:44.44
2015	Hard Aces	5	Jose Riquelme	J. Larry Jones	Dreamchaser Thorobreds	1:44.61
2014	Fordubai	4	Robby Albarado	Greg Geier	Jim Tafel	1:43.37
2013	Infrattini	5	Miguel Mena	Paul McGee	Z Thoroughbreds	1:44.62
2012	Thiskyhasnolimit	5	Shane Sellers	Steven Asmussen	Zollars/Wagner	1:43.67
2011	Recapturetheglory	6	Jamie Theriot	Louie Roussel III	Roussel/Lamarque	1:43.41
2010	Friesan Fire	4	Shaun Bridgmohan	Steve Asmussen	Vinery Stables & Fox Hill Farm	1:43.39
2009	Good And Lucky	6	Pat Valenzuela	Josie Carroll	James & Alice Sapara	1:43.46
2008	Silver Lord	5	Corey Lanerie	Steve Asmussen	Bowman Couch Racing	1:43.61
2007	Sandburr	8	James Graham	Mike Stidham	Fell The Thunder Stable	1:45.10
2004	Gigawatt	4	Brian J. Hernandez	Steve Flint	Steve Ramsey	1:43.58
2003	Spanish Empire	4	Eddie Martin, Jr.	Steve Asmussen	Jubilee Stable, et al.	1:43.58
2002	Connected	5	Larry Melancon	David M. Carroll	Alexander & Groves Revocable Trust	1:44.82
2001	San Pedro	4	Ray Sibille	Joseph E. Broussard	Richard F. Rudolph	1:44.77
2000	Guided Tour	4	Larry Melancon	Niall M. O'Callaghan	Morton Fink	1:44.00
1999	Neon Shadow	5	Willie Martinez	Ray Tamargo	Ray Tamargo	1:43.60
1998	Take Note of Me	4	Ray Sibille	Gene Cilio	B. Shipp & S. Holland	1:43.60
1997	Scott's Scoundrel	5	E. J. Perrodin	Paul Pellerin	Virgil Huskey	1:44.00
1996	Buck's Nephew	6	Randy Romero	P. Noel Hickey	Irish Acres Farm	1:45.00
1995	Buck's Nephew	5	Robby Albarado	P. Noel Hickey	Irish Acres Farm	1:43.80
1994	Fappiano's Star	6	Willie Martinez	Joseph O. Duhon	Melissa Meche	1:44.00
1993	Far Out Wadleigh	5	E. J. Perrodin	Ray Frederick	Wadleigh/Latino Racing Stable	1:44.60
1992	Erica's Dream	4	Kenny Bourque	Bobby C. Barnett	John A. Franks	1:44.20
1991	Majesty's Imp	5	Bobby Walker, Jr.	Sturgis Ducoing	Batarasan Stable	1:47.60
1990	Festive	5	Shane Romero	Thomas M. Amoss	John A. Franks	1:45.80
1989	The Flips Comin	4	Joe Judice	Sam Parise	B. Allen	1:44.40
1988	Under Orders	6	Shane Romero	Louie Roussel III	Louie Roussel III	1:45.40
1987	Royal Strength	4	Charles Woods, Jr.	Donald Winfrey	James Devaney	1:48.60
1986	Hopeful Word	5	Pat Day	Carl Bowman	Barrett M. Morris	1:45.20
1985	Silent King	4	Ronnie Franklin	Bud Delp	Hawksworth Farm	1:43.20
1984	Explosive Bid	6	Charles Woods, Jr.	Bud Delp	Hawksworth Farm	1:44.80
1983	Listcapade	4	E. J. Perrodin	Dewey Smith	Dorothy Dorsett Brown	1:44.00
1982	Aspro	4	Bobby Walker, Jr.	Bud Delp	James A. Bayard	1:44.40
1981	Sun Catcher	4	Alonzo Guajardo	Dianne Carpenter	Sundance Stable	1:43.20
1980	A Letter To Harry	6	Randy Romero	John T. Oxley	Estate R. F. Salmen	1:45.20
1979	Dr. Riddick	5	L. J. Durousseau	Frank L. Brothers	A. Stall	1:45.40
1978	Prince Majestic	4	Eddie Delahoussaye	Dewey Smith	Dorothy Dorsett Brown	1:44.80
1977	Soy Numero Uno	4	Ray Broussard	Homer C. Pardue	Joseph R. Straus & Izzy Proler	1:42.40
1976	Master Derby	4	Craig Perret	Smiley Adams	Golden Chance Farm	1:43.20
1975	Hearts of Lettuce	5	Allen LeBlanc	Louie Roussel III	Robert Azar	1:43.40
1974	Tom Tulle	4	Craig Perret	Jere R. Smith	W. Arthur Lofton	1:43.40
1973	Guitar Player (DH)	5	Phil Rubbicco	Jack Van Berg	M.H. Van Berg Stable Inc.	1:45.20
1973	List (DH)	5	Jimmy Nichols	Alcee Richard	Dorothy Dorsett Brown	1:45.20
1972	List	4	Jimmy Nichols	Alcee Richard	Dorothy Dorsett Brown	1:44.40
1971	Bon Bon	4	Nelson Menard	W. R. Harp	Clover S Farm	1:43.60
1970	Etony	5	Phil Rubbicco	George Geier	Gray & Schmieds	1:44.40
1969	Irish Dude	5	Sandino Hernandez	Jack M. Bradley	Richard W. Taylor	1:45.00
1968	Diplomat Way	4	Leroy Moyers	John O. Meaux	Harvey Peltier	1:43.80
1967	Florida Value	4	Richard Winant	John Dupuy	H. S. Cohoon	1:43.80
1966	Blue Murder	6	Robert Lee Baird	Sam Parise	R. V. Stockton	1:44.80
1965	Charolero	6	Glynn Bernis	John O. Meaux	T. Allie Grissom	1:48.20
1964	Shoot Luke	4	Dennis Ward	Odie Clelland	Mrs. J. M. Branham	1:46.60
1963	Hoop Bound	6	William Skuse	Clifford Scott	Mrs. Clifford Scott	1:45.40
1962	Orleans Doge	4	William Skuse	William J. Resseguet	W. J. Resseguet & Ben Weiner	1:45.80
1961	Road House	4	Sandino Hernandez	Joseph H. Pierce, Jr	Wilson & Allen	1:46.40
1960	Tenacious	6	Ray Broussard	John B. Theall	Dorothy Dorsett Brown	1:44.80
1959	Tenacious	5	Ray Broussard	John B. Theall	Dorothy Dorsett Brown	1:45.20
1958	Tenacious	4	Ray Broussard	John B. Theall	Dorothy Dorsett Brown	1:44.00
1957	Speed Rouser	5	Johnny Heckmann	Harold C. Hoffman	Dr. Sidney H. Babbitz	1:46.20
1956	Ja Ja	4	Ralph Borgemenke	Larry H. Thompson	Alamode Stable	1:48.60

Earlier winners

• 1955 - Epic King
• 1954 - Roedna
• 1953 - Spur On
• 1952 - Light Broom
• 1951 - Thelma Berger
• 1950 - Roseborough
• 1949 - Grand Entry
• 1947 - Dockstader
• 1946 - Flareback
• 1945 - South Dakota
• 1943 - First Fiddle
• 1942 - Whirlaway

Notes

1. Blended Citizen finished second but was awarded first place purse winnings after the original winner Silver Dust was disqualified for testing positive.^[5]