Southwest Stakes
| Grade III race | |
| Location |
Oaklawn Park Race Track Hot Springs, Arkansas |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1968 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | Oaklawn Jockey Club, Inc. |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 1⁄16 mile (8.5 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds |
| Weight | Assigned |
| Purse | $500,000 |
The Southwest Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas in mid February, usually during the President's Day weekend. The race is open to three-year-old horses and currently offers a purse of $500,000.
On November 28, 2007, the ungraded Southwest Stakes was upgraded to a Grade III event by the American Graded Stakes Committee.
Inaugurated in 1968 as the Southwest Handicap, it was run at a distance of six furlongs from 1968 through 1983. The race was named in honor of the former NCAA football conference, the Southwest Conference in which the University of Arkansas was a member before leaving for the Southeast Conference. The race is often used as a prep to the Rebel Stakes and the Arkansas Derby.
Since 2013, the race has been run at a distance of 1 1⁄16 miles.
The race's forerunner was the Southwest Purse, held in 1959 and 1962 and won by Call Hy and Killoqua, respectively.
It was run in two divisions in 1972, 2002, and 2012.
Records
Speed record:
- 1:34.40 (1 mile) - Whitebrush (1984)
- 1:44.84 (1-1/16) - Super Ninety Nine (2013)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 3 - Larry Snyder (1979, 1983, 1990)
- 3 - Rafael Bejarano (2012 - Division 1, 2012 - Division 2, 2013)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 5 - Robert E. Holthus (1988, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006)
Most wins by an owner:
- 3 - Loblolly Stable (1984, 1987, 1991)
Winners of the Southwwest Stakes since 1981
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Distance (Miles) |
Time |
Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Suddenbreakingnews | 3 | Luis S. Quinonez | Donnie K. Von Hemel | Samuel F. Henderson | 1-1/16 | 1:45.14 | III |
| 2015 | Far Right | 3 | Mike E. Smith | Ron Moquett | LaPenta/Rosenblum | 1-1/16 | 1:47.50 | III |
| 2014 | Tapiture | 3 | Ricardo Santana | Steve Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds | 1-1/16 | 1:44.95 | III |
| 2013 | Super Ninety Nine | 3 | Rafael Bejarano | Bob Baffert | Tanma Corporation | 1-1/16 | 1:44.84 | III |
| 2012 # | Secret Circle | 3 | Rafael Bejarano | Bob Baffert | Willmott Stables | 1 mile | 1:37.08 | III |
| 2012 # | Castaway | 3 | Rafael Bejarano | Bob Baffert | Michael Tabor & Mrs.J.Magnier | 1 mile | 1:38.09 | III |
| 2011 | Archarcharch | 3 | Jon Court | Jinks Fires | Robert Yagos | 1 mile | 1:38.23 | III |
| 2010 | Conveyance | 3 | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Zabeel Racing International | 1 mile | 1:36.94 | III |
| 2009 | Old Fashioned | 3 | Ramon Dominguez | J. Larry Jones | Fox Hill Farms | 1 mile | 1:37.41 | III |
| 2008 | Denis of Cork | 3 | Robby Albarado | David M. Carroll | Mr. & Mrs. William Warren | 1 mile | 1:37.89 | III |
| 2007 | Teuflesberg | 3 | Stewart Elliot | Jamie Sanders | Gary S. Logsdon et al. | 1 mile | 1:38.20 | |
| 2006 | Lawyer Ron | 3 | John McKee | Robert E. Holthus | Est. James T. Hines, Jr. | 1 mile | 1:40.00 | |
| 2005 | Greater Good | 3 | John McKee | Robert E. Holthus | Lewis Lakin | 1 mile | 1:39.09 | |
| 2004 | Smarty Jones | 3 | Stewart Elliot | John Servis | Roy & Patricia Chapman | 1 mile | 1:37.57 | |
| 2003 | Great Notion | 3 | Terry Thompson | Darrin Miller | Silverton Hills Farm | 1 mile | 1:38.96 | |
| 2002 # | Private Emblem | 3 | Donnie Meche | Steve Asmussen | J. Cassels / R. Zollars | 1 mile | 1:40.29 | |
| 2002 # | Paloma Parilla | 3 | James Lopez | Larry Robideaux, Jr. | Barnett Stables | 1 mile | 1:41.70 | |
| 2001 | Son of Rocket | 3 | Terry Thompson | Robert E. Holthus | Frank Fletcher Racing | 1 mile | 1:38.34 | |
| 2000 | Afternoon Affair | 3 | Joe Judice | Robert E. Holthus | Swifty Farms | 1 mile | 1:37.00 | |
| 1999 | Jim'Smrtee | 3 | Travis Hightower | John Milliron | James Hutzel | 1 mile | 1:39.40 | III |
| 1998 | Hot Wells | 3 | Calvin Borel | Thomas Amoss | So What's Nu Stable | 1 mile | 1:38.60 | III |
| 1997 | Smoke Glacken | 3 | Craig Perret | Henry L. Carroll | Karkenny, Levy & Roberts | 1 mile | 1:38.60 | III |
| 1996 | Ide | 3 | Craig Perret | Pete Vestal | Willmott Stables | 1 mile | 1:37.80 | III |
| 1995 | Mystery Storm | 3 | Carlos Gonzalez | Larry Robideaux, Jr. | David Beard | 1 mile | 1:36.60 | III |
| 1994 | Southern Rhythm | 3 | Garrett Gomez | James Keefer | Heiligbrodt, Keefer & New | 1 mile | 1:36.80 | |
| 1993 | Foxtrail | 3 | Willie Martinez | Larry Robideaux, Jr. | Linda Bennett | 1 mile | 1:36.40 | |
| 1992 | Big Sur | 3 | David Guillory | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook Farm & Lukas | 1 mile | 1:36.60 | |
| 1991 | Fenter | 3 | Don Howard | Thomas Bohannan | Loblolly Stable | 1 mile | 1:37.00 | |
| 1990 | Tarascon | 3 | Larry Snyder | Jack Van Berg | John A. Franks | 1 mile | 1:35.80 | |
| 1989 | Termez | 3 | Dean Kutz | J. Bert Sonnier | Knelman & Hayden | 1 mile | 1:37.80 | |
| 1988 | Proper Reality | 3 | Jerry D. Bailey | Robert E. Holthus | James A. Winn | 1 mile | 1:36.80 | |
| 1987 | Demons Begone | 3 | Pat Day | Philip M. Hauswald | Loblolly Stable | 1 mile | 1:34.60 | |
| 1986 | Rare Brick | 3 | Mike E. Smith | Tony Foyt | A. J. Foyt | 1 mile | 1:36.20 | |
| 1985 | Clever Allemont | 3 | Pat Day | Lynn S. Whiting | W. Cal Partee | 1 mile | 1:37.60 | |
| 1984 | Whitebrush | 3 | Garth Patterson | C. R. McGaughey III | Loblolly Stable | 1 mile | 1:34.40 | |
| 1983 | Say I'm Smart | 3 | Larry Snyder | David R. Vance | Flying Zee Stable | 6 fur. | 1:11.80 | |
| 1982 | El Baba | 3 | Donald Brumfield | Dewey Smith | Mrs. J. W. Brown | 6 fur. | 1:12.60 | |
| 1981 | Bold Ego | 3 | John Lively | Dennis Werre | Double B Ranch | 6 fur. | 1:11.80 | |
A # designates that the race was run in two divisions in 2012, 2002 and 1972.
Earlier winners
- 1980 - Be A Prospect
- 1979 - Clever Trick
- 1978 - Bold L. B.
- 1977 - J. J. Battle
- 1976 - Our Future King
- 1975 - Promised City
- 1974 - J. R.'s Pet
- 1973 - Game Lad
- 1972 - Parlez Encore (Div 1)
- 1972 - Billy Rogell (Div 2)
- 1971 - Barbizon Streak
- 1970 - Love That Dollar
- 1969 - Ruler In Gold
- 1968 - Mr. Cozy