The FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes My Dear Girl division is a

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

run annually 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 ...

, in

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 ...

for two-year-old fillies by FTBOA registered stallions at a distance of a mile and a sixteenth on dirt. It is part of the eleven-race Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' & Owners' Association (FTBOA) Florida Sire series of which seven races are hosted by Gulfstream Park and four by Tampa Bay Downs.

History

Inaugurated at

Calder Race Course Calder Casino is a casino located in Miami Gardens, Florida. It includes slots, electronic table games, and bingo. The casino opened in 2010 and features a gaming floor with 1,100 slot machines, including video poker, as well as electronic r ...

in 1982, the race was part of Calder's Florida Stallion Stakes series through 2013 after which Calder's racing operations were leased to the

Stronach Group Stronach Group, doing business as 1/ST, is an entertainment and real estate company in North America with Thoroughbred horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core.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 ...

. Named in honor of My Dear Girl, the 1959

American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when both t ...

filly, it is the final and longest of the three Gulfstream Park FBTOA races exclusively for this specific age and gender group of registered Florida-breds who are from a Florida Sire Stakes eligible stallion. Run between the beginning of August and the end of September, the My Dear Girl Stakes follows the

Desert Vixen Stakes The Florida Sire Stakes Desert Vixen division is a thoroughbred horse race run annually at Gulfstream Park, in Hallandale Beach, Florida for two-year-old, fillies by FTBOA registered stallions at a distance of six furlongs on dirt. It is part of ...

at 6 furlongs and the Susan's Girl Stakes at 7 furlongs.

Records

Speed record at Gulfstream Park: * At 1 1/16 miles : 1:44.41 by Two Sixty in 2019 Speed record at Calder: * At 1 1/16 miles : 1:45.92 by Ivanavinalot in 2002 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 – José A. Vélez Jr. (1985, 1989, 1991) * 3 – Manoel Cruz (2002, 2006, 2007) Most wins by a trainer: * 3 – James E. Bracken (1983, 1985, 1993) * 3 –

Edward Plesa Jr. Edward "Eddie" Plesa Jr. (born April 25, 1949, in Seattle, Washington) is a Thoroughbred racehorse trainer and owner. The son of jockey and trainer Edward Plesa Sr., he is married to Laurie and has three children including Luke, Kyle, and Kelsey ...

(1998, 1999, 2006) Most wins by an owner: * 2 – Ione & H. J. Elkins (1994, 2007) * 2 –

John A. Franks John Franks (April 21, 1925 - December 31, 2003) was an American businessman and a Thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder. A native of Haughton, Louisiana, he earned a degree in geology from Louisiana State University. In 1957, he founded the hi ...

(2001, 2003) * 2 – Gilbert G. Campbell (2002, 2013)

Winners

Gulfstream Park 2018–2019 Media Guide and race history:Gulfstream Park Media Guide, Desert Vixen Stakes history
Retrieved June 23, 2018

References

{{reflist Restricted stakes races in the United States Gulfstream Park Calder Race Course Horse races in Florida Flat horse races for two-year-old fillies Recurring sporting events established in 1982 1982 establishments in Florida