| Grade III race | |
|---|---|
| Eight Belles Stakes | |
| Location | Churchill Downs Louisville, Kentucky, United States |
| Inaugurated | 1956 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | www.churchilldowns.com |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 7.5 furlongs |
| Track | Dirt, left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-old fillies |
| Weight | Assigned |
| Purse | US$100,000 |
The Eight Belles Stakes is a Grade III race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky each year on Kentucky Derby Day. Run at a distance of 7½ furlongs, it is open to three-year-old filly sprinters and offers a purse of $100,000.
Raced as the Oaks Prep from 1956–1966, it was then renamed the La Troienne Stakes from 1967–2008 for one of the greatest broodmares in the United States throughout the twentieth century, La Troienne. In June 2008, Churchill Downs announced that beginning in 2009 this race would be called the Eight Belles Stakes in honor of the deceased filly, Eight Belles, who finished second in the 2008 Kentucky Derby.[1] In 2010, the Louisville Distaff Stakes was renamed the La Troienne Stakes.
Contents |
| Year |
Winner |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
| 2011 | Victoria’s Wildcat | Kent Desormeaux | Bob Hess Jr. | Bob & Victoria Bayer/Metcalf | 1:23.03 |
| 2010 | Buckleupbuttercup | Julien Leparoux | Eddie Kenneally | Avalon Farms, Inc. | 1:29.49 |
| 2009 | Four Gifts | Shaun Bridgmohan | Steve Asmussen | Heligbrodt Stable | 1:30.94 |
| 2008 | Game Face | John Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Zabeel Racing | 1:28.44 |
| 2007 | Silverinyourpocket | Calvin Borel | Helen Pitts | M/M R. David Randal | 1:30.14 |
| 2006 | Joint Effort | Edgar Prado | Dale Romans | Donald R. Dizney | 1:28.18 |
| 2005 | Seek a Star | Jorge F. Chavez | John T. Ward | John C. Oxley | 1:28.75 |
| 2004 | Friendly Michelle | Alex Solis | Bob Baffert | M/M Ed Friendly | 1:28.26 |
| 2003 | Final Round | Jerry Bailey | George R. Arnold II | G. Watts Humphrey, Jr. | 1:22.13 |
| 2002 | Cashier's Dream | Donnie Meche | Steve Asmussen | Heligbrodt Racing | 1:24.83 |
| 2001 | Caressing | Pat Day | David R. Vance | Carl F. Pollard | 1:22.90 |
| 2000 | Roxelana | Larry Melancon | William Huffman | William Landes III | 1:21.97 |
| 1999 | Sapphire n' Silk | Pat Day | Dallas Stewart | William Carl | 1:23.85 |
| 1998 | Sister Act | Calvin Borel | Jeffrey N. Jacobs | Choctaw Racing/C. Harold Kitchen | 1:24.46 |