The Kitten's Joy 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 three years old at the distance of one and one-sixteenths mile on the

turf Sod, also known as turf, is the upper layer of soil with the grass growing on it that is often harvested into rolls. In Australian and British English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricultu ...

held annually in late January or early February at

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group, is a Thoroughbred race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs year-round, defined by three distinct race meets ...

Hallandale Beach, Florida Hallandale Beach (formerly known simply as Hallandale) is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is named after Luther Halland, the son of a Swedish worker for Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad. As of the 20 ...

. The event currently carries a purse of $175,000.

History

The race was inaugurated in 2012 over the distance of miles after

Kitten's Joy Kitten's Joy (May 8, 2001 – July 15, 2022) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was a multiple graded stakes winner and the American Champion Turf Horse of 2004. Since retiring to stud, he became one of the leading sires in North America and ha ...

who was a multiple graded stakes winner and the 2004

American Champion Turf Horse The American Champion Male Turf Horse award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor. The award originated in 1953 when the ''Daily Racing Form'' (DRF) named Iceberg II their champion. The Thoroughbred Racing Association (TRA) added the cat ...

. Kitten's Joy also won the Grade III

Palm Beach Stakes The Colonel Liam Stakes is a Listed American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late February or early March on the turf course at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida over a distance of 1 1/16 miles. A listed event open to three-year ...

where this race is held. The event was shortened in one mile in 2015 and once again in 2018 to the current distance of about furlongs. In 2020 the event was upgraded to a Grade III. In 2021 the distance of the event was increased to 1 mile. The 2013 winner Charming Kitten and the 2017 winner Kitten's Cat were both sired by Kitten's Joy. Also both winners were owned Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey who also owned Kitten's Joy. In 2022 the distance of the event was increased again to miles.

Records

Speed record: * 1 mile – 1:35.18 – Chess's Dream (2021) * about furlongs – 1:28.25 – Island Commish (2020) Margins: * lengths – Howe Great (2012) ;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 – John R. Velazquez (2013, 2015, 2019) ;Most wins by a trainer: * 3 – Todd A. Pletcher (2013, 2022, 2023) ;Most wins by an owner: * 2 – Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey (2013, 2017)

Winners

External links

2020–21 Gulfstream Park Media Guide

References

{{reflist, 2 Turf races in the United States Recurring sporting events established in 2012 Horse races in the United States Graded stakes races in the United States 2012 establishments in Florida Horse races in Florida Flat horse races for three-year-olds Grade 3 stakes races in the United States Hallandale Beach, Florida

History

Records

Winners

See also

External links

References