The Pat Day Mile Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on dirt over a distance of one mile scheduled on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The current purse is $600,000.

Pat Day Mile Stakes
Grade II race
LocationChurchill Downs
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated1924 (as the Derby Trial Stakes)
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
SponsorLG&E and KU Energy (2021)
Websitewww.churchilldowns.com
Race information
Distance1 mile
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
Qualificationthree-year-olds
Weight122 lbs with allowances
PurseUS$600,000 (2024)

History

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Race name

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Originally, the event was known as the Derby Trial Stakes and was held one week before the Kentucky Derby. It was first run in 1924 and every year since, with the exception of 1928.

The race name was given similar to races in Britain which preceded the Epsom Derby such as the Investec Derby Trial (now Blue Riband Trial Stakes) and Lingfield Derby Trial and in Australia, the Geelong Derby Trial Stakes (now known as the Geelong Classic).

In 2015, this race was renamed to the Pat Day Mile Stakes (in honor of the Hall of Fame jockey, Pat Day) and moved to the undercard of Kentucky Derby day. Its purse was increased from $150,000 to $200,000.[1] In 2016, the purse was raised to $250,000.

From 2010 through 2012, it had been named the Cliff's Edge Derby Trial.[2]

Distance and class

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The distance was reduced between 1977 and 1981 to 7 furlongs. And once again the distance from 2007 to 2009 was 7+12 furlongs. The Derby Trial Stakes was an ungraded event from 2006 to 2008.[3]

Winners of the Trial and Derby

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Four trainers have won the Derby Trial and the Kentucky Derby with the same horse. The feat was accomplished by Hanley Webb in 1924 with Black Gold and by Ben A. Jones who did it twice, first with the great Citation in 1948 and then with Hill Gail in 1952. Eddie Hayward won both in 1953 with Dark Star and in 1958 Jimmy Jones, son of Ben, became the fourth and last to do it when he won the two races with Tim Tam.[4] Since Tim Tam, the gradual trend in training has been toward giving Derby contenders fewer prep races and more time between them. This practice has all but eliminated the Trial as a legitimate Derby prep race. Even the 1982 decision to move it from the Tuesday before the Derby to the Saturday before didn't help.

However, the three weeks between the Trial and the 1 3/16ths-mile Preakness in Baltimore is perfect. In recent years, the Trial has sent the Preakness such horses as Key to the Mint (1972), No More Flowers (1987), Houston (1989), Honor Grades (1991), Alydeed (1992), Cherokee Run (1993), Numerous (1994), Our Gatsby (1995), Black Cash (1998), Patience Game (1999), Sir Shackleton (2004), Flying First Class (2007), Macho Again (2008), and Pleasant Prince (2010).

Although none of those Trial horses won the Preakness, Alydeed, Cherokee Run and Macho Again finished second at Pimlico Race Course and Key to the Mint finished third. And two of trainer Woody Stephens' Trial winners Caveat in 1983 and Creme Fraiche in '85 went on to win the Belmont Stakes (GI). Additionally, the 2008 Belmont Stakes was won by Da'Tara, trained by Nick Zito, who finished in fifth place in the 2008 Derby Trial Stakes.

Calumet Farm had three horses that finished second in the Trial. In 1941, Whirlaway finished second to Blue Pair in the Trial, but then roared back to win the Triple Crown. In 1949, Ponder was second to Olympia in the Trial, but came back five days later to take the Derby by three lengths over Capot.

In 1957, Middleground finished second in the Trial to Black George on a muddy track, but won the Kentucky Derby later on a fast track.

And then there was the ill-fated Gen. Duke in 1957. He came to Churchill Downs touted as a potential superstar, but finished second to Federal Hill in the Trial. Then, the morning of the Derby, Gen. Duke was scratched because of a foot injury suffered in the Trial.

In 1967, Barb's Delight became the last Trial horse to have a significant impact on the Derby, finishing second by a length to longshot Proud Clarion. Don't Get Mad finished fourth in the Derby in 2005.

The last horse to win the Saturday before the Derby and then win the roses was Cannonade in 1974. But the race he won was the now-defunct 7f Stepping Stone Purse, not the Derby Trial.

Losers of the Trial and winners of the Derby

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Several Kentucky Derby winners failed to win the Trial, but bounced back to win the "Run for the Roses." Most notable of those were Calumet Farm's Iron Liege, who finished fifth in the Trial and returned to defeat a Kentucky Derby field that included champions Gallant Man, Round Table and Bold Ruler and is generally considered to be the greatest field in Derby history. King Ranch's Assault finished fourth in the Trial, but returned to win the Derby and sweep the Triple Crown. In 1941, Triple Crown winner Whirlaway finished second in the Derby Trial, but returned to sweep the Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.

Records

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Speed record
Most wins by a jockey
Most wins by a trainer
Most wins by an owner
  • 9 - Calumet Farm (1943, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1958, 2017, 2018)

Winners

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Year
Winner
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Dist.
(Miles) / (Furlongs)
Time
Purse
Gr.
2024 Seize the Grey Jaime Torres D. Wayne Lukas MyRacehorse 1 mile 1:35.96 $594,710 II
2023 General Jim Luis Saez Claude R. McGaughey III Courtlandt Farms 1 mile 1:34.43 $500,000 II
2022 Jack Christopher José Ortiz Chad C. Brown White Birch Farm, Jim Bakke, Gerry Isbister Gerald Isbister 1 mile 1:34.81 $500,000 II
2021 Jackie's Warrior Joel Rosario Steven M. Asmussen J. Kirk Robison and Judy Robison 1 mile 1:34.39 $500,000 II
2020 Rushie Javier Castellano Michael W. McCarthy Jim Daniell & Donna Daniell 1 mile 1:34.41 $500,000 II
2019 Mr. Money Gabriel Saez W. Bret Calhoun Allied Racing Stable (Chester Thomas) 1 mile 1:35.21 $400,000 III
2018 Funny Duck Brian Hernandez Jr. George R. Arnold II Calumet Farm 1 mile 1:37.16 $300,000 III
2017 Wild Shot Corey Lanerie George R. Arnold II Calumet Farm 1 mile 1:35.58 $250,000 III
2016 Sharp Azteca Edgard J. Zayas Jorge Navarro Gelfenstein Farm 1 mile 1:34.37 $250,000 III
2015 Competitive Edge John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Favreau Psoinos/Tabor 1 mile 1:34.18 $200,000 III
2014 Embellishing Bob Brian Hernandez Jr. Steve Margolis Martin L. Cherry 1 mile 1:36.73 $150,000 III
2013 Forty Tales Joel Rosario Todd A. Pletcher Perretti Racing Stable 1 mile 1:35.77 $231,400 III
2012 Hierro Julien Leparoux Steven M. Asmussen Stonestreet Stables 1 mile 1:35.27 $231,400 III
2011 Machen Edgar Prado Neil Howard Courtlandt Farm 1 mile 1:35.47 $231,400 III
2010 Hurricane Ike Calvin Borel John W. Sadler Ike & Dawn Thrash 1 mile 1:36.35 $200,000 III
2009 Hull Miguel Mena Dale L. Romans Heiligbrodt Racing Stable 7+12 fur. 1:30.21 $112,000 III
2008 Macho Again Julien Leparoux Dallas Stewart West Point Thoroughbreds 7+12 fur. 1:28.45 $115,200
2007 Flying First Class Mark Guidry D. Wayne Lukas Ellwood W. Johnston 7+12 fur. 1:29.28 $117,800
2006 Record Rafael Bejarano Bob Baffert Sunset Stables 1 mile 1:36.32 $114,939
2005 Don't Get Mad Gary Stevens Ronald W. Ellis B. Wayne Hughes 1 mile 1:36.00 $113,100
2004 Sir Shackleton Rafael Bejarano Nick Zito Tracy Farmer 1 mile 1:37.61 $110,800 III
2003 Midas Eyes Jerry Bailey Robert J. Frankel Edmund A. Gann 1 mile 1:36.22 $167,400 III
2002 Sky Terrace Craig Perret Vickie Foley Vickie Foley & T. Thieneman 1 mile 1:36.87 $112,800 III
2001 Meetyouathebrig Robby Albarado W. Elliott Walden Mansell Stable & James Stone 1 mile 1:36.22 $117,000 III
2000 Performing Magic Pat Day Alex Hassinger, Jr. The Thoroughbred Corp. 1 mile 1:35.99 $114,000 III
1999 Patience Game Corey Nakatani Alex Hassinger Jr. The Thoroughbred Corp. 1 mile 1:37.86 $118,626 III
1998 Souvenir Copy David Flores Bob Baffert John & Betty Mabee 1 mile 1:37.80 $113,300 III
1997 Richter Scale Shane Sellers Patrick B. Byrne Richard Kaster 1 mile 1:36.00 $116,870 III
1996 Valid Expectations Don Pettinger Steve Asmussen Robert & Leland Ackerley 1 mile 1:36.81 $128,375 III
1995 Peaks and Valleys Julie Krone James E. Day Pin Oak Stable 1 mile 1:36.53 $113,100 III
1994 Numerous Chris McCarron Charlie Whittingham Howard B. Keck 1 mile 1:37.34 $111,600 III
1993 Cherokee Run Pat Day Frank A. Alexander Jill E. Robinson 1 mile 1:37.40 $100,000 III
1992 Alydeed Craig Perret Roger Attfield Kinghaven Farms 1 mile 1:36.20 $86,550 III
1991 Alydavid Pat Day Philip M. Hauswald David's Farm 1 mile 1:36.40 $75,000 III
1990 Housebuster Craig Perret Warren A. Croll Jr. Robert P. Levy 1 mile 1:37.60 $75,000 III
1989 Houston Laffit Pincay Jr. D. Wayne Lukas B. Beal / L.R. French / D. W. Lukas 1 mile 1:36.20 $85,000 III
1988 Jim's Orbit Shane Romero Clarence Picou James Cottrell 1 mile 1:38.60 $60,000 III
1987 On The Line Pat Day D. Wayne Lukas Eugene V. Klein 1 mile 1:36.60 $65,000 III
1986 Savings Patrick Johnson Gary Hartlage Diana & Keith Wiseman 1 mile 1:35.60 $65,000 III
1985 Creme Fraiche Randy Romero Woody Stephens Brushwood Stable 1 mile 1:37.60 $65,000 III
1984 Devil's Bag Eddie Maple Woody Stephens Hickory Tree Stable 1 mile 1:35.60 $60,000
1983 Caveat Laffit Pincay Jr. Woody Stephens August Belmont IV 1 mile 1:37.80 $60,000
1982 Listcapade Darrell Haire Dewey P. Smith Dorothy Dorsett Brown 1 mile 1:36.20 $50,000
1981 What It Is Julio Espinoza Mark E. Casse Norman E. Casse 7 fur. 1:24.60 $30,000
1980 Royal Sporan Don Brumfield Don Jeffries Dan Logan 7 fur. 1:25.60 $25,000
1979 Dreamy Prospect Richard DePass Lyle Whiting Edwin Whittaker 7 fur. 1:24.40 $28,166
1978 Braze and Bold Jim McKnight Lyle Whiting Charles Viar 7 fur. 1:25.40 $20,000
1977 Kodiack Rudy L. Turcotte Harvey L. Vanier Louis F. Aitken 7 fur. 1:25.20 $20,000
1976 Justa Bad Boy William Gavidia Anthony L. Basile Emil A. Dust 1 mile 1:38.00 $20,000
1975 Round Stake Michael Hole H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm 1 mile 1:36.40 $20,000
1974 Ga Hai Mike Manganello Gene Cleveland Laguna Seca Ranch 1 mile 1:38.00 $20,000
1973 Settecento Larry Adams Lefty Nickerson Martin J. Wygod 1 mile 1:37.00 $15,000
1972 Key to the Mint Braulio Baeza J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stables 1 mile 1:36.20 $15,000
1971 Vegas Vic Howard Grant Randy Sechrest Sechrest & Fritz 1 mile 1:37.00 $20,000
1970 Admiral's Shield Jimmy Nichols Harvey L. Vanier William C. Robinson Jr. 1 mile 1:37.20 $15,000
1969 Ack Ack Manuel Ycaza Frank A. Bonsal Cain Hoy Stable 1 mile 1:34.40 $15,000
1968 Proper Proof Johnny Sellers Jim Mosbacher Mrs. Montgomery Fisher 1 mile 1:36.00 $15,000
1967 Barbs Delight Bill Hartack Hal Steele Huguelet Jr. et al. 1 mile 1:35.40 $15,000
1966 Exhibitionist Eddie Belmonte Hirsch Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs 1 mile 1:36.00 $25,000
1965 Bold Lad Bill Hartack William C. Winfrey Wheatley Stable 1 mile 1:35.20 $17,500
1964 Hill Rise Bill Shoemaker William B. Finnegan El Peco Ranch 1 mile 1:35.20 $15,000
1963 Bonjour Bill Shoemaker Hirsch Jacobs Patrice Jacobs 1 mile 1:36.40 $15,000
1962 Roman Line Jimmy Combest Vester R. Wright T. Alie Grissom 1 mile 1:37.20 $15,000
1961 Crozier Braulio Baeza Charles R. Parke Fred W. Hooper 1 mile 1:34.60 $15,000
1960 Beau Purple Eric Guerin George P. Odom Jack Dreyfus 1 mile 1:35.60 $15,000
1959 Open View (1st) Karl Korte Raymond F. Metcalf Elkcam Stable 1 mile 1:35.60 $15,000
1959 First Landing (2nd) Eddie Arcaro Casey Hayes Meadow Stable 1 mile 1:36.20 $15,000
1958 Tim Tam Ismael Valenzuela Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm 1 mile 1:39.20 $15,000
1957 Federal Hill Willie Carstens Milton Rieser Clifford Lussky 1 mile 1:36.20 $15,000
1956 Fabius Bill Hartack Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm 1 mile 1:36.60 $15,000
1955 Flying Fury Conn McCreary Loyd Gentry Jr. Cain Hoy Stable 1 mile 1:38.00 $15,000
1954 Hasty Road John H. Adams Harry Trotsek Hasty House Farm 1 mile 1:35.00 $15,000
1953 Dark Star Henry E. Moreno Eddie Hayward Cain Hoy Stable 1 mile 1:36.00 $15,000
1952 Hill Gail Eddie Arcaro Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1 mile 1:35.40 $15,000
1951 Fanfare Douglas Dodson Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1 mile 1:36.60 $15,000
1950 Black George Eric Nelson Raymond Barnett William H. Veeneman 1 mile 1:38.00 $10,000
1949 Olympia Eddie Arcaro Ivan H. Parke Fred W. Hooper 1 mile 1:37.40 $12,500
1948 Citation Eddie Arcaro Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1 mile 1:37.40 $10,000
1947 Faultless Douglas Dodson Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1 mile 1:37.60 $10,000
1946 Rippey Ferril Zufelt Edward L. Snyder William G. Helis 1 mile 1:40.20 $10,000
1945 Burning Dream Douglas Dodson James W. Smith Edward R. Bradley 1 mile 1:38.20 $5,000
1944 Broadcloth Ferril Zufelt Charles T. Leavitt Mrs. George Poulsen 1 mile 1:37.20 $4,500
1943 Ocean Wave Wendell Eads Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1 mile 1:38.20 $2,500
1942 Valdina Orphan Carroll Bierman Frank Catrone Valdina Farms 1 mile 1:36.80 $2,500
1941 Blue Pair Harry Richards Willie Crump Vera S. Bragg 1 mile 1:36.60 $2,500
1940 Bimelech Fred A. Smith William A. Hurley Edward R. Bradley 1 mile 1:38.00 $2,500
1939 Viscounty Carroll Bierman John J. Flanigan Valdina Farms 1 mile 1:38.40 $2,500
1938 The Chief George Woolf Earl Sande Col. Maxwell Howard 1 mile 1:35.80 $2,500
1937 Dellor Basil James John Milton Goode James W. Parrish 1 mile 1:38.20 $1,500
1936 He Did Charley Kurtsinger J. Thomas Taylor Suzanne Mason 1 mile 1:37.40 $1,100
1935 Whiskolo Willie Garner Robert McGarvey Milky Way Farm Stable 1 mile 1:37.80 $1,100
1934 Peace Chance Wayne Wright Pete Coyne Joseph E. Widener 1 mile 1:35.80 $800
1933 Head Play Herb Fisher Willie Crump Ruth Crump 1 mile 1:39.40 $800
1932 Adobe Post Charles Landolt C. E. Gross Knebelkamp & Morris 1 mile 1:38.80 $1,200
1931 Boys Howdy Gilbert Riley Loyd Gentry Sr. Harry C. Hatch 1 mile 1:38.20 $2,000
1930 Uncle Luther Robert Creese Robert L. Stivers Luther Stivers 1 mile 1:41.80 $1,500
1929 Windy City Earl L. Pool Mose Lowenstein Fred Grabner 1 mile 1:42.20 $1,500
1928 Race not held
1927 Rolled Stocking Willie Pool Charles C. Van Meter James W. Parrish 1 mile 1:38.60 $1,500
1926 Rhinock Mack Garner William D. Covington Mrs. George B. Cox 1 mile 1:39.00 $2,000
1925 Kentucky Cardinal Mack Garner Mose F. Shapoff G. Frank Croissant 1 mile 1:38.80 $2,000
1924 Black Gold J. D. Mooney Hanley Webb Rosa M. Hoots 1 mile 1:37.80 $2,000

See also

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References

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