The Challenger Stakes is a
Grade III American
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...
for horses four years old or older over a distance of miles on the dirt track in early March at
Tampa Bay Downs
Tampa Bay Downs is an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility located in Westchase in Hillsborough County in the U.S. state of Florida, just outside Tampa. It opened in 1926 under the name Tampa Downs, and has also been known as Sunshine Pa ...
,
Oldsmar, Florida
Oldsmar is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 13,591. The Oldsmar name dates to April 12, 1916 when automobile pioneer Ransom E. Olds purchased of land by the northern part of Ta ...
. The event currently carries a purse of $100,000.
History
The race was inaugurated in 1987
as a late season two-year-old event in the last week of December.
[ For five years between 1992 and 1996 the event was not held.][
In 1997 the event was renewed as a three-year-old event and scheduled in February over the shorter distance of 7 furlongs][ and in 1998 the event received sponsorship from ]Budweiser
Budweiser () is an American-style pale lager, part of AB InBev. Introduced in 1876 by Carl Conrad & Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, Budweiser has become a large selling beer company in the United States.
''Budweiser'' may also refer to an unrelat ...
[ which continued until 2007. In 1999 the event was moved to the turf track at a longer distance of one mile.][
In 2004 the conditions of the event were changed, in that four-year-olds and older could enter. The distance was extended to the now miles and the running was on the dirt track.]
Records
Speed record:
* miles – 1:41.89 – Flameaway (2019)
* 1 mile – 1:33.79 – Lucky J J (2000)
Margins:
* lengths – Darian's Reason (1990)
Most wins by a jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...
:
* 3 – Willie Martinez (1991, 2010, 2011)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 – Todd A. Pletcher (2001, 2011, 2015, 2017)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – Daniel Alonzo (2023, 2024)
Winners
''Legend:''
''Notes:''
† Cannon Dancer was first past the post but was disqualified and placed second and Strike the Knight declared the winner[
]
See also
*List of American and Canadian Graded races
The List of American and Canadian Graded races is a list of Thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada that meet the graded stakes standards maintained by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders A ...
External sitesTampa Bay Downs Media Guide 2021
References
{{reflist, 2
Graded stakes races in the United States
Grade 3 stakes races in the United States
Horse races established in 1987
Sports competitions in Tampa, Florida
1987 establishments in Florida
Turf races in the United States
Tampa Bay Downs
Horse races in Florida