Hopeful Stakes

Grade I race
Hopeful Stakes
Location Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Springs, New York, United States
Inaugurated 1903
Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website Hopeful Stakes at the NYRA
Race information
Distance 7 furlongs
Track Dirt, left-handed
Qualification Two-year-olds
Weight 120 lbs.
Purse $250,000

The Hopeful Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Open to two-year-old horses, the Hopeful is the first Grade I stakes for two-year-olds each season and historically has been a showcase for some of the top East Coast horses at that age group. Raced on the dirt over a distance of seven furlongs, the Grade I event offers a purse of $250,000.

The race is currently part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series. The winner will automatically qualify for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Inaugurated in 1903, the first edition was won by Delhi. In 1904, the Hopeful Stakes was won by the filly Tanya who would go on to win one of the American Classic Races the following year. Initially raced at a distance of six furlongs, from 1925 through 1993 it was run at six and a half furlongs and since 1994 at seven furlongs. Currently, the Hopeful Stakes is the first influential prep race leading up to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and since 1925 has been a competition that marks the first time two-year-olds are tested at a distance beyond six furlongs. The name stems from the hope every two-year-old handlers have for their horse's racing future

Due to the State of New York's legislated ban on parimutuel betting, there was no race in 1911 and 1912. During World War II, the Hopeful Stakes was run at Belmont Park in 1943, 1944, and 1945.

Only four horses have ever won all three Saratoga Racecourse events for two-year-olds. Regret (1914), Campfire (1916), Dehere (1993), and City Zip (2000) each swept the Hopeful Stakes, Saratoga Special Stakes, and the Sanford Stakes.

Since 2008, the race has been sponsored by Three Chimneys Farm of Midway, Kentucky.

Records

Time record: (at current 7 furlong distance)

Most wins by an owner:

Most wins by a jockey:

Winners of the Hopeful Stakes

Year
Winner
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Time
2011 Currency Swap Rajiv Maragh Terri Pompay Klaravich Stables/Lawrence 1:26.16
2010 Boys At Tosconova Ramon Dominguez Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. Jay Em Ess Stable, et al 1:23.27
2009 Dublin Jamie Theriot D. Wayne Lukas Robert C. Baker/William L. Mack 1:23.52
2008 Vineyard Haven Alan Garcia Robert J. Frankel Frankel/Lazzinnaro/Diamond Pride 1:23.40
2007 Majestic Warrior Garrett Gomez William I. Mott Kinsman Stable 1:23.04
2006 Circular Quay Garrett Gomez Todd A. Pletcher Michael & Doreen Tabor 1:23.00
2005 First Samurai Jerry D. Bailey Frank L. Brothers Lunsford & Robbins III 1:23.25
2004 Afleet Alex Jeremy Rose Tim Ritchey Cash is King LLC 1:23.58
2003 Silver Wagon Jerry D. Bailey Ralph Ziadie Buckram Oak Farm 1:23.47
2002 Sky Mesa Edgar Prado John T. Ward John C. Oxley 1:23.08
2001 Came Home Chris McCarron J. Paco Gonzalez Trudy McCaffery 1:21.94
2000 Yonaguska (DH) Jerry D. Bailey D. Wayne Lukas Michael B. Tabor 1:24.52
2000 City Zip (DH) Jose Santos Linda L. Rice Thompson & Bowling 1:24.52
1999 High Yield Jerry D. Bailey D. Wayne Lukas Bob & Beverly Lewis 1:22.85
1998 Lucky Roberto Robbie Davis Frank A. Alexander Jesse Robinson 1:23.81
1997 Favorite Trick Pat Day Patrick B. Byrne Joseph LaCombe 1:23.87
1996 Smoke Glacken Craig Perret Henry L. Carroll Karkenny Levy et al. 1:23.63
1995 Hennessy Gary L. Stevens D. Wayne Lukas Bob & Beverly Lewis 1:23.44
1994 Wild Escapade Jorge F. Chavez Leo O'Brien Dogwood Stable 1:23.24
1993 Dehere Chris McCarron Reynaldo Nobles Due Process Stable 1:15.80
1992 Great Navigator Aaron Gryder John F. Mazza Roron Stables 1:15.71
1991 Salt Lake Mike E. Smith D. Wayne Lukas William T. Young 1:17.74
1990 Deposit Ticket Gary L. Stevens D. Wayne Lukas Overbrook Farm 1:16.20
1989 Summer Squall Pat Day Neil J. Howard Dogwood Stable 1:16.80
1988 Mercedes Won Robbie Davis Arnold Fink Christopher Spencer 1:16.60
1987 Crusader Sword Randy Romero MacKenzie Miller Rokeby Stable 1:18.60
1986 Gulch Angel Cordero, Jr. Leroy Jolley Peter M. Brant 1:16.40
1985 Papal Power Don MacBeth Charles Peoples Bayard Sharp 1:18.40
1984 Chief's Crown Don MacBeth Roger Laurin Star Crown Stable 1:16.00
1983 Capitol South Jerry D. Bailey Lou Rondinello Darby Dan Farm 1:17.40
1982 Copelan Jerry D. Bailey Mitchell Griffin Fred W. Hooper 1:16.60
1981 Timely Writer Roger Danjean Dominic Imprescia Peter Martin 1:16.20
1980 Tap Shoes Ruben Hernandez Howard M. Tesher Leone J. Peters 1:17.00
1979* J.P. Brother Joseph Imparato John P. Campo Diamond Peg Stable 1:16.20
1978 General Assembly Darrel McHargue Leroy Jolley Bertram R. Firestone 1:16.40
1977 Affirmed Steve Cauthen Laz Barrera Harbor View Farm 1:15.40
1976 Banquet Table Jean Cruguet George T. Poole, Jr. C. V. Whitney 1:16.20
1975-I Jackknife Jean Cruguet John P. Campo Elmendorf Farm 1:16.60
1975-II Eustace James Nichols Wayne Rose Eugene Cashman 1:16.40
1974-I The Bagel Prince Angel Cordero Jr. Edward Pappalardo Edward Shamie 1:16.80
1974-II Foolish Pleasure Braulio Baeza Leroy Jolley John L. Greer 1:16.00
1973 Gusty O'Shay Robert Kotenko Harrison E. Johnson Mrs. Gerard Hopkins 1:16.40
1972 Secretariat Ron Turcotte Lucien Laurin Meadow Stable 1:16.20
1971 Rest Your Case Jacinto Vasquez MacKenzie Miller Cragwood Stable 1:17.40
1970 Proudest Roman John L. Rotz Woody Stephens Mrs. John A. Morris 1:18.60
1969 Irish Castle Braulio Baeza Edward A. Neloy Wheatley Stable 1:17.20
1968 Top Knight Manuel Ycaza Raymond Metcalf Steven B. Wilson 1:16.00
1967 What A Pleasure Braulio Baeza Edward A. Neloy Wheatley Stable 1:16.40
1966 Bold Hour John L. Rotz Bert Mulholland George D. Widener, Jr. 1:17.20
1965 Buckpasser Braulio Baeza Edward A. Neloy Ogden Phipps 1:16.00
1964 Bold Lad Braulio Baeza Edward A. Neloy Wheatley Stable 1:15.60
1963 Traffic Manuel Ycaza Lucien Laurin Reginald N. Webster 1:18.60
1962 Outing Class Donald R. Pierce John M. Gaver, Sr. Greentree Stable 1:17.00
1961 Jaipur Bill Shoemaker Bert Mulholland George D. Widener, Jr. 1:16.40
1960 Hail To Reason Bobby Ussery Hirsch Jacobs Patrice Jacobs 1:16.00
1959 Tompion Bill Shoemaker Sylvester Veitch C. V. Whitney 1:17.40
1958 First Landing Eddie Arcaro Casey Hayes Christopher Chenery 1:17.80
1957 Rose Trellis Frank Lovato Richard E. Handlen Foxcatcher Farm 1:18.40
1956 King Hairan Eddie Arcaro Ray Metcalfe Leo Edwards 1:18.40
1955 Needles John Choquette Hugh L. Fontaine D and H Stable 1:18.20
1954 Nashua Eddie Arcaro Jim Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 1:17.80
1953 Artismo Dave Gorman Robert L. Dotter James Cox Brady, Jr. 1:18.00
1952 Native Dancer Eric Guerin William C. Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt II 1:18.80
1951 Cousin Eric Guerin William C. Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt II 1:19.20
1950 Battlefield Eric Guerin Bert Mulholland George D. Widener, Jr. 1:18.00
1949 Middleground David Gorman Max Hirsch King Ranch 1:18.40
1948 Blue Peter Eric Guerin Andy Schuttinger Joseph M. Roebling 1:19.20
1947 Relic John H. Adams Not Found Circle M. Farm 1:17.40
1946 Blue Border Abelardo DeLara James W. Smith Edward R. Bradley 1:17.00
1945 Star Pilot Arnold Kirkland Tom Smith Maine Chance Farm 1:16.60
1944 Pavot George Woolf Oscar White Walter M. Jeffords 1:18.80
1943 Bee Mac Sterling Young James W. Smith Beatrice MacGuire 1:18.40
1942 Devil's Thumb Conn McCreary Cecil Wilhelm William Edward Boeing 1:18.40
1941 Devil Diver Jack Skelly John M. Gaver, Sr. Greentree Stable 1:18.60
1940 Whirlaway Johnny Longden Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1:18.00
1939 Bimelech Fred A. Smith Bill Hurley Edward R. Bradley 1:18.80
1938 El Chico Nick Wall Matthew Peter Brady William Ziegler, Jr. 1:18.40
1937 Sky Larking Alfred Robertson Robert McGarvey Milky Way Farm 1:20.80
1936 Maedic Eddie Litzenberger William J. Hurley Maemere Farm 1:20.20
1935 Red Rain Raymond Workman Thomas J. Healey C. V. Whitney 1:19.80
1934 Psychic Bid Mack Garner Robert A. Smith Brookmeade Stable 1:18.80
1933 Bazaar Don Meade Herbert J. Thompson Edward R. Bradley 1:19.00
1932 Ladysman Robert Jones J. H. "Bud" Stotler William R. Coe 1:19.40
1931 Tick On Pete Walls Max Hirsch Loma Stable 1:20.40
1930 Epithet Willie Kelsay Henry McDaniel Gifford A. Cochran 1:17.60
1929 Boojum Raymond Workman A. Jack Joyner Harry Payne Whitney 1:17.00
1928 Jack High George Ellis A. Jack Joyner George D. Widener, Jr. 1:19.40
1927 Brooms John Maiben Gwyn R. Tompkins Brookmeade Stable 1:20.00
1926 Lord Chaucer Frank Coltiletti J. H. "Bud" Stotler Sagamore Farm 1:19.80
1925 Pompey Laverne Fator William H. Karrick Shoshone Stable 1:17.80
1924 Master Charlie George Babin Not found William Daniel 1:13.00
1923 Diogenes Clyde Ponce Robert A. Smith Walter M. Jeffords 1:12.60
1922 Dunlin Clarence Kummer William Garth Joshua S. Cosden 1:12.40
1921 Morvich Albert Johnson Fred Burlew Benjamin Block 1:12.60
1920 Leonardo II Andy Schuttinger Kimball Patterson Xalapa Farm 1:12.40
1919 Man o' War Johnny Loftus Louis Feustel Glen Riddle Farm 1:13.00
1918 Eternal Andy Schuttinger Kimball Patterson James W. McClelland 1:13.60
1917 Sun Briar Willie Knapp Henry McDaniel Willis Sharpe Kilmer 1:15.60
1916 Campfire John McTaggart Thomas J. Healey Richard T. Wilson, Jr. 1:14.60
1915 Dominant Joe Notter James G. Rowe, Sr. Lewis S. Thompson 1:13.80
1914 Regret Joe Notter James G. Rowe, Sr. Harry Payne Whitney 1:16.40
1913 Bringhurst Johnny Loftus John Oliver Keene Johnson N. Camden, Jr. 1:12.40
1910 Novelty A. Thomas Sam Hildreth Sam Hildreth 1:14.00
1909 Rocky O'Brien Vincent Powers Not found James MacManus 1:13.20
1908 Helmet Joe Notter James G. Rowe, Sr. James R. Keene 1:12.20
1907 Jim Gaffney David Nicol Not found Frank J. Farrell 1:15.00
1906 Peter Pan Willie Knapp James G. Rowe, Sr. James R. Keene 1:12.20
1905 Mohawk II Arthur Redfern H. H. Hynes John Sanford 1:13.40
1904 Tanya Gene Hildebrand John W. Rogers Herman B. Duryea 1:13.20

References