Music City Stakes

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Music City Stakes
Grade III race
LocationKentucky Downs
Franklin, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated2020
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
SponsorBig Ass Fans (since 2023)
Websitekentuckydowns.com
Race information
Distance6+12 furlongs
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-year-old fillies
Weight124 lbs with allowances
Purse$1,000,000 (2023)

The Music City Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-tear-old fillies, over a distance of 6+12 furlongs on the turf held annually in September at Kentucky Downs racetrack in Franklin, Kentucky during their short turf meeting. The event currently carries a purse of $1,000,000 which includes $400,000 from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.

History[edit]

The race was inaugurated in 2020[1] with an attractive purse offered of $400,000.[2] The event was won by the lightly raced West-Coast filly Lighthouse who started at the odds of 11/1 and won by 1+12 lengths in a time of 1:14.99.[2] After returning to California, Lighthouse had two more starts before beings sent to Australia where she was placed twice at Group 1 level before capturing the Group 1 Coolmore Classic.[3]

In 2023 the event was upgraded to a Grade III.[4]

With the influx of gaming revenue at Kentucky Downs the initial purse for the event has risen dramatically to nearly $500,000 offered by 2022.[5]

Records[edit]

Speed record:

  • 6+12 furlongs: 1:14.75 – Tobys Heart (2021)

Margins:

  • 2+34 lengths – Tobys Heart (2021)

Most wins by a jockey:

  • No jockey has won this race more than once.

Most wins by a trainer:

  • No trainer has won this race more than once.

Most wins by an owner:

  • No owner has won this race more than once.

Winners[edit]

Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
2023 Secret Money Tyler Gaffalione Brendan Walsh Fortune Farm (Richard Nicolai), Robert G. Hahn & Matthew Hand 6+12 furlongs 1:15.14 $996,570 III [6]
2022 Freedom Speaks Jose Lezcano Jeremiah Englehart Reitman Stables 6+12 furlongs 1:15.35 $471,750 Listed [5]
2021 Tobys Heart Joel Rosario Brian A. Lynch Gary Barber, Terry Hamilton & Brian A. Lynch 6+12 furlongs 1:14.75 $487,950 [7]
2020 Lighthouse Umberto Rispoli Simon Callaghan LNJ Foxwoods 6+12 furlongs 1:14.99 $360,385 [2]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "MUSIC CITY STAKES – MULTIPLE TRACKS". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "2020 Music City Stakes Black Type – (race 11)". Equibase. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  3. ^ Roots, Chris (12 March 2022). "Lighthouse shines brightly for US connections in Coolmore Classic". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  4. ^ "American Graded Stakes Committee Releases 2023 Grades; The Stephen Foster Stakes is the only new grade 1 stakes for 2023". Bloodhorse.com. Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  5. ^ a b "2022 Nelson's Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey Music City Stakes Listed – (race 7)". Equibase. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  6. ^ "2023 Big Ass Fans Music City Stakes Grade III – (race 9)". Equibase. 2 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  7. ^ "2021 Nelson's Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey Music City Stakes Black Type – (race 8)". Equibase. 12 September 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2023.