Mr. Prospector Stakes


The Mr. Prospector Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race open for three years old or older, over a distance of 7 furlongs on the dirt track held annually in December at Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida. The event currently carries a purse of $165,000.

History

The event is named in honor of the outstanding breeding stallion and notable sire of sires Mr. Prospector who held the 6 furlongs track record at Gulfstream Park.
The race was inaugurated in 1946 and the event was run as the Hallandale Handicap. The conditions of the race were open for three year olds over a distance of miles. The following two runnings were extended to three years olds and older and the distance extended to 9 furlongs.
The race was not run in 1949 and was resumed in 1950 under the name Hallandale Purse. In 1956 the event was run under the original naming of Hallandale Handicap. In 1957 again the event was not held. From 1958 to 1971 the event was run again as the Hallandale Purse.
The 1970s were an unstable period for the event. From 1972 -74 the event was not held and the 1975 event was moved to Calder Racecourse. In 1978 the event was held as a long distance 2 mile turf event. The race was run two more times over the turf in 1980 and 1982 before it was converted to a dirt sprint race over 6 furlongs in 1983.
In 1999 the event was upgraded to Grade III and in 2001 the event was renamed to the Mr. Prospector Handicap. Since 2009 the event has been run under the current name Mr. Prospector Stakes and from 2018 over the current distance of 7 furlongs.
The event has attracted some of the finest sprinters to Gulfstream Park including 2010 American Champion Sprint Horse Big Drama and 2019 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner X Y Jet who won this event twice.

Records

Speed record:
  • 6 furlongs: 1:08.12 – Big Drama
  • 7 furlongs: 1:21.36 – Diamond Oops
Margins:
  • lengths - X Y Jet
Most wins:
  • 2 - X Y Jet
  • 2 - Sibelius
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:

Winners

Legend:




Notes:


† Gulfstream Park administration moved the event to New Year's Day in their 2016-17 meeting from the usual December scheduling. Hence, there were two runnings of the event in the calendar year for 2017 and no running in 2016


♯ In 2011 the event was held twice in the calendar year. For the 2010-11 meeting the event was held in January and in the 2011-12 meeting the event was held in December


¤ In 1980 the event was scheduled at Gulfstream Park in May. The event was also scheduled at Calder Racecourse in October and run in split divisions.

Earlier Winners

The following lists are earlier winners of the event.
; Hallandale Purse
; Hallandale Handicap
; Hallandale Purse
; Hallandale Handicap
Notes:


‡ Event run in two divisions