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Southwest Stakes

 
 
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Southwest Stakes
Grade III race
Location Oaklawn Park Race Track
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Inaugurated 1968 (as Southwest Handicap)
Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website Oaklawn Jockey Club
Race information
Distance 1+1⁄16 mile
Surface Dirt
Track Left-handed
Qualification Three-year-olds
Weight 122 lbs with allowances
Purse $800,000 (since 2024)
Bonuses Qualifications points –
Road to the Kentucky Derby

The Southwest Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt run annually in late January at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The event currently offers a purse of $800,000.

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The inaugural running of the event was on 2 March 1968 as the Southwest Handicap over a distance of six furlongs and was won by Robert E. Lehmann's Mr. Crozy by 2+1⁄2 lengths in a fast time on 1:102⁄5.[1]

Oaklawn Park acknowledges that prior to 1968 there existed an event known as the Southwest Purse, however these events are not considered in the official counts of the renewal of this event.[2][3] The event that was run on 24 March 1959 was a claiming event for four-year-olds and older[4] while the event run on 17 February 1962 was held on opening day of the race meet and over a distance of 5+1⁄2 furlongs for three year olds.[5]

The Southwest Handicap was increased to one mile in 1983.[2]

The conditions of the event were changed from a handicap to a stakes race with allowances in 1985 with a rename of the race to Southwest Stakes.[2] Originally ungraded, the Southwest Stakes was upgraded to a Grade III event in 2008 by the American Graded Stakes Committee.[6]

The distance was increased to 1+1⁄16 miles in 2013.[6]

The event has been held in split divisions in 1972, 2002, and 2012.[7]

The 1984 winner Whitebrush set a new track record for the mile distance which still stands at Oaklawn Park.[3]

The race is often used as a prep to the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby, and is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Among the horses who have used the Southwest as a springboard to the Triple Crown series are Lil E. Tee (won 1992 Kentucky Derby after finishing third in the 1992 Southwest), Pine Bluff (won Preakness after being second in the 1992 Southwest) and Smarty Jones (won the Southwest, Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 2004).[8]

Since 2013 the event has been part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby.[8]

For many years the event was usually held during the President's Day weekend but was moved to late January after Oaklawn Park introduced a new schedule of their expanded program for the 2021–22 racing season.[6]

In 2024, the race was moved back one week from January 27 to February 3 due to weather.[9]

Records[

Speed record:

  • 1+1⁄16 miles – 1:41.83 One Liner (2017)
  • 1 mile – 1:34.40 Whitebrush (1984) Track Record
  • 6 furlongs – 1:10.40 Mr. Crozy (1968)

Margins:

  • 12 lengths – Tarascon (1990)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

  • 6 - Bob Baffert (2010, 2012 - both divisions, 2013, 2022, 2023)

Most wins by an owner:

Winners[

Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
Southwest Stakes
2024 Mystik Dan Emmanuel Esquivel Juan Sanchez J. Patrick Lee Racing 1+1⁄16 miles 1:45.04 $800,000 III [10]
2023 Arabian Knight John R. Velazquez Bob Baffert Zedan Racing Stables 1+1⁄16 miles 1:43.50 $750.000 III [11]
2022 Newgrange John R. Velazquez Bob Baffert SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable & Siena Farm 1+1⁄16 miles 1:45.83 $750,000 III [12]
2021 Essential Quality Luis Saez Brad H. Cox Godolphin Racing 1+1⁄16 miles 1:45.48 $750,000 III [13]
2020 Silver Prospector Ricardo Santana Jr. Steven M. Asmussen Ed & Susie Orr 1+1⁄16 miles 1:43.01 $750,000 III [14]
2019 Super Steed Terry J. Thompson J. Larry Jones Michael Pressley & Steed Jackson 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.05 $500,000 III [15]
2018 My Boy Jack Kent J. Desormeaux J. Keith Desormeaux Don't Tell My Wife Stables & Monomoy Stables 1+1⁄16 miles 1:46.00 $500,000 III [16]
2017 One Liner John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International & SF Racing 1+1⁄16 miles 1:41.83 $500,000 III [17]
2016 Suddenbreakingnews Luis S. Quinonez Donnie K. Von Hemel Samuel F. Henderson 1+1⁄16 miles 1:45.14 $500,000 III [18]
2015 Far Right Mike E. Smith Ron Moquett Robert V. LaPenta & Harry T. Rosenblum 1+1⁄16 miles 1:47.50 $300,000 III [19]
2014 Tapiture Ricardo Santana Jr. Steven M. Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.95 $300,000 III [20]
2013 Super Ninety Nine Rafael Bejarano Bob Baffert Tanma Corporation 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.84 $300,000 III [21]
2012 Castaway Rafael Bejarano Bob Baffert Willmott Stables 1 mile 1:37.08 $250,000 III Division 1[22]
Secret Circle Rafael Bejarano Bob Baffert Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor 1:38.09 $250,000 Division 2[23]
2011 Archarcharch Jon Court William H. Fires Robert Yagos 1 mile 1:38.23 $250,000 III [24]
2010 Conveyance Martin Garcia Bob Baffert Zabeel Racing International 1 mile 1:36.94 $250,000 III [25]
2009 Old Fashioned Ramon A. Dominguez J. Larry Jones Fox Hill Farms 1 mile 1:37.41 $250,000 III [26]
2008 Denis of Cork Robby Albarado David M. Carroll Mr. & Mrs. William K. Warren Jr. 1 mile 1:37.89 $250,000 III [27]
2007 Teuflesberg Stewart Elliott Jamie Sanders Gary S. Logsdon, Jamie Sanders & Donnie Kelly 1 mile 1:38.20 $250,000 Listed [28]
2006 Lawyer Ron John McKee Robert E. Holthus Estate James T. Hines, Jr. 1 mile 1:40.00 $250,000 Listed [29]
2005 Greater Good John McKee Robert E. Holthus Lewis G. Lakin 1 mile 1:39.09 $100,000 Listed [30]
2004 Smarty Jones Stewart Elliott John C. Servis Someday Farm 1 mile 1:37.57 $100,000 Listed [31]
2003 Great Notion Terry J. Thompson Darrin Miller Silverton Hill 1 mile 1:38.96 $75,000 Listed [32]
2002 Private Emblem Donnie Meche Steven M. Asmussen James Cassels & Bob Zollars 1 mile 1:41.70 $75,000 Listed Division 1[33]
Paloma Parilla James Lopez Larry Robideaux Jr. Barnett Stables 1:40.29 $75,000 Division 2[34]
2001 Son of Rocket Terry J. Thompson Robert E. Holthus Frank Fletcher Racing 1 mile 1:38.34 $75,000 Listed [35]
2000 Afternoon Affair Joseph C. Judice Robert E. Holthus Swifty Farms 1 mile 1:37.18 $75,000 Listed [36]
1999 Jim'smrtee Travis Wayne Hightower John Milliron James M. Hutzel 1 mile 1:39.52 $75,000 III [37]
1998 Hot Wells Calvin H. Borel Thomas M. Amoss So What's Nu Stable 1 mile 1:38.69 $75,000 III [38]
1997 Smoke Glacken Craig Perret Henry L. Carroll Alex Karkenny, Robert Levy & William Roberts 1 mile 1:38.73 $100,000 III [39]
1996 Ide Craig Perret Peter M. Vestal Willmott Stables 1 mile 1:37.81 $100,000 III [40]
1995 Mystery Storm Carlos Gonzalez Larry Robideaux Jr. David Beard 1 mile 1:36.63 $100,000 III [41]
1994 Southern Rhythm Garrett K. Gomez James O. Keefer L. William Heiligbrodt, Ted Keefer & Walter New 1 mile 1:36.95 $100,000 Listed [42]
1993 Foxtrail Willie Martinez Larry Robideaux Jr. Linda Bennett 1 mile 1:36.51 $100,000 Listed [43]
1992 Big Sur David Guillory D. Wayne Lukas Overbrook Farm 1 mile 1:36.68 $100,000 Listed [44]
1991 Fenter Donald Lee Howard Thomas K. Bohannan Loblolly Stable 1 mile 1:37.06 $75,000 Listed [45]
1990 Tarascon Larry Snyder Jack Van Berg John A. Franks 1 mile 1:35.80 $58,400   [46]
1989 Termez Dean Kutz J. Bert Sonnier Kip Knelman & Steve Hayden 1 mile 1:37.80 $63,000   [47]
1988 Proper Reality Jerry D. Bailey Robert E. Holthus James A. Winn 1 mile 1:36.80 $60,700   [48]
1987 Demons Begone Pat Day Philip M. Hauswald Loblolly Stable 1 mile 1:34.60 $59,900   [49]
1986 Rare Brick Mike E. Smith A. J. Foyt III A. J. Foyt 1 mile 1:36.20 $66,400   [50]
1985 Clever Allemont Pat Day Lynn S. Whiting W. Cal Partee 1 mile 1:37.60 $62,300   [51]
Southwest Handicap
1984 Whitebrush Garth Patterson Claude R. McGaughey III Loblolly Stable 1 mile 1:34.40 $50,000   [52]
1983 Say I'm Smart Larry Snyder David R. Vance Flying Zee Stable 6 furlongs 1:11.80 $50,000   [53]
1982 El Baba Donald Brumfield Dewey P. Smith Mrs. Joe W. Brown 6 furlongs 1:12.60 $50,000   [54]
1981 Bold Ego John Lively Dennis Werre Double B Ranch 6 furlongs 1:11.80 $50,000   [55]
1980 Be A Prospect Herb McCauley Barr H. Inman Carl W. Swan 6 furlongs 1:12.00 $50,000   [56]
1979 Clever Trick Larry Snyder Del W. Carroll William S. Farish III 6 furlongs 1:11.20 $50,000   [57]
1978 Bold L. B. John Lively Dennis Werre Dazoc Stable 6 furlongs 1:11.00 $50,000   [58]
1977 J. J. Battle Carlos Rivas W. R. Charlie Morse Jay Chestnut 6 furlongs 1:12.80 $25,000   [59]
1976 Our Future King James McKnight Kenneth Burkhart Attica Farm 6 furlongs 1:10.60 $25,000   [60]
1975 Promised City David E. Whited Larry R. Spraker Big 1 Farm 6 furlongs 1:11.00 $25,000   [61]
1974 § J. R.'s Pet Darrel G. McHargue Harold Tinker W. Cal Partee 6 furlongs 1:11.20 $25,000   [62]
1973 § Game Lad Louis Spindler David R. Vance Dan Lasater 6 furlongs 1:10.60 $30,000   [63]
1972 Parlez Encore Lonnie Ray James L. Levitch Dr. C. R. Jarrell 6 furlongs 1:13.20 $20,000   Division 1[64]
Billy Rogell Earl Knapp Larry L. Fontenot Perle L. & Charles R. Grissom 1:12.20 $20,000 Division 2[65]
1971 Barbizon Streak Arturo Romero Oran Battles Mrs. Herman J. Udouj 6 furlongs 1:10.80 $20,000   [66]
1970 Love That Dollar Ronald J. Campbell D. Scott Posey Everett Lowrance 6 furlongs 1:12.60 $15,000   [67]
1969 Ruler in Gold Phil Grimm Ronnie G. Warren Mr. & Mrs. R. F. Roberts 6 furlongs 1:11.60 $15,000   [68]
1968 Mr. Crozy Lonnie Ray Douglas Davis Jr. Robert E. Lehmann 6 furlongs 1:10.40 $12,500   [1]
Southwest Purse
1962 Killoqua Kenward Bernis W. Tomlinson John D. Askew 5+1⁄2 furlongs 1:05.20 $3,200   [5]
1960–1961 Race not held
1959 † Call Hy Eugene Curry W. Dorsey M-S Stable 6 furlongs 1:11.20 $2,500   [4]

Notes:
§ Ran as an entry
† The running of the event on 24 March 1959 was a claiming event for four-year-olds and older. The winner Call Hy was a five year old.

 

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