BLUE GRASS STAKES · UNITED STATES
Blue Grass Stakes prize money
The Blue Grass Stakes is worth $1,250,000 . That makes it the 65th richest of the 997 races on this site and the 20th richest in the United States.
Every figure here is the money the race announces, in the currency it announces it in. The currency control at the top swaps the whole page.
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY $1,250,000
WORLD RANK 65th
RUNNINGS HELD 91
FIRST RUN 1911
What the Blue Grass Stakes is
Grade I · miles (9 Furlongs) · Dirt · Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Racecourse
- Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Country
- United States
- Grade
- Grade I
- Distance
- miles (9 Furlongs)
- Surface
- Dirt
- Race type
- Thoroughbred
- Open to
- 3-year-old
- Direction
- Left-handed
- First run
- 1911
We hold the total fund for the Blue Grass Stakes and no separate winner's cheque. What the winner takes is a rule the racecourse sets rather than a national one, and it varies race by race.
Run in 1:49.58 in 2026, the Blue Grass Stakes pays $11,407 for every second of the race, which is 57th of the 611 races in horse racing prize money per second and 25th in the United States.
Every Blue Grass Stakes winner
91 runnings, 1937 to 2026, newest first
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Further Ado1:49.58 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Brad H. Cox | Spendthrift Farm LLC |
| 2025 | Burnham Square1:51.33 | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Ian R. Wilkes | Whitham Thoroughbreds LLC |
| 2024 | Sierra Leone1:50.08 | Tyler Gaffalione | Chad C. Brown | Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Westerburg, Brook T. Smith & Peter Brant |
| 2023 | Tapit Trice1:50.00 | Luis Saez | Todd A. Pletcher | Whisper Hill Farm & Gainesway Stable |
| 2022 | Zandon1:50.35 | Flavien Prat | Chad C. Brown | Jeff Drown |
| 2021 | Essential Quality1:48.50 | Luis Saez | Brad H. Cox | Godolphin |
| 2020 | Art Collector1:48.11 | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Thomas Drury Jr. | Bruce Lunsford |
| 2019 | Vekoma1:50.93 | Javier Castellano | George Weaver | R.A. Hill Stable & Gatsas Stables |
| 2018 | Good Magic1:50.18 | José Ortiz | Chad C. Brown | eFive Racing Thoroughbreds & Stonestreet Stables |
| 2017 | Irap1:50.39 | Julien Leparoux | Doug O'Neill | Reddam Racing LLC |
| 2016 | Brody's Cause1:50.20 | Luis Saez | Dale L. Romans | Albaugh Family Stable |
| 2015 | Carpe Diem1:49.77 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | WinStar Farm & Stonestreet Stables |
| 2014 | Dance With Fate1:50.06 | Corey S. Nakatani | Peter Eurton | Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stable, Ciaglia Racing |
| 2013 | Java's War1:50.27 | Julien Leparoux | Kenneth G. McPeek | Charles E. Fipke |
| 2012 | Dullahan1:47.94 | Kent Desormeaux | Dale Romans | Donegal Racing |
| 2011 | Brilliant Speed1:50.92 | Joel Rosario | Thomas Albertrani | Live Oak Plantation |
| 2010 | Stately Victor1:48.69 | Alan Garcia | Michael J. Maker | Thomas F. & Jack Conway |
| 2009 | General Quarters1:49.26 | Eibar Coa | Thomas R. McCarthy | Thomas R. McCarthy |
| 2008 | Monba1:49.71 | Edgar Prado | Todd A. Pletcher | Starlight Racing |
| 2007 | Dominican1:51.33 | Rafael Bejarano | Darrin Miller | Silverton Hill LLC |
| 2006 | Sinister Minister1:48.85 | Garrett Gomez | Bob Baffert | Mercedes Stable, Lanni Family Trust & Bernard C. Schiappa |
| 2005 | Bandini1:48.85 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Michael Tabor |
| 2004 | The Cliff's Edge1:49.42 | Shane Sellers | Nick Zito | Robert V. LaPenta |
| 2003 | Peace Rules1:51.73 | Edgar Prado | Robert J. Frankel | Edmund A. Gann |
| 2002 | Harlan's Holiday1:51.51 | Edgar Prado | Ken McPeek | Starlight Stable |
| 2001 | Millennium Wind1:48.32 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | David Hofmans | David & Jill Heerensperger |
| 2000 | High Yield1:48.60 | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas | Michael Tabor, Robert B. Lewis, Sue Magnier |
| 1999 | Menifee1:48.60 | Pat Day | W. Elliott Walden | Arthur B. Hancock III & James H. Stone |
| 1998 | Halory Hunter1:47.80 | Gary Stevens | Nick Zito | Celtic Pride Stable |
| 1997 | Pulpit1:49.80 | Shane Sellers | Frank L. Brothers | Claiborne Farm |
| 1996 | Skip Away1:47.20 | Shane Sellers | Sonny Hine | Carolyn Hine |
| 1995 | Wild Syn1:49.20 | Randy Romero | Thomas K. Arnemann | Jurgen K. Arnemann |
| 1994 | Holy Bull1:50.00 | Mike E. Smith | Warren A. Croll Jr. | Warren A. Croll Jr. |
| 1993 | Prairie Bayou1:49.60 | Mike E. Smith | Tom Bohannan | Loblolly Stable |
| 1992 | Pistols and Roses1:49.00 | Jacinto Vásquez | George Gianos | Willis Family Stables |
| 1991 | Strike the Gold1:48.40 | Chris Antley | Nick Zito | BCC Stable |
| 1990 | Summer Squall1:48.60 | Pat Day | Neil J. Howard | Dogwood Stable |
| 1989 | Western Playboy1:51.20 | Randy Romero | Harvey L. Vanier | Nancy A. Vanier & Ray Roncari |
| 1988 | Granacus1:52.20 | Jacinto Vásquez | Pat Collins | Steve A. Stavro |
| 1987 | War1:48.40 | Herb McCauley | D. Wayne Lukas | Tom Gentry |
| 1986 | Bachelor Beau1:51.20 | Larry Melancon | Philip Hauswald | Richard A. Waterfield & James B. Tafel |
| 1985 | Chief's Crown1:47.60 | Don MacBeth | Roger Laurin | Star Crown Stable |
| 1984 | Taylor's Special1:52.20 | Pat Day | William I. Mott | William F. Lucas |
| 1983 | Play Fellow1:49.40 | Jean Cruguet | Harvey L. Vanier | Nancy A. Vanier, Carl Lauer, Robert Victor |
| 1982 | Linkage1:48.00 | Bill Shoemaker | Henry S. Clark | Christiana Stable |
| 1981 | Proud Appeal1:51.40 | Jeffrey Fell | Stanley M. Hough | Gainesway Farm et al. |
| 1980 | Rockhill Native1:50.00 | John Oldham | Herbert K. Stevens | Harry A. Oak |
| 1979 | Spectacular Bid1:50.00 | Ronnie Franklin | Bud Delp | Hawksworth Farm |
| 1978 | Alydar1:49.60 | Jorge Velásquez | John M. Veitch | Calumet Farm |
| 1977 | For the Moment1:50.20 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | LeRoy Jolley | Gerald Robins |
| 1976 | Honest Pleasure1:49.40 | Braulio Baeza | LeRoy Jolley | Bertram R. Firestone |
| 1975 | Master Derby1:49.00 | Darrel McHargue | Smiley Adams | Golden Chance Farm |
| 1974 | Judger1:49.20 | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Woody Stephens | Seth W. Hancock |
| 1973 | My Gallant1:49.60 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Lou Goldfine | Arthur I. Appleton |
| 1972 | Riva Ridge1:49.60 | Ron Turcotte | Lucien Laurin | Meadow Stable |
| 1971 | Impetuosity1:49.40 | Eric Guerin | George Poole | Wendell P. Rosso |
| 1970 | Dust Commander1:51.20 | Mike Manganello | Don Combs | Robert E. Lehmann |
| 1969 | Arts and Letters1:47.80 | Bill Shoemaker | J. Elliott Burch | Rokeby Stable |
| 1968 | Forward Pass1:47.80 | Ismael Valenzuela | Henry Forrest | Calumet Farm |
| 1967 | Diplomat Way1:49.60 | Johnny Sellers | John O. Meaux | Harvey Peltier Sr. |
| 1966 | Abe's Hope1:49.20 | Bill Shoemaker | Del W. Carroll | Grand Prix Stable |
| 1965 | Lucky Debonair1:49.00 | Bill Shoemaker | Frank Catrone | Ada L. Rice |
| 1964 | Northern Dancer1:49.80 | Bill Hartack | Horatio Luro | Windfields Farm |
| 1963 | Chateaugay1:48.00 | Braulio Baeza | James P. Conway | Darby Dan Farm |
| 1962 | Ridan1:47.60 | Manuel Ycaza | LeRoy Jolley | Moody Jolley, Ernest Woods, John L. Greer |
| 1961 | Sherluck1:48.60 | Braulio Baeza | Harold Young | Jacob Sher |
| 1960 | Tompion1:48.60 | Bill Shoemaker | Robert L. Wheeler | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney |
| 1959 | Tomy Lee1:48.60 | Bill Shoemaker | Frank Childs | Fred Turner Jr. |
| 1958 | Plion1:52.80 | David Erb | Tom Jolley | Edward Potter Jr. |
| 1957 | Round Table1:47.40 | Ralph Neves | William Molter | Kerr Stable |
| 1956 | Toby B.1:51.00 | Robert L. Baird | Robert E. Wingfield | Gene Van Deren & O.S. Deming |
| 1955 | Racing Fool1:51.80 | Henry Moreno | Loyd Gentry Jr. | Cain Hoy Stable |
| 1954 | Goyamo1:50.60 | Eddie Arcaro | Woody Stephens | Woodvale Farm |
| 1953 | Correspondent1:49.00 | Eddie Arcaro | Wally Dunn | Mrs. Gordon Guiberson |
| 1952 | Güshing Oil1:52.40 | Steve Brooks | Whitey Jansen | Sam E. Wilson Jr. |
| 1951 | Mameluke1:54.40 | Raymond Adair | Sylvester Veitch | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney |
| 1951 | Ruhe1:54.20 | Job Dean Jessop | Robert McGarvey | Jean Denemark |
| 1950 | Mr. Trouble1:50.40 | Douglas Dodson | Sylvester Veitch | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney |
| 1949 | Halt1:52.60 | Conn McCreary | Woody Stephens | Woodvale Farm |
| 1948 | Coaltown1:49.20 | Newbold L. Pierson | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm |
| 1947 | Faultless1:51.20 | Douglas Dodson | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm |
| 1946 | Lord Boswell1:51.60 | Eddie Arcaro | James W. Smith | Maine Chance Farm |
| 1945 | Darby Dieppe1:53.40 | Melvin Calvert | Charles Gentry | Mrs. W. Graham Lewis |
| 1944 | Skytracer1:52.60 | Mike Cafferella | Frank J. Baker | Manuel B. Goff |
| 1943 | Ocean Wave1:53.80 | Wendell Eads | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm |
| 1942 | Shut Out1:52.40 | Eddie Arcaro | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable |
| 1941 | Our Boots1:51.20 | Conn McCreary | Steve Judge | Woodvale Farm |
| 1940 | Bimelech1:51.00 | Fred A. Smith | Bill Hurley | Edward R. Bradley |
| 1939 | Heather Broom1:54.20 | Basil James | Earl Sande | John Hay Whitney |
| 1938 | Bull Lea1:49.60 | Irving Anderson | Frank J. Kearns | Calumet Farm |
| 1937 | Fencing1:57.20 | Jack Westrope | Earl Sande | Maxwell Howard |
91 of the 91 runnings name the rider, 91 name the trainer and 91 name the owner, who is the one of the three the prize money actually belongs to.
Who wins the Blue Grass Stakes more than once
The fact the table above holds and cannot show
No horse has won the Blue Grass Stakes twice in the 91 runnings on this page.
Most wins by a trainer
Races worth about the same
Either side of the Blue Grass Stakes in the world money order
| # | Race | Country | Prize money | As published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | Blue Diamond StakesCaulfield Racecourse | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 55 | Coolmore Stud StakesFlemington Racecourse | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 56 | Hill StakesRandwick Racecourse, | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 57 | Newmarket HandicapFlemington Racecourse | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 58 | Spring Champion StakesRandwick Racecourse, | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 59 | Sydney StakesRandwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 60 | Victoria DerbyFlemington Racecourse | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 62 | Grand NationalAintree Racecourse | Great Britain | $1,330,000$1.3m | £1,000,000 |
| 63 | Apple Blossom HandicapOaklawn Park | United States | $1,250,000 | $1,250,000 |
| 64 | Arkansas DerbyOaklawn Park Race Track, | United States | $1,250,000 | $1,250,000 |
| 66 | Coolmore Turf Mile StakesKeeneland Race Course | United States | $1,250,000 | $1,250,000 |
| 67 | Japan Breeding Farms' Cup ClassicChanges yearly | Japan | $1,139,544 | ¥170,000,000 |
| 68 | Tokyo DerbyOhi Racecourse | Japan | $1,139,544 | ¥170,000,000 |
| 69 | Arabian World CupLongchamp Racecourse | France | $1,136,752 | €1,000,000 |
| 70 | Irish DerbyCurragh Racecourse | Ireland | $1,136,752 | €1,000,000 |
| 71 | Prix de DianeChantilly Racecourse | France | $1,136,752 | €1,000,000 |
| 72 | Prix Jacques Le MaroisDeauville Racecourse | France | $1,136,752 | €1,000,000 |
| 73 | All Aged StakesRandwick Racecourse | Australia | $1,055,556 | AU$1,500,000 |
| 74 | The Gold RushAscot Racecourse | Australia | $1,055,556 | AU$1,500,000 |
| 75 | Al Quoz SprintMeydan Racecourse | United Arab Emirates | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
The 20 races closest to the Blue Grass Stakes in what they pay, above and below it. Follow the ranking all the way up on the richest races in the world.
The rest of the money in the United States
196 races, 20th of them is this one
| Race | Racecourse | Grade | Prize money |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Oaks | Churchill Downs | Grade I | $1,500,000$1.5m |
| Turf Classic Stakes | Churchill Downs | Grade I | $1,500,000$1.5m |
| Apple Blossom Handicap | Oaklawn Park | Grade I | $1,250,000 |
| Arkansas Derby | Oaklawn Park Race Track, | Grade I | $1,250,000 |
| Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes | Keeneland Race Course | Grade I | $1,250,000 |
| American Turf Stakes | Churchill Downs | Grade I | $1,000,000 |
| Arlington Million | Colonial Downs | Grade 1 | $1,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | United States | Grade I | $1,000,000 |
Every race in the United States we hold a purse for is on the United States prize money list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the total Blue Grass Stakes prize money?
$1,250,000.
Where does the Blue Grass Stakes rank among the richest races in the world?
65th of 997. 64 races pay more, the nearest of them Blue Diamond Stakes. In the United States it is 20th of 196.
Which jockey has won the Blue Grass Stakes most often?
Bill Shoemaker, with 6 wins between 1959 and 1982.
When was the Blue Grass Stakes first run?
1911. This page holds 91 runnings, from 1937 to 2026.
How far is the Blue Grass Stakes?
miles (9 Furlongs), on dirt, at Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Where to next
The rest of the racing money