The Modesty Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

Modesty Stakes
Grade III race
LocationChurchill Downs
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated1942 (at Washington Park Race Track, Homewood, Illinois)
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Race information
Distance1+18 miles
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFillies & Mares, 4-years-old & up
Weight123 lbs with allowances
Purse$250,000 (2022)

A Grade III race contested over a distance of 1+18 miles on turf, it is open to fillies and mares aged four and older. Run in May during on Kentucky Oaks day, the event currently offers a purse of $250,000.[1]

Inaugurated in 1942 at the old Washington Park Race Track as a race for three-year-old fillies, the following year it was made open to both fillies and older mares. Until 1951, it was run as the Modesty Stakes. It was raced on dirt from 1942 through 1955, 1958 through 1965, and again in 1996.

It has been run at various distances:

  • 1 mile : 1942, 1944–1946, 1952, 1966
  • 3/4 mile (6 furlongs) : 1947–1951, 1953–1954, 1958–1962
  • 7/8 mile (7 furlongs) : 1943, 1963–1965
  • 1+116 miles (8.5 furlongs) : 1955–1957, 1967–1968,1986
  • 1+18 miles (9 furlongs) : 1987
  • 1+316 miles (9.5 furlongs) : 1980–1985, 1989–present

The race was hosted by Washington Park Race Track from 1942 through 1945 and from 1968 through 1961. Hawthorne Race Course hosted it in 1985. The race was named in honor of Modesty, a filly owned by Edward Corrigan who beat her male counterparts to win the 1884 inaugural running of the American Derby at Washington Park Race Track under African-American U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey, Isaac Burns Murphy.

In 1966, the Modesty Handicap was run in two divisions. There was no race from 1969 through 1979 inclusive, nor in 1988, 1995, 1998 and 1999. In 2022, the event was moved to Churchill Downs after the closure of Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois.[2]

Records

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Speed record: (at current distance of 1+316 miles)

  • 1:53.80 – Fantasia (GB) (2011)

Most wins:

  • 2 – Sickle's Image (1951, 1954)
  • 2 – Indian Maid (1960, 1961)
  • 2 – Gaily Gaily (1989, 1990)

Most wins by an owner:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners

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Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Distance
(Miles)
Time
2024 Fast as Flight 6 José Ortiz Martin Drexler TEC Racing 1-1/8 1:50.63
2023 Didia 5 Vincent Cheminaud Ignacio Correas IV Merriebelle Stables 1-1/8 1:47.46
2022 Bleeker Street 4 Flavien Prat Chad Brown Peter Brant 1-1/8 1:50.10
2021 Naval Laughter 4 Sophie Doyle Christopher Davis Two Hearts Farm, LLC 1-3/16 1:54.58
no race 2020 [a]
2019 Juliet Foxtrot 4 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox Juddmonte Farms 1-3/16 1:54.00
2018 Daddys Lil Darling 4 Brian Hernandez Jr. Kenneth McPeek Normandy Farm 1-3/16 1:53.80
2017 Dona Bruja 5 Declan Cannon Ignacio Correas IV Dom Felipe 1-3/16 1:55.75
2016 Faufiler 5 Jose Valdivia Jr. H. Graham Motion Flaxman Holdings 1-3/16 1:56.12
2015 Walk Close 4 James Graham Christophe Clement Highland Yard 1-3/16 1:57.08
2014 I'm Already Sexy 4 Florent Geroux Wayne M. Catalano Hit The Board Stables 1-3/16 1:57.56
2013 Ausus 4 James Graham Daniel C. Peitz Shadwell Stable 1-3/16 1:53.94
2012 Romacaca 6 Francisco Torres Danny L. Miller Frank Carl Calabrese 1-3/16 1:56.67
2011 Fantasia 6 Rajiv Maragh Jonathan E. Sheppard Augustin Stable 1-3/16 1:53.80
2010 Tuscan Evening 5 Rafael Bejarano Jerry Hollendorfer William de Burgh 1-3/16 1:55.11
2009 Pure Clan 4 Julien Leparoux Robert E. Holthus Lewis Lakin 1-3/16 1:55.27
2008 Communique 4 René Douglas George R. Arnold II G. Watts Humphrey Jr. 1-3/16 1:58.89
2007 Bridge Game 4 Jeremy Rose H. Graham Motion Elizabeth H. Alexander 1-3/16 1:54.62
2006 Chic Dancer 5 Christopher Emigh Christine K. Janks S.D. Brilie Ltd. Partnership 1-3/16 1:57.48
2005 Noisettes 5 Cornelio Velásquez William I. Mott Haras Santa Maria Aras S.A. 1-3/16 1:57.30
2004 Bedanken 5 Donald Pettinger Donnie K. Von Hemel Pin Oak Stable LLC 1-3/16 1:57.00
2003 Owsley 5 René Douglas Randy Schulhofer Arthur B. Hancock III 1-3/16 1:55.06
2002 England's Legend 5 René Douglas Christophe Clement Edouard de Rothschild 1-3/16 1:55.69
2001 Ioya Two 6 Mark Guidry Chris M. Block Team Block 1-3/16 1:55.47
2000 Wade For Me 5 Christopher Emigh Harvey L. Vanier Nancy A. Vanier 1-3/16 1:57.06
1999 no race
1998 no race
1997 War Thief 5 Shane Sellers Clinton Stuart Lane Thoroughbreds 1-3/16 1:57.47
1996 Belle of Cozzene 4 Donald Pettinger Steve Hobby B. & J. Smicklas 1-3/16 1:58.24
1995 no race
1994 Assert Oneself 4 Willie Martinez Mike Chambers Three Sisters Stable 1-3/16 1:56.01
1993 Hero's Love 5 Earlie Fires Daniel J. Vella Frank Stronach 1-3/16 1:55.31
1992 Tango Charlie 3 Abner G. Sorrows Jr. Kenneth Hoffman T. Canonie Jr. 1-3/16 1:58.79
1991 Lady Shirl 4 Shane Sellers P. Noel Hickey Irish Acres Farm 1-3/16 1:56.53
1990 Gaily Gaily 7 Mike E. Smith William I. Mott Diana M. Firestone 1-3/16 1:55.40
1989 Gaily Gaily 6 Julie Krone William I. Mott Diana M. Firestone 1-3/16 1:58.20
1988 no race
1987 Spruce Luck 6 Don Brumfield Doug Tribert C. Kenimer 1-1/8 1:51.60
1986 Zenobia Empress 5 Earlie Fires Joseph M. Bollero R. Fortune Jr. 1-1/16 1:44.00
1985 Kapalua Butterfly 4 Darrel McHargue Harvey L. Vanier Tom Gentry 1-3/16 1:55.00
1984 Jay's Sue 5 Pat Day Jerry Calvin C. P. Blake 1-3/16 2:01.20
1983 Dana Calqui 5 Frank Lovato Jr. Stephen L. DiMauro Dogwood Farm 1-3/16 2:01.40
1982 Office Wife 5 Earlie Fires Willard C. Freeman Helen Hertz Hexter 1-3/16 1:58.20
1981 Innocent Victim 3 Roger Cox George J. Getz Friedman & P. Teinowitz 1-3/16 1:59.00
1980 Allison's Gal 4 Michael Morgan Steve Morguelan Adrienne Krumhorn 1-3/16 2:01.20
1968 Ludham 4 Jacinto Vásquez Frank I. Wright Happy Hill Farm 1-1/16 1:44.40
1967 Amerivan 5 Ron Turcotte Joseph H. Pierce Jr. William S. Woodside 1-1/16 1:46.20
1966 Margarethen 4 Jimmy Nichols Charles P. Sanborn Ernest H. Woods 1 1:37.40
1966 Treasure Chest 3 John Beebe Joseph H. Pierce Jr. David Shaer 1 1:37.20
1965 Isaduchess 4 Kennard Knapp Edward I. Kelly Sr. Brookfield Farm 7/8 1:23.20
1964 Alecee 5 Walter Blum John J. Gavin Jr. Forest H. Lindsay 7/8 1:23.00
1963 Hushaby 4 Bill Hartack Chuck R. Werstler Mary V. Fisher 7/8 1:23.00
1962 Goldflower 4 Herberto Hinojosa Chuck R. Werstler Mary V. Fisher 3/4 1:10.40
1961 Indian Maid 5 Johnny Sellers Howard C. Hoffman Mary D. Keim 3/4 1:09.80
1960 Indian Maid 4 John L. Rotz Elmer Heubeck Jr. Mary D. Keim 3/4 1:09.60
1959 A. Glitter 4 Chris Rogers Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm 3/4 1:10.00
1958 Melody Mine 3 Richard L. Barnett Harry Trotsek Hasty House Farm 3/4 1:10.80
1957 Grecian Ayr 4 Larry Gilligan Jimmy Wallace Agoura Stock Farm 1-1/16 1:43.60
1956 Queen Hopeful 5 John Adams Harry Trotsek Hasty House Farm 1-1/16 1:44.80
1955 Insouciant 3 Billie Fisk Howard Wells Dr. Eslie Asbury 1-1/16 1:43.40
1954 Sickle's Image 6 Douglas Dodson Clarence Hartwick Clarence Hartwick 3/4 1:10.00
1953 Bella Figura 4 Don Wagner Harry Trotsek Brownell Combs 3/4 1:10.20
1952 Real Delight 3 Eddie Arcaro Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1 1:35.60
1951 Sickle's Image 3 Charles Swain Clarence Hartwick Clarence Hartwick 3/4 1:10.80
1950 Myrtle Charm 4 Glen Lasswell Tom Smith Maine Chance Farm 3/4 1:10.00
1949 No Strings 3 Fred Smith Howard C. Hoffman Mrs. John Marsch 3/4 1:10.00
1948 Bewitch 3 Hedley Woodhouse Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm 3/4 1:10.20
1947 Sea Snack 4 Manuel N. Gonzalez James A. Healey Christiana Stables 3/4 1:11.60
1946 Athene 3 Warren Mehrtens Max Hirsch Edward Lasker 1 1:36.00
1945 War Date 3 John Adams Tom Smith Maine Chance Farm 1 1:38.80
1944 Gold Princess 5 Jesse Higley David V. McClure David V. McClure 1 1:39.40
1943 Burgoo Maid 3 George Burns Homer C. Pardue Ruth Sidell 7/8 1:27.40
1942 Lotopoise 3 Steve Brooks Kenneth Osborne Hal Price Headley 1 1:37.80
  1. ^ The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Modesty Handicap". Equibase. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Churchill Downs Stakes Schedule" (PDF). churchilldowns.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 7, 2018. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  3. ^ "Churchill Downs reschedules". WLKY. 17 Mar 2020.