The Clark Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Among the oldest races in the United States, it was first run in 1875, the year the racetrack opened for business. Currently a Grade II event, it is open to horses age three and older and is contested on dirt over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs). It was known as the Clark Handicap through 2018 before the race conditions were changed to set weights and allowances in 2019.
| Grade II race | |
| Location | Churchill Downs Louisville, Kentucky, United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1875 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-years-old & up |
| Weight | Assigned |
| Purse | $750,000 (2021) |
The race is named in honor of Colonel M. Lewis Clark, founder of the Louisville Jockey Club which built Churchill Downs.
Through 1901, it was restricted to three-year-old horses.
Since inception, the Clark Handicap has been run at various distances:
- 2 miles : 1875–1880
- 1+1⁄4 miles : 1881–1895
- 1+1⁄8 miles : 1896–1901, 1922–1924, 1955–present
- 1+1⁄16 miles : 1902–1921, 1925–1954
The race was run in two divisions in 1953.
Records
editSpeed record: (at current distance of 1+1⁄8 miles)
- 1:47.28 – Victory Gallop (12 June, 1999)
Most wins
- 2 – Hodge (1915, 1916)
- 2 – Bold Favorite (1968, 1969)
- 2 – Bob's Dusty (1977, 1978)
Most wins by a jockey
- 4 – Isaac Burns Murphy (1879, 1884,1885, 1890)
- 4 – Pat Day (1984, 1985, 1990, 2000)
Most wins by a trainer
- 3 – Ben A. Jones (1942, 1946, 1951)
- 3 – Smiley Adams (1977, 1978, 1979)
- 3 – Bob Baffert (1996, 1998, 2014)
Most Wins by an owner
- 3 – Robert N. Lehmann (1977, 1978, 1979)
Winners
edit| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Proxy | 4 | Joel Rosario | Michael Stidham | Godolphin | 1:48.89 |
| 2021 | Maxfield | 4 | Jose Ortiz | Brendan Walsh | Godolphin | 1:48.97 |
| 2020 | Bodexpress | 4 | Rafael Bejarano | Gustavo Delgado | Top Racing LLC | 1:49.12 |
| 2019 | Tom's d'Etat | 6 | Joel Rosario | Albert Stall Jr. | G M B Racing | 1:48.84 |
| 2018 | Leofric | 5 | Florent Geroux | Brad H. Cox | Steve Landers | 1:48.59 |
| 2017 | Seeking the Soul | 4 | John Velazquez | Dallas Stewart | Charles Fipke | 1:48.88 |
| 2016 | Gun Runner | 3 | Florent Geroux | Steven M. Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds & Three Chimneys Farm | 1:48.50 |
| 2015 | Effinex | 4 | Mike E. Smith | James A. Jerkens | Tri-Bone Stables | 1:48.92 |
| 2014 | Hoppertunity | 3 | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Michael Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | 1:49.88 |
| 2013 | Will Take Charge | 3 | Luis Saez | D. Wayne Lukas | Willis D. Horton | 1:49.39 |
| 2012 | Shackleford | 4 | Jesus Castanon | Dale L. Romans | Michael Lauffer & Bill Cubbedge | 1:49.12 |
| 2011 | Wise Dan | 4 | John Velazquez | Charles Lopresti | Morton Fink | 1:48.95 |
| 2010‡ | Giant Oak | 4 | Shaun Bridgmohan | Chris M. Block | Virginia H. Tarra Trust | 1:50.82 |
| 2009 | Blame | 3 | Jamie Theriot | Albert Stall Jr. | Adele Dilschneider & Claiborne Farm | 1:49.39 |
| 2008 | Einstein | 6 | Julien Leparoux | Helen Pitts-Blasi | M. L. Garretson, trustee | 1:49.79 |
| 2007 | A. P. Arrow | 5 | Ramon Dominguez | Todd Pletcher | Allen E. Paulson LT | 1:48.66 |
| 2006 | Premium Tap | 4 | Kent Desormeaux | John C. Kimmel | George Kline, Peter Alevizos & David Whelihan | 1:47.39 |
| 2005 | Magna Graduate | 3 | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | Elisabeth Alexander | 1:50.89 |
| 2004 | Saint Liam | 4 | Edgar Prado | Richard E. Dutrow Jr. | M/M William K. Warren Jr. | 1:50.81 |
| 2003† | Quest | 4 | Javier Castellano | Nick Zito | A. B. Hancock III & G. F. Healy | 1:52.42 |
| 2002 | Lido Palace | 5 | Jorge F. Chavez | Robert J. Frankel | John & Jerry Amerman | 1:49.13 |
| 2001 | Ubiquity | 4 | Craig Perret | William I. Mott | Gary & Mary West | 1:48.26 |
| 2000 | Surfside | 3 | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook Farm | 1:48.75 |
| 1999 | Littlebitlively | 5 | Calvin Borel | Bobby Barnett | John A. Franks | 1:50.88 |
| 1998 | Silver Charm | 4 | Gary Stevens | Bob Baffert | Bob & Beverly Lewis | 1:49.00 |
| 1997 | Concerto | 3 | Jerry Bailey | William I. Mott | Kinsman Stable | 1:49.60 |
| 1996 | Isitingood | 5 | David Flores | Bob Baffert | Mike Pegram & Terry Henn | 1:48.80 |
| 1995 | Judge T C | 4 | Joe Johnson | Gary G. Hartlage | Bea & Robert H. Roberts | 1:49.80 |
| 1994 | Sir Vixen | 6 | Dean Kutz | Mark Danner | Mark & Vickie Copass | 1:51.20 |
| 1993 | Mi Cielo | 3 | Mike E. Smith | Peter M. Vestal | Thomas M. Carey | 1:51.40 |
| 1992 | Zeeruler | 4 | Garrett Gomez | Donnie K. Von Hemel | John A. Franks | 1:50.00 |
| 1991 | Out of Place | 4 | Herb McCauley | Claude R. McGaughey III | Cynthia Phipps | 1:52.20 |
| 1990 | Secret Hello | 3 | Pat Day | Frank L. Brothers | Lazy Lane Farm | 1:50.60 |
| 1989 | No Marker | 5 | Danny Cox | Patti Johnson | Billy Ray Gowdy | 1:51.20 |
| 1988 | Balthazar B. | 5 | Kent Desormeaux | Paul J. McGee | Paul J. McGee et al. | 1:51.20 |
| 1987 | Intrusion | 5 | Larry Melancon | Lee J. Rossi | Carl J. Maggio | 1:51.40 |
| 1986 | Come Summer | 4 | Patrick Johnson | George R. Arnold II | Surf & Turf Stable | 1:49.80 |
| 1985 | Hopeful Word | 3 | Pat Day | Carl Bowman | M. Clifton, R. Doll & B. Morris | 1:51.00 |
| 1984 | Eminency | 6 | Pat Day | Claude R. McGaughey III | Happy Valley Farm | 1:49.00 |
| 1983 | Jack Slade | 3 | James McKnight | David Kassen | Andrew Adams | 1:49.80 |
| 1982 | Hechizado | 6 | Randy Romero | Ray Lawrence Jr. | Charles Schmidt Jr. | 1:52.20 |
| 1981 | Withholding | 4 | Larry Melancon | Ronnie Warren | M/M Russell Michael Jr. | 1:52.00 |
| 1980 | Sun Catcher | 3 | Don Brumfield | Dianne Carpenter | Sundance Stable & D. Nedeff | 1:53.40 |
| 1979 | Lot o' Gold | 3 | Julio Espinoza | Smiley Adams | Robert N. Lehmann | 1:50.80 |
| 1978 | Bob's Dusty | 4 | Richard dePass | Smiley Adams | Robert N. Lehmann | 1:50.20 |
| 1977 | Bob's Dusty | 3 | Richard dePass | Smiley Adams | Robert N. Lehmann | 1:49.80 |
| 1976 | Yamanin | 4 | Garth Patterson | George T. Poole | Hajima Doi | 1:54.40 |
| 1975 | Warbucks | 5 | Larry Melancon | Don Combs | Edward E. Elzemeyer | 1:54.40 |
| 1974 | Mr. Door | 3 | William Gavidia | Thomas W. Kelley | Bromagen Cattle Co. et al. | 1:52.20 |
| 1973 | Golden Don | 3 | Mike Manganello | Oscar Dishman | Archie Donaldson | 1:52.80 |
| 1972 | Fairway Flyer | 3 | David Whited | John J. Greely III | William Floyd | 1:53.80 |
| 1971 | Sado | 4 | Don Brumfield | Harold Tinker | W. Cal Partee | 1:53.60 |
| 1970 | Watch Fob | 5 | Danny Gargan | George T. Poole | C. V. Whitney | 1:51.20 |
| 1969 | Bold Favorite | 4 | Doug Richard | Del W. Carroll | Michael Grace Phipps | 1:50.40 |
| 1968 | Bold Favorite | 3 | Robert Nono | Del W. Carroll | Michael Grace Phipps | 1:49.20 |
| 1967 | Random Shot | 4 | Billy Phelps | James R. Cowden Jr. | James R. Cowden Sr. | 1:50.80 |
| 1966 | Flick II | 4 | Hector Pilar | Larry H. Thompson | Alamode Farm | 1:49.60 |
| 1965 | Big Brigade | 4 | Jimmy Nichols | Edgar S. Brumfield | M/M Robert F. Roberts | 1:50.80 |
| 1964 | Lemon Twist | 4 | Billy Phelps | Peter C. Keiser | Theodore D. Buhl | 1:50.60 |
| 1963 | Copy Chief | 3 | Don Brumfield | S. Bryant Ott | Fourth Estate Stable | 1:49.20 |
| 1962 | Crimson Satan | 3 | Herb Hinojosa | Charley Kerr | Crimson King Farm | 1:50.00 |
| 1961 | Aeroflint | 3 | Eugene Curry | Keneth G. Hall | Mrs. Raymond Bauer | 1:48.40 |
| 1960 | Counterate | 3 | John L. Rotz | John J. Greely III | Cornelius V. Whitney | 1:49.00 |
| 1959 | Las Olas | 4 | Fred A. Smith III | Charles E. Eads | Harry N. Eads | 1:48.40 |
| 1958 | My Night Out | 5 | John L. Rotz | John J. Gavin Jr. | Wells Bros. | 1:50.00 |
| 1957 | Ezgo | 3 | John Delahoussaye | Larry H. Thompson | Larry H. Thompson | 1:50.80 |
| 1956 | Swoon's Son | 3 | David Erb | Lex Wilson | E. Gay Drake | 1:50.60 |
| 1955 | Happy Go Lucky | 6 | Lois C. Cook | Harold G. Bockman | Harold G. Bockman | 1:51.60 |
| 1954 | Bay Bloom | 5 | J. King | Fred H. Pohl | Fred H. Pohl | 1:44.00 |
| 1953-1 | Chombro | 6 | Lois C. Cook | John Hanover | D. J. Gleason | 1:45.60 |
| 1953-2 | Second Avenue | 6 | Carroll Bierman | Lex Wilson | Theodore D. Buhl | 1:45.60 |
| 1952 | Seaward | 7 | Kenneth Church | Harry Trotsek | Hasty House Farm | 1:44.40 |
| 1951 | Wistful | 5 | Douglas Dodson | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1:44.00 |
| 1950 | Mount Marcy | 5 | Steve Brooks | Sylvester Veitch | Cornelius V. Whitney | 1:44.60 |
| 1949 | Shy Guy | 4 | Conn McCreary | Jack C. Hodgins | Dixiana | 1:45.20 |
| 1948 | Star Reward | 4 | Steve Brooks | Jack C. Hodgins | Dixiana | 1:46.60 |
| 1947 | Jack S. L. | 7 | Steve Brooks | William Resseguet | Mrs. J. S. Letellier | 1:49.60 |
| 1946 | Hail Victory | 4 | Douglas Dodson | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1:47.80 |
| 1945 | Sentiment Sake | 4 | Fred Wirth | Milton Rieser | Wathen R. Knebelkamp | 1:47.20 |
| 1944 | Alquest | 4 | Johnny Adams | Jack H. Skirvin | Ernst Farm | 1:45.20 |
| 1943 | Anticlimax | 4 | Carroll Bierman | Knox Osborne | Hal Price Headley | 1:46.00 |
| 1942 | Whirlaway | 4 | Wendell Eads | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1:44.80 |
| 1941 | Haltal | 4 | Conn McCreary | Steve Judge | Woodvale Farm | 1:44.80 |
| 1940 | Up the Creek | 4 | G. Wallace | Roy Waldron | Milky Way Farm | 1:46.00 |
| 1939 | Arabs Arrow | 5 | Carroll Bierman | Gilbert Hardy | Louise J. Hickman | 1:45.80 |
| 1938 | Main Man | 4 | Willis F. Ward | Howard Hoffman | Jerome B. Respess | 1:46.80 |
| 1937 | Count Morse | 4 | Irving Anderson | Frank J. Kearns | Calumet Farm | 1:45.20 |
| 1936 | Corinto | 4 | Charley Kurtsinger | Bert S. Michell | Mrs. Emil Denemark | 1:44.80 |
| 1935 | Beaver Dam | 3 | R. Montgomery | George Gould | T. S. & J. S. Mulvihill | 1:47.40 |
| 1934 | Esseff | 4 | Lee Humphries | Clyde Van Dusen | Dixiana | 1:44.00 |
| 1933 | Osculator | 4 | Silvio Coucci | Joseph H. Stotler | William R. Coe | 1:45.40 |
| 1932 | Pittsburgher | 4 | Charles Corbett | Jim H. Moody | Shady Brook Farm | 1:50.20 |
| 1931 | Bargello | 5 | K. Russell | Mose Goldblatt | Cornelius V. Whitney | 1:44.80 |
| 1930 | Stars and Bars | 4 | L. Jones | Edward Haughton | Greentree Stable | 1:47.40 |
| 1929 | Martie Flynn | 4 | Carl Meyer | Robert V. McGarvey | Stuyvesant Peabody | 1:46.60 |
| 1928 | Jock | 4 | Eddie Ambrose | John F. Schorr | John W. Schorr | 1:45.00 |
| 1927 | Helen's Babe | 4 | Walter Lilley | Walter W. Taylor | NF | 1:46.00 |
| 1926 | San-utar | 5 | Mack Garner | Pete Coyne | NF | 1:45.40 |
| 1925 | Spic and Span | 4 | George Fields | Harry M. Unna | J. C. McGill | 1:47.60 |
| 1924 | Chilhowee | 3 | G. Harvey | John C. Gallaher | John & Allen Gallaher | 1:54.40 |
| 1923 | Audacious | 7 | Bert Kennedy | Auval John Baker | Wilfrid Viau | 1:54.60 |
| 1922 | Exterminator | 7 | B. Kennedy | Eugene Wayland | Willis Sharpe Kilmer | 1:50.00 |
| 1921 | Ginger | 5 | T. Murray | Kay Spence | H. H. Hewitt | 1:45.00 |
| 1920 | Boniface | 5 | Earl Sande | H. Guy Bedwell | J. K. L. Ross | 1:45.80 |
| 1919 | Midway | 5 | Harold Thurber | John S. Ward | James W. Parrish | 1:46.60 |
| 1918 | Beaverkill | 4 | O. Willis | S. Miller Henderson | Ogden Stable | 1:48.20 |
| 1917 | Old Rosebud | 6 | Danny Connelly | Frank D. Weir | F. D. Weir & H. C. Applegate | 1:45.20 |
| 1916 | Hodge | 5 | Claude Hunt | Kay Spence | W. J. Weber | 1:45.40 |
| 1915 | Hodge | 4 | Charles Borel | Kay Spence | W. J. Weber | 1:44.60 |
| 1914 | Belloc | 3 | Albert Mott | E. Cunningham | NF | 1:45.00 |
| 1913 | Buckhorn | 4 | Roscoe Goose | Jack D. Adkins | Rod J. MacKenzie | 1:48.20 |
| 1912 | Adams Express | 4 | Carroll H. Shilling | Frank M. Taylor | Harry C. Hallenbeck | 1:45.20 |
| 1911 | Star Charter | 3 | J. Wilson | G. M. Johnson | John W. Schorr | 1:47.80 |
| 1910 | King's Daughter | 7 | Ted Koerner | George Denny | Thomas C. McDowell | 1:45.60 |
| 1909 | Miami | 3 | Matt McGee | W. L. Lewis | Johnson N. Camden Jr. | 1:45.20 |
| 1908 | Polly Prim | 5 | Vincent Powers | Fred Luzader | J. R. Wainwright | 1:58.80 |
| 1907 | The Minks | 4 | Dave Nicol | W. Wells | NF | 1:50.80 |
| 1906 | Hyperion II | 3 | W. McIntyre | Joseph S. Hawkins | Joseph S. Hawkins & Co. | 1:49.00 |
| 1905 | Batts | 4 | Dave Nicol | Richard P. Brooks | William F. Schulte | 1:53.75 |
| 1904 | Colonial Girl | 5 | Lucien Lyne | Charles E. Rowe | Charles E. Rowe | 1:48.75 |
| 1903 | Love Labor | 6 | Scully | A. Hazlett | NF | 1:48.00 |
| 1902 | Death | 7 | John Slack | H. Robinson | NF | 1:47.00 |
| 1901 | His Eminence | 3 | James Winkfield | Frank B. Van Meter | Frank B. Van Meter | 1:55.00 |
| 1900 | Lieut. Gibson | 3 | Jimmy Boland | Charles H. Hughes | Charles Smith | 1:54.00 |
| 1899 | Corsini | 3 | Nash Turner | Edward C. Corrigan | Edward C. Corrigan | 2:01.60 |
| 1898 | Plaudit | 3 | Robert Williams | John E. Madden | John E. Madden | 1:56.50 |
| 1897 | Ornament | 3 | Alonzo Clayton | Charles T. Patterson | C. T. Patterson & Co. | 1:55.00 |
| 1896 | Ben Eder | 3 | Willie Simms | NF | Hot Springs Stable | 1:56.50 |
| 1895 | Halma | 3 | James Perkins | Byron McClelland | Byron McClelland | 2:15.50 |
| 1894 | Chant | 3 | William Martin | H. Eugene Leigh | Leigh & Robert L. Rose | 2:19.50 |
| 1893 | Boundless | 3 | Eddie Kunze | William Lee McDaniel | John E. Cushing & John W. Orth | 2:12.00 |
| 1892 | Azra | 3 | Alonzo Clayton | John H. Morris | Bashford Manor Stable | 2:20.00 |
| 1891 | High Tariff | 3 | Monk Overton | NF | Augustus Eastin & Samuel E. Larabie | 2:12.00 |
| 1890 | Riley | 3 | Isaac Burns Murphy | Edward C. Corrigan | Edward C. Corrigan | 2:16.25 |
| 1889 | Spokane | 3 | Thomas Kiley | John Rodegap | Noah Armstrong | 2:12.50 |
| 1888 | Gallifet | 3 | Andrew McCarthy Jr. | NF | Melbourne Stable | 2:15.25 |
| 1887 | Jim Gore | 3 | L. Jones | NF | A. G. McCampbell | 2:11.25 |
| 1886 | Blue Wing | 3 | Edward Garrison | NF | Melbourne Stable | 2:10.00 |
| 1885 | Bersan | 3 | Isaac Burns Murphy | Green B. Morris | Green B. Morris & James D. Patton | 2:09.25 |
| 1884 | Buchanan | 3 | Isaac Burns Murphy | William Bird | William Cottrill | 2:12.00 |
| 1883 | Ascender | 3 | John Stoval | J. Pate | R. C. Pate | 2:18.00 |
| 1882 | Runnymede | 3 | Jim McLaughlin | James G. Rowe Sr. | Dwyer Bros. Stable | 2:15.50 |
| 1881 | Hindoo | 3 | Jim McLaughlin | James G. Rowe Sr. | Dwyer Bros. Stable | 2:10.25 |
| 1880 | Kinkead | 3 | Jim McLaughlin | NF | NF | 3:37.75 |
| 1879 | Falsetto | 3 | Isaac Burns Murphy | Eli Jordan | J. W. Hunt Reynolds | 3:40.50 |
| 1878 | Leveller | 3 | Robert Swim | NF | R. H. Owens | 3:37.00 |
| 1877 | McWhirter | 3 | C. Miller | Abraham Perry | Abraham Buford II | 3:30.50 |
| 1876 | Creedmore | 3 | Howard D. Williams | NF | Williams & Owings | 3:34.75 |
| 1875 | Voltigeur | 3 | McGrath | B. Green | W. G. Harding | 3:30.75 |
† In 2003, Evening Attire won the race but was disqualified for interference in the stretch and set back to second.
‡ In 2010, Successful Dan won the race but was disqualified and placed third for interference.
‡ In 2010, Successful Dan won the race but was disqualified and placed third for interference.