The Lafayette Stakes was an 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 ...

run annually at

Keeneland Race Course Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for its ...

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...

. Open to three-year-old horses, it is contested on Polytrack synthetic dirt over a distance of seven

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...

s. There is a Lafayette Stakes horse race for three year olds run at six furlongs at in on Evangeline Downs dirt Race Track. A Listed race from 1983 through 1989, it was elevated to a Grade III event in 1990 then modified to a non-graded status for 2006. Since inception, the Lafayette Stakes has been raced at a variety of distances: * 40 feet less than 4 furlongs : 1937-1942, 1946-1953 * furlongs : 1943-1944, 1965-1981 * 4 furlongs, 152 feet : 1954-1964 * 6 furlongs : 1982-1985, 2005-2006 * 7 furlongs : 1986-2004, 2007 to present The Lafayette Stakes was run in two divisions in 1951, 1952, 1958, 1959, 1960, and 1968. Due to wartime restrictions, the race was hosted by

Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, famed for hosting the annual Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was ...

in 1943 and 1944. There was no race run in 1945. Two horses set new Keeneland course records in winning this race: Mals Boy in 1950 and Loom in 1964.

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 7 furlongs) * 1:21.05 - Carnack's Choice (2007) on Polytrack * 1:21.20 -

Cherokee Run Cherokee Run (March 15, 1990 – July 2, 2016) was an American thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Background He was bred by George Onett of Stone Gate Farm. Founder of Ocala Breeder Sales Company and first chairman of the board. sired by 1982 ...

(1993) (on dirt) ;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 ...

* 4 -

Pat Day Patrick Alan "Pat" Day (born October 13, 1953, in Brush, Colorado) is a retired American jockey. He is a four-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1991 an ...

(1988, 1992, 1993, 2002) ;Most wins by a trainer * 4 - Anthony L. Basile (1967, 1971, 1979, 1983) ;Most wins by an owner * 5 - Bwamazon Farm (1967, 1971, 1977, 1979, 1983) * 3 - Claiborne Farm (1956, 1958, 1988) * 3 - William H. Veeneman (1946, 1947, 1952)

Winners

*Run in two divisions in 1952. * † In 1977, Forever Casting won the race but was disqualified from first and set back to last.{{refend

References

The 2008 Lafayette Stakes at ''Thoroughbred Times''
Ungraded stakes races in the United States Flat horse races for three-year-olds Recurring sporting events established in 1937 Keeneland horse races 1937 establishments in Kentucky