Phoenix Stakes (United States)

The Phoenix Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of six furlongs and currently offers a purse of $400,000. Raced in early October, prior to 1989 it was run during the track's spring meeting. It became a Grade III event in 2000, then was upgraded to Grade II status in 2016.
Part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, the winner of the Phoenix Stakes automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

History

Founded in 1831 with the name from the local Phoenix Hotel, it is the oldest thoroughbred horse race in North America though it has not been run continuously. Hosted by the Kentucky Association racetrack in Lexington until 1930, the event was restarted at Keeneland Race Course in 1937. From 1943 to 1945, the race was renewed as part of the Keeneland-at-Churchill Downs meetings. Over the years it has been called the Brennan, Chiles, Phoenix, Association, Phoenix Hotel Stakes and Phoenix Handicap.
The Phoenix Stakes was raced on dirt until 2006 when Keeneland Race Course installed a synthetic Polytrack surface. In 2014, the Polytrack was replaced by a new dirt surface. As a result of these changes, Keeneland maintains separate sets of track records.
The 2016 Phoenix Stakes was won by A. P. Indian while establishing a track record for the new dirt surface.

Records

Speed record:

1:07.60 - Anjiz
1:08.43 - A. P. Indian

Most wins by a jockey:

5 – Julio C. Espinoza

Most wins by a trainer:

3 – D. Wayne Lukas

Most wins by an owner:

2 – Robert E. Lehmann
2 – Anthony L. Zuppardo
2 – Overbrook Farm
2 – Klaravich Stables

Earlier winners

1971 - Great Mystery
1970 - Paderoso
1969 - Lithiot
1968 - Miracle Hill
1967 - Moccasin
1966 - Bay Phantom
1965 - Gallant Romeo
1964 - Choker
1963 - Editorialist
1962 - Editorialist
1961 - Eight Again
1960 - Court Affair
1959 - Bumpy Road
1958 - Ezgo
1957 - Bandit
1956 - Sea O' Erin
1955 - Sea O' Erin
1954 - Pomace
1953 - Pet Bully
1952 - Hill Gail
1951 - Mount Marcy
1950 - Mount Marcy
1949 - Miss Neal
1948 - Coaltown
1947 - George Gains
1946 - Sirius
1945 - Best Effort
1944 - Roman Sox
1943 - Miss Dogwood
1942 - Devil Diver
1941 - Cherry Jam
1940 - Easy Mon
1939 - Torchy
1938 - Main Man
1937 - Preeminent
1931 to 1936 - RACE NOT RUN
1930 - Montanaro
1928 - Luxembourg
1927 - Percentage
1926 - Marconi
1925 - Almadel
1924 - Chacolet
1923 - Minto II
1922 - Advocate
1921 - General Haig
1920 - Buford
1919 - Opportunity
1918 - Embroidery
1917 - Grover Hughes
1913 - Flora Fina
1912 - Mockler
1911 - Countless
1906 to 1910 - no race
1905 - Agile
1898 to 1904 - no race
1897 - Goshen
1896 - Prince Leif
1895 - Halma
1894 - Chant
1893 - Clifford
1892 - Wadsworth
1891 - Kingman
1890 - Ban Chief
1889 - Once Again
1888 - The Chevalier
1887 - Banburg
1886 - Grimaldi
1885 - Bersan
1884 - Admiral
1883 - Lord Raglan
1882 - Freeland
1881 - Sligo
1880 - Fonso
1879 - Falsetto
1878 - Himyar
1877 - Brademante
1876 - Vagrant
1875 - Ten Broeck
1874 - Aaron Pennington
1873 - Artist
1872 -
1871 - Molly Cad
1870 - Enquirer
1868 - Crossland
1867 - Phoenix Belle
1866 - Norway
1865 - Gold Ring
1860 - Solferino
1856 - Parachute
1855 - Balloon
1854 - Charlie Ball
1853 - Lexington
1852 - Star Davis
1841 - Zenith
1840 - Berthune
1839 - Minstrel
1838 - Mary Brennan
1832 - Virginia
1831 - McDonough

Sire lines

the Darley Arabian sire line produced 111 Stakes winners, including all winners from 1989 to present. The main branches of this sire line are:
* the Mercury branch produced 1 winner, most recently Planetarium in 1872
* the King Fergus branch produced 16 winners. His sire line continued primarily through his son Hambletonian with 13 winners, continued primarily through his descendant Vedette with 12 winners, due primarily to his son Galopin with 9 winners, most recently Whitmore in 2017
* the Potoooooooo branch produced 94 winners. The primary branch of this sire line is through Whalebone, which has produced 84 winners. In turn, the primary branch continues through Sir Hercules, which has produced 63 winners, and then the Birdcatcher branch which produced 57 winners. From Birdcatcher, the branch of The Baron has produced 51 winners. Birdcatcher's grandson Doncaster sired Bend Or, whose sire line accounts for 46 winners. The main branch of the Bend Or sire line continued through his son Bona Vista with 39 winners, exclusively through the Phalaris line, which has dominated in the last several decades, primarily through his son Pharos with 26 winners, most recently Federal Judge in 2024.
** special notes:
*** the Whalebone branch produced two main lines: the primary branch of Sir Hercules, and the secondary branch of Camel which produced 17 winners. The Camel branch continued primarily through two of this grandsons: the Newminster branch, and the Orlando branch. A third branch through Waverley produced 5 winners, most recently Bumpy Road in 1959.
*** the Sir Hercules branch produced two main lines: the primary branch of Birdcatcher, and the secondary branch of Faugh-a-Ballagh which produced 6 winners, most recently 1894 Phoenix Stakes winner Chant.
*** the Birdcatcher branch produced two main lines: the primary branch of The Baron, and the secondary branch of Oxford which produced 6 winners, most recently 1961 Phoenix Stakes winner Eight Again.
*** the Bend Or branch produced two main lines: the primary branch of Bona Vista, and the secondary branch of Ormonde which produced 6 winners, most recently 1992 Phoenix Stakes winner British Banker.
*** the secondary branch of Phalaris, the less common Sickle branch line, nearly exclusively through the Mr Prospector, most recently Manny Wah in 2022.
the Byerley Turk sire line produced 25 winners. The main branches of this sire are:
* the Florizel branch produced 16 winners,. The main branches of this sire line are:
** the Duroc branch produced 2 winners, most recently Zenith in 1841
** the Sir Archy branch produced 14 winners. The main branches of this sire line include:
*** the Saxe Weimer branch produced 1 winner, most recently Virginia in 1832
*** the Virginian branch produced 1 winner, most recently Berthune in 1840
*** the Sir Charles branch produced 1 winner, most recently Charley Ball in 1854
*** the Bertrand branch produced 2 winners, most recently Mary Brennan in 1838
*** the Timoleon branch produced 9 winners, continued primarily through the Lexington line with 7 winners, including his win in the 1853 Phoenix Stakes, and 6 progeny winners, most recently Sligo in 1881
* the Woodpecker branch produced 9 winners. The main branches of this sire line are:
** the Castrel branch produced 1 winner, most recently Kingman in 1891
** the Selim branch produced 8 winners. The main branches of this sire line are:
*** the Bay Middleton branch produced 3 winners, most recently Harry 'N Bill in 1985
*** the Glencoe branch produced 5 winners, most recently Grover Hughes in 1917
the Godolphin Arabian sire line produced 6 winners. The main branches of this sire are:
* the Solon branch produced 2 winners, most recently Marconi in 1926
* the Australian branch produced 4 winners, including:
** Phoenix Belle, winner of the 1867 Phoenix Stakes
** the Spendthrift branch produced 3 winners, most recently Carload in 1988

;Phoenix Stakes winners with male-line descendants including other Phoenix Stakes winners:

Himyar – 8 winners ; most recently Honey Jay
Lexington – 6 winners ; most recently Sligo
Ten Broeck – 2 colts/horses; most recently Bersan
Enquirer – 2 colts/horses; most recently Chant
Gallant Romeo – 2 winners ; most recently Momsfurrari
Falsetto – 1 colt/horse; Chant