This Sunday, the highway to the Kentucky Derby winds by Oaklawn Park within the Grade 2, $1.25 million, offered by Woodford Protect. stage stakes. This 1 1/16 mile occasion usually attracts a deep and aggressive area, backed by an enormous money prize for the winner and 50 Derby qualifying factors.
The race started in 1961 because the Stage Handicap and altered to the Stage S in 1984. That very same yr, the space was adjusted from 1 mile and 70 yards to 1 1/16 miles. It was categorized as Grade 3 in 1990, however was lifted in 2003 and 2004, and upgraded to Grade 2 in 2008.
Prize cash has elevated dramatically on this race lately. In 2011, the race had a prize purse of $300,000. By 2016, that purse had tripled to $900,000. It was first held as a $1 million race in 2020 and has provided seven-figure prizes yearly since. Because of its deep pockets, a notable listing of winners together with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, and a 50-25-15-10-5 distribution of Derby qualifying factors, Insurgent is assured to be one of many season’s main Kentucky Derby prep races.
Let’s have a look again at the very best winners of the Insurgent Stakes.
Temperence Hill (1980)
Whole outcomes: 31 begins, 11 wins, 4 seconds 2, third place 2 instances
Lifetime earnings: $1,567,650
Temperence Hill had an unlucky begin to his profession as a two-year-old, lacking out on three begins in New York. For the beginning of the 3-year-old season, the horse was despatched to Oaklawn Park, house of his proprietor, Loblolly Stables. After two consecutive wins, he entered the Insurgent Handicap and made his stakes debut.
Bettors hardly thought of his possibilities and despatched him off at 16.50-1. He fell far behind early on and was 17 lengths behind the leaders after the opening quarter mile. However as they headed house, he discovered one other gear and charged after pacesetter Be a Prospect. The horse had no response and Temperence Hill gained by two and 1 / 4 lengths beneath jockey Darrell Hare.
After the second race, within the Arkansas Derby, Temperence Hill gained the primary weight prize by an awesome margin of 1 and 1 / 4 lengths. Nonetheless, he was not nominated for the Kentucky Derby, so he was pressured to overlook that race. After shedding two graded stakes races, Robory stables and coach Joseph Cantay determined to present the horse a shot within the Belmont Stakes. Temperence Corridor was additionally not nominated for that race and needed to pay an extra $5,000 payment on high of the $15,000 entry payment. He was thought of an outsider with a rank of 53.40-1. Preakness winner Codex was the 8-5 favourite.
However Temperence Hill did one thing superb. Beneath coach Eddie Maple, she chased down Kentucky Derby profitable mare Real Danger in a straight line and gained by two lengths, paying a whopping $108.80 in prize cash. Temperence Hill proved he was no fluke Traditional winner, profitable the Travers Stakes, Jockey Membership Gold Cup and Tremendous Derby. On the finish of the yr, he gained the Eclipse Award, which is given to champion 3-year-old stallions.
Sonny’s Halo (1983)
Whole outcomes: Began 20 video games, gained 9, completed third twice, completed third twice
Lifetime earnings: $1,247,791
Canadian-bred Sonny’s Halo was at his finest in his house nation in 1982, profitable 4 stakes races at his house of Woodbine. These wins earned him the Sovereign Award as Canada’s Champion Two-Yr-Outdated Stallion. Nonetheless, his sequence of works in America nonetheless left one thing to be desired. As a 2-year-old he competed in stakes 4 instances in the US, however solely as soon as completed third within the Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park, ending within the high three. Because of this, he was not thought of to have severe Derby potential in 1983.
Sonny’s Halo made his 3-year-old debut to the extent on March twenty sixth. He began the race as second in a area of 11 horses. Jockey Larry Snyder judged him early on from the leaders and chased them by the turns. From there, Sonny’s Halo gained by three lengths.
Subsequent, Sonny’s Halo gained the Arkansas Derby by 4 lengths, ridden by Eddie Deloussay. Regardless of the spectacular win, there have been nonetheless some questions on Sonny’s Halo earlier than the derby. On the time, no horse had ever gained each the Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby. Some bettors had been additionally involved that he lacked the fundamentals to qualify for the race, as he had solely began twice as a 3-year-old earlier than the Derby. Regardless of some doubts, Sonny’s Halo grew to become the second favourite with 5 wins and a pair of losses.
Doubters had been silenced after the race as Sonny’s Halo made an excellent exhibiting beneath jockey Delausay and gained by two lengths. He grew to become the primary Canadian-bred horse to win the Derby since Northern Dancer in 1964.
Vanlandingham (1984)
Whole outcomes: 19 begins, 10 wins, 3 seconds, 3 seconds, 3 begins
Profession earnings: $1,409,476
4 years after Temperence Hill, Loblolly Stables is again with one other up-and-coming 3-year-old. In his debut at Oaklawn Park within the pre-Insurgent race, VanLandingham dominated the Allowance area by 10 lengths. The facility of that win made him a 6-5 favourite for the Insurgent workforce.
VanLandingham met all the Rebels’ expectations. VanLandingham needed to wrestle a bit down the stretch, however gained by a size and 1 / 4 within the iron over Pat Day within the ultimate eight. He ran 1 1/16 miles in an incredible time of 1 hour and 41 minutes.
He missed the Arkansas Derby because of sickness, however recovered in time for the Kentucky Derby. Together with stablemate Pine Circle, he represented the Loblolly steady and its coach Shag McGaughey’s first Derby starters. They tied within the wager and got a powerful probability of 6-1. Sadly, whereas Pine Circle was a secure sixth place, VanLandingham fractured a pastern bone throughout the race and completed sixteenth.
Though an harm sidelined him for the rest of his three-year-old season, VanLandingham got here again as a four-year-old and higher than ever. In his third begin since being laid off, he gained the Suburban Handicap by 8 3/4 lengths. Later that yr, he gained the Jockey Membership Gold Cup by two and a half lengths, turning into McGaughey’s first horse to win a number of Grade 1s. Though he completed a disappointing seventh place within the Breeders’ Cup Traditional, he regained his popularity with a victory on turf on the Washington DC Worldwide, and contributed to the Eclipse victory because the Older Stallion Champion.
Pine Bluff (1992)
Whole outcomes: 13 begins, 6 wins, 1 second 3 instances
Lifetime earnings: $2,255,884
Pine Bluff had a little bit of a sluggish begin to his profession, however made the very best progress towards the tip of his sophomore season. He concluded the 1991 season with wins within the Remsen Stakes and Nashua Stakes at Suidobashi.
In his debut as a 3-year-old, he completed second to upset winner Large Sur within the Southwest Stakes. Bettors had been undeterred by the loss and made him a 3-10 favourite for the following stage stakes. Pine Bluff, with Jerry Bailey within the saddle, engaged Desert Pressure, who set the tempo, and handed a powerful group. They coated the primary quarter mile in 23.14 seconds and the following half mile in 46.26 seconds. The 2 continued to duel till the straight line, gaining a 10-horse lead over their opponent.
Desert Pressure’s battle continued with eight miles to go, however Pine Bluff gained the higher hand, breaking by late to win by two and a half lengths, finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1 minute, 42.83 seconds.
In ultimate preparation for the Derby, Pine Bluff was favored because the No. 1 favourite within the Arkansas Derby with a report of 4 wins and 5 losses. He needed to duel Lil E. Tee once more, however gained by a neck in a protracted battle. Pine Bluff was third alternative within the Kentucky Derby at 10.50-1, with Craig Perrett, who rode him as a 2-year-old, again within the stirrups. Lil E. Tee turned issues round with a Derby upset, ending fifth.
Pine Bluff has a brand new jockey within the Preakness Stakes, with Chris McCarron taking up the trip. He was a detailed favourite with 7 wins and a pair of losses among the many 14 full contributors, and he lived as much as expectations. Ridden by Alidido, Perrette opened up a big lead by the ultimate eight corners, however McCarron and Pine Bluff caught up with him and gained by three-quarters of a size. It was Loblolly’s first Triple Crown race victory because the Belmont at Temperence Hill.
Victory Gallop (1998)
Whole outcomes: 17 begins, 9 wins, 5 seconds and third place as soon as
Profession earnings: $3,505,895
Victory Gallop is a 2-year-old horse who has gained two stakes races at Colonial Downs, each instances coming from behind with a powerful exhibiting. He ended his two-year-old season with a monster second-place end on the Laurel Futurity. There, he closed in on second place regardless of his tempo being harm by a large journey.
After that huge race, Victory Gallop was bought privately by Preston Wooden Farm, who transferred him to the care of Elliott Walden. He made his first begin for New Connection within the Insurgent S in late March. He was a 4.10-1 third alternative within the huge ticket race.
The Eibar Core jockey maintained a tempo pretty near his personal, with longshots Robin Ould and Via the Mark posting respectable percentages. As soon as the sector accomplished its far flip, the core referred to as for a three-pass run on the mount and moved to have interaction the chief. He simply evaded Slew the Mark, however Robin acquired inside and would not let him go with no battle. Victory Gallop held on and gained by a head.
After one other hard-fought win within the Arkansas Derby, Victory Gallop went into the Kentucky Derby with little reward. He got here again from the again with a time of 14.60-1 and completed in second place, half a size behind Actual Quiet. As the favourite within the Preakness Stakes, he got here near ending second once more, however Actual Quiet gained once more, setting the stage for a triple crown within the Belmont Stakes.
That Belmont turned out to be one of the dramatic editions within the historical past of the race. Kent Desormeaux put Actual Quiet within the lead early on and pulled away from the pack across the ultimate nook with five-sixteenths of a mile remaining. Victory Gallop, led by Gary Stevens, had been nonetheless in good type however had been beginning to transfer into high gear as they headed house. Whereas Victory Gallop raced down the straight to cease historical past, Actual Quiet started to tire within the straight. Regardless of Actual Quiet stretching straight into Victory Gallop’s path, Victory Gallop got here shut robust and gained, stopping Actual Quiet from profitable the Triple Crown.
Victory Gallop was unable to separate the champion 3-year-old colt Eclipse from Actual Quiet, however the 4-year-old took the year-end crown. In 1999, he gained two G1s, together with a dramatic stretch battle with Behrens within the Whitney Handicap, and gained Eclipse because the Older Stallion Champion.
Smarty Jones (2004)
Whole outcomes: 9 begins, 8 wins, 1 second, 0 3 seconds
Lifetime earnings: $7,613,155
for his or her 100th In 2004, Oaklawn Park determined to boost the highway to the Kentucky Derby. They introduced that horses that win the Insurgent Stakes, the Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby will obtain a $5 million bonus.
The supply proved very enticing to Pennsylvania-raised Smarty Jones. He gained his first three begins in races at Philadelphia Park (now often called Parks Racing) and Aqueduct by a mixed margin of 27 3/4 lengths. Proprietor Sometime Farm and coach John Servis, based mostly on the East Coast, determined to ship the prized colt to Oak Garden in preparation for the Derby.
Smarty Jones gained the Southwest Stakes by three-quarters of a size in his first Oaklawn begin. Regardless of his unblemished report, he did not command a lot respect on the ticket workplace on the day of the Insurgent Stakes. He was the 7-2 third alternative behind the extremely touted Todd Pletcher trainee Purge and Fairgrounds shipper Mr. Jester.
Whereas Purge took the lead, Stewart Elliott rated Smarty Jones a detailed second to the chief. As the sector accomplished the far flip, Purge maintained a slim benefit, however Smarty Jones continued to shut in on him. Purge was unresponsive within the ultimate eight, however Smarty Jones gained by three and 1 / 4 lengths.
After an awesome victory within the Arkansas Derby, Smarty Jones heads to Louisville because the Kentucky Derby favourite, aiming to develop into the primary undefeated Derby winner since Seattle Slew in 1977. He cornered pacer Lionheart on a tough monitor and gained by two and three-quarters of a size, incomes him $5 million in prize cash.
Smarty Jones then gained the Preakness Stakes in a landslide, setting himself as much as develop into the primary horse in 26 years to win the Triple Crown. Greater than 120,000 spectators gathered at Belmont Park for the Belmont Stakes to cheer on the favored Pennsylvania horse. In one of the memorable Triple Crown races of this century, he misplaced to late and upset winner Birdstone.
Carlin (2007)
Whole outcomes: 16 begins, 11 wins, 2 seconds, 2 third locations
Lifetime earnings: $10,501,800
Carlin was on the home racing scene from the second he debuted. He made his first begin at Gulfstream Park in February 2007, profitable by 12 3/4 lengths over seven furlongs in 1:22.25. Following this victory, Stonestreet Stables bought an 80% stake within the stallion for $3.5 million and transferred it to coach Steve Asmussen.
Carlin was rapidly despatched to the deep finish in his second begin, working because the second alternative within the Stage S race. In opposition to a more durable area, he was simply as spectacular as he prolonged virtually two turns for the primary time. He made an enormous four-wide sweep on the flip and ran away robust on the stretch to take a commanding victory by 5 and 1 / 4 lengths. Curlin rapidly grew to become one of many favorites to win the Kentucky Derby.
In his ultimate tune-up on the primary Saturday in Might, Curlin gained the Arkansas Derby by 10 1/4 lengths. Regardless of not having raced as a 2-year-old and having began solely thrice, Carlin completed second within the Kentucky Derby with a report of 5 wins and 1 loss. Though he completed third behind Avenue Sense, he atoned for that by profitable the Preakness Stakes. Curlin misplaced the thrilling Belmont Stakes to the filly Rags to Riches, however later that yr gained the Jockey Membership Gold Cup and the Breeders’ Cup Traditional, incomes him the Horse of the Yr title.
As a four-year-old in 2008, Curlin gained 4 Grade or Group 1 races and added Horse of the Yr to his resume. He additionally grew to become the primary American-based horse to earn greater than $10 million in lifetime winnings.
Have a look at Fortunate (2010)
Whole outcomes: 13 begins, 9 wins, 2nd place as soon as, third place as soon as
Lifetime earnings: $3,307,278
Lookin’ at Fortunate gained the 2009 Champion 2-year-old colt Eclipse on the energy of 4 stakes wins. He would have had an ideal season if not for a head loss within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Nonetheless, he was rising as a severe Derby candidate heading into his 3-year-old debut in Insurgent S.
Regardless of his spectacular resume, Lookin’ at Fortunate wasn’t an awesome favourite. Dublin, which completed second within the Southwest Stakes, was chosen second with a report of seven wins and 5 losses. In the meantime, Lookin’ at Fortunate was settled as an 11-10 favourite. Within the race, Lookin’ at Fortunate slowed down on a couple of rails, then made an enormous transfer within the straights. Eighth pole place left him in third place, nonetheless two lengths behind dueling Dublin and Noble’s Promise. Whereas Dublin misplaced momentum within the ultimate 16 miles, Noble’s Promise remained firmly within the lead. With a powerful push from Garrett Gomez, Lookin’ At Fortunate cornered Noble’s Promise within the ultimate strides and gained in a photograph end. The win was the primary of seven stage wins for coach Bob Baffert.
After a powerful exhibiting, ending third within the Santa Anita Derby and sixth within the Kentucky Derby, Lookin’ at Fortunate’s star started to fade a bit. He bounced again in his subsequent begin and gained the Preakness Stakes by three-quarters of a size. He then gained two extra graded stakes races in 2010, this time profitable the Eclipse Championship as the highest 3-year-old colt.
I will be in cost (2013)
Whole outcomes: 21 begins, 7 wins, 6 seconds and third place as soon as
Lifetime earnings: $3,924,648
Will Take Cost, which ran within the 2013 Stage S, obtained combined evaluations. He began his 3-year-old season with a win within the Smarty Jones Stakes and completed second in his earlier race, the Remington Springboard Mile. Nonetheless, the D. Wayne Lucas coach got here into Insurgent after a disastrous sixth place within the Southwest Stakes, 18 lengths behind Tremendous Ninety-9. Will Take Cost enters the extent as a 28-1 outsider, whereas Tremendous Ninety-9 is wager as a 6-5 favourite.
Will Take Cost was sixth within the early phases and raced about three lengths forward of the title contender who was setting the tempo. Within the ultimate flip, Tremendous Ninety-9 and Oxbow (Will Take Cost’s stablemates) pulled away from the remainder of the sector, with Will Take Cost in third place. Tremendous Ninety-9 light out within the ultimate eight innings, permitting Oxbow to flee. Pushed by John Cote, Will Take Cost surged to the entrance within the closing phases and accomplished the upset over Oxbow by a head.
After this victory, Will Take Cost competed in all three Triple Crown races, ending seventh or worse in each. Oxbow went on to win the Preakness, with Will Take Cost ending 16 lengths behind, however Oxbow struggled after that. Conversely, Will Take Cost caught fireplace in ‘Coach’ in the direction of the tip of the season. He gained the Travers Stakes, Pennsylvania Derby, Clark Handicap, and completed second by a nostril within the Breeders’ Cup Traditional on his option to the Eclipse Prize.
American Pharoah (2015)
Whole outcomes: 11 begins, 9 wins, 2nd place as soon as, third place 0 instances
Lifetime earnings: $8,650,300
Though he didn’t run within the Breeders’ Cup, the Bob Baffert-trained American Pharoah was named the 2014 Champion 2-year-old colt based mostly on two Group 1 wins in California. He returned in Stage S and was the overwhelming favourite of the seven-horse area with a report of two wins and 5 losses.
American Pharoah rapidly recovered from a foul breakdown and rapidly took the lead. By the point he reached the opening quarter he was a few size and a half forward and setting a really mild fraction. None of his rivals had a lot hope of catching him, and he grew to become an increasing number of open with each step. On a really tough monitor, he crossed the end line six and 1 / 4 lengths forward of the others, stopping the clock in 1 minute 45.78 seconds.
The Rebels proved to be the springboard for an awe-inspiring marketing campaign. That summer season, American Pharoah gained the Triple Crown, turning into the primary horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. He ended the yr with a dominant victory within the Breeders’ Cup Traditional because the cherry on high. With this victory, he grew to become the primary horse since Unbridled in 1990 to win the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Traditional in the identical yr.
