Mint Julep Stakes

The Mint Julep Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, four years old and older over a distance of one and one sixteenth miles on the turf scheduled annually in late May or early June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.^[1] It currently offers a purse of $250,000.^[1]

Mint Julep Stakes

Class	Grade III
Location	Churchill Downs Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated	1977 (as Mint Julep Handicap)
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Sponsor	Old Forester (since 2015)
Website	Churchill Downs
Race information
Distance	1+1⁄16 miles (8+1⁄2 furlongs)
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Fillies and Mares, four-year-olds and older
Weight	124lbs with allowances
Purse	$250,000 (2025)

History

From its inaugural running in 1977 to 1986, the event was run on the dirt course, but was moved to the turf course beginning in 1987.^[2]

The race is named for the Mint Julep, a popular drink with racing fans at Churchill Downs, particularly seen on Kentucky Derby day.

The event was split into divisions in 1987 and 1990.^[3]

Between 1983 and 2004 the conditions of the event were for fillies and mares that were four year olds and older.^[4]

In 2001 the event was upgraded to a Grade III.^[1]

From 2001 to 2014 the event was known as the Early Time Mint Julep Handicap.^[4] Beginning in 2015, the Mint Julep Handicap became the Old Forester Mint Julep Handicap for sponsorship reasons.^[4]

Distances

It has been run at the following distances:

• 1+1⁄16 miles (1.71 km) : 1990–present
• 1+1⁄8 miles (1.81 km) : 1988–1989
• 1 mile (1.61 km) : 1983–1987
• 7 furlongs (1.41 km) : 1977–1982

Records

Speed record

• 1+1⁄16 miles – 1:40.55 Pin Up Betty (2025)

Margins

• 5 lengths – Lillian Russell (1981)

Most wins

• 2 – Megans Bluff (2001, 2002)

Most wins by an owner

• 2 – Carl F. Pollard (2003, 2015)
• 2 – James C. Routsong (2001, 2002)
• 2 – Richard and Bertram Klein (2013, 2016)
• 2 – Madaket Stables (2020, 2021)

Most wins by a jockey

• 4 – Robby Albarado (1997, 2005, 2006, 2007)

Most wins by a trainer

• 5 – William I. Mott (1987, 1996, 2005, 2006, 2007)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance	Time	Purse	Grade	Ref
2025	Pin Up Betty	4	Luis Saez	Michael J. Maker	Three Diamonds Farm	1+1⁄16 miles	1:40.55	$237,000	III	[5]
2024	Delahaye	5	Tyler Gaffalione	Chad C. Brown	William H. Lawrence & Three Chimneys Farm	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.46	$249,668	III	[6]
2023	Henrietta Topham	5	James Graham	Geoff Mulcahy	Cambus-Kenneth Farm	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.46	$222,000	III	[7]
2022	Gam's Mission	4	Adam Beschizza	Cherie DeVaux	Lazy F Ranch	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.53	$193,350	III	[8]
2021	Mintd (IRE)	5	Ricardo Santana Jr.	Brendan P. Walsh	Bradley Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables, Team Hanley, Tim & Anna Cambron	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.92	$150,000	III	[9]
2020	Secret Message	5	John Velazquez	H. Graham Motion	Madaket Stables, Heider Family Stables, ERJ Racing, Elayne Stables & S. Bouchey	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.13	$100,000	III	[10]
2019	Mom's On Strike	5	Adam Beschizza	Joe Sharp	Carl R. Moore Management & Brad Grady	1+1⁄16 miles	1:47.63	$125,000	III	[11]
2018	Lovely Bernadette	5	Corey J. Lanerie	Bernard S. Flint	James M. Miller	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.36	$100,000	III	[12]
2017	Dona Bruja (ARG)	5	Declan Cannon	Ignacio Correas IV	Ivan Gasparotto	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.46	$100,000	III	[13]
2016	Cash Control	4	Shaun Bridgmohan	Brad H. Cox	Richard & Bertram Klein	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.12	$100,000	III	[14]
2015	Kiss Moon	4	Corey J. Lanerie	David R. Vance	Carl F. Pollard	1+1⁄16 miles	1:40.94	$100,000	III	[15]
2014	Honey Hues	5	Jesus Lopez Castanon	Bernard S. Flint	L.T B. Inc/Childers	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.75	$110,400	III	[16]
2013	Miz Ida	4	Shaun Bridgmohan	Steve Margolis	Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.37	$109,100	III	[17]
2012	Bizzy Caroline	4	Manoel Cruz	Kenneth G. McPeek	Catesby W. Clay	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.29	$111,000	III	[18]
2011	My Baby Baby	6	Manoel Cruz	Kenneth G. McPeek	Magdalena Racing	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.40	$113,900	III	[19]
2010	Hot Cha Cha	4	James Graham	Philip A. Sims	Nelson McMakin	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.27	$110,800	III	[20]
2009	Acoma	4	Corey J. Lanerie	David M. Carroll	Helen Groves & Helen Alexander	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.10	$109,000	III	[21]
2008	Dreaming of Anna	4	Garrett K. Gomez	Wayne M. Catalano	Frank C. Calabrese	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.77	$169,950	III	[22]
2007	Quite a Bride	4	Robby Albarado	William I. Mott	Haras Santa Maria de Araras	1+1⁄16 miles	1:40.70	$164,100	III	[23]
2006	My Typhoon (IRE)	4	Robby Albarado	William I. Mott	Live Oak Racing	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.55	$115,000	III	[24]
2005	Delta Princess	6	Robby Albarado	William I. Mott	Saud bin Khaled	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.43	$110,100	III	[25]
2004	Stay Forever	7	Eddie Castro	Martin D. Wolfson	Santa Cruz Ranch/Juan Rizo	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.66	$168,300	III	[26]
2003	Kiss the Devil	5	Lonnie Meche	David R. Vance	Carl F. Pollard	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.73	$168,300	III	[27]
2002	Megans Bluff	5	Craig Perret	John K. Hennig	James C. Routsong	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.87	$112,900	III	[28]
2001	Megans Bluff	4	Craig Perret	John K. Hennig	James C. Routsong	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.88	$113,600	III	[29]
2000	Pratella	5	Larry Melancon	Burk Kessinger Jr.	Bruce Barton/Alvin Haynes	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.08	$111,900	Listed	[30]
1999	Mingling Glances	5	Larry Melancon	Burk Kessinger Jr.	Morven Stud Farm	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.59	$114,400	Listed	[31]
1998	B. A. Valentine	5	Francisco C. Torres	Dale L. Romans	Alberta Butner	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.42	$114,200	Listed	[32]
1997	†Valor Lady	5	Robby Albarado	Mark A. Hennig	Amerman Racing Stable	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.20	$114,900	Listed	[33]
1996	Bail Out Becky	4	Craig Perret	William I. Mott	Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.86	$84,150	Listed	[34]
1995	Romy	4	Juvenal Lopez Diaz	Moises R. Yanez	William L. Pacella et al.	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.69	$84,525	Listed	[35]
1994	Words of War	5	Carlos H. Marquez Jr.	Joseph E. Kasperski Jr.	Lawrence Karp	1+1⁄16 miles	1:40.98	$85,650	Listed	[36]
1993	Classic Reign	4	Fabio A. Arguello Jr.	James E. Day	Sam-Son Farm	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.84	$57,500	Listed	[37]
1992	Lady Shirl	5	Patrick A. Johnson	P. Noel Hickey	Irish Acres Farm (P. Noel Hickey)	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.41	$57,050	Listed	[38]
1991	Dance for Lucy	5	Larry Melancon	Sheldon Wolfe	Alexander Schmidt	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.07	$57,150	Listed	[39]
1990	Tunita	5	Robert J. Thibeau Jr.	George R. Arnold II	John Peace	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.80	$48,425	Listed	Division 1[40][4]
	Phoenix Sunshine	5	Joseph Deegan	Del Loveland	Judy Hicks	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.20	$48,425	Listed	Division 2[41][4]
1989	Here's Your Silver	4	Michael McDowell	Steven C. Penrod	Hermitage Farm	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.40	$57,100	Listed	[42][4]
1988	How I Wish	4	Earlie Fires	Joseph E. Broussard	Estate of Joe Siggio	1+1⁄8 miles	1:51.00	$56,400	Listed	[43][4]
1987	Thunderdome	4	Steve H. Bass	Harry E. Trotsek	Edward A. Seltzer	1 mile	1:37.80	$40,005	Listed	Division 1[44][4]
	Innsbruck (GB)	4	Sandy Hawley	William I. Mott	Diana Firestone	1 mile	1:38.00	$35,280	Listed	Division 2[45][4]
1986	Zenobia Empress	5	Earlie Fires	Joseph M. Bollero	Russell Fortune Jr.	1 mile	1:35.80	$44,695	Listed	[46][4]
1985	Stave	4	Charles R. Woods Jr.	Ted McClain	Hidaway Farm	1 mile	1:35.00	$32,375	Listed	[47][4]
1984	Lass Trump	4	Garth Patterson	C. R. McGaughey III	Al Samford	1 mile	1:37.00	$40,410	Listed	[48][4]
1983	Naskra Magic	4	Phil Rubbicco	James O. Keefer	Jim Thomas	1 mile	1:36.60	$35,750	Listed	[49][4]
1982	Kate's Cabin	4	Eddie Snell	Lee Snell	Ruth Cummings	7 furlongs	1:25.20	$36,100	Listed	[50][4]
1981	Lillian Russell	4	Ronald J. Hirdes Jr.	Raymond S. Lawrence Jr.	Leslie Combs II	7 furlongs	1:23.20	$29,950	Listed	[51][4]
1980	Likely Exchange	6	David E. Whited	Thomas H. Stevens Sr.	G. Watts Humphrey Jr. & Pamela Firman	7 furlongs	1:24.20	$30,225	Listed	[52][4]
1979	Bold Rendezvous	4	Alexander L. Fernandez	James E. Morgan	John Bolan, T. Wood Jr. & C. Labanz	7 furlongs	1:25.00	$28,175	Listed	[53][4]
1978	Time for Pleasure	4	Thomas Barrow	Phil A. Grosser	William Q. Muir	7 furlongs	1:23.40	$22,475		[54][4]
1977	Satan's Cheer	5	Mike Manganello	Peter W. Salmen Jr.	Crimson King Farm	7 furlongs	1:24.00	$22,000		[55]

Legend:
  Turf   Dirt
Notes:
† In 1997, Romy won but was disqualified for interference in the stretch and set back to fourth.^[33]