Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes is a

Grade II In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four and older at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the turf run annually in early March at Fair Grounds Race Course in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

. The event currently offers a purse of $300,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 28 March 1992 as the Explosive Bid Handicap named after the 1984 winner of the Louisiana Handicap, Explosive Bid. In 1994 the event was run in two split divisions. In 1996 the

American Graded Stakes Committee {{short description, Organization for Thoroughbred racehorse owners and breeders The American Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) based in Lexington, Kentucky is a trade organization for Thoroughbred racehorse owners and breeders. ...

upgraded the event to Grade III and once more to Grade II in 2001. In December 2003 the Louisiana Racing Commission agreed to honor Mervyn R. Muniz, Jr., a longtime racing secretary at Fair Grounds Race Course who died in 2003 by renaming the event to the Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap There was no race in 2006 due to after effects of

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

which had damaged the Fair Grounds race track and moved the shortened meeting that season to Louisiana Downs. The 2019 winner of the event

Bricks and Mortar Bricks and Mortar (foaled March 2, 2014) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was named the American Horse of the Year in 2019. After winning four of six starts at age three, he missed most of his four-year-old campaign due to illness. At a ...

continued his successful undefeated season enroute to being crowned US Champion Male Turf Horse and US Horse of the Year. In 2020 the conditions of the event were changed from handicap to stakes allowance with the name of the race modified to Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes.

Records

Speed record: * 1:47.21 - Factor This (2020) Margins: * 6 lengths - Joyeux Danseur (1998) Most wins: * 2 - Proudinsky (GER) (2008, 2009) Most wins by an owner: * 3 - Gary A. Tanaka (2001, 2002, 2008) Most wins by a trainer: * 3 -

Chad C. Brown Chad C. Brown (born December 18, 1978) is an American Thoroughbred horse racing trainer known for his expertise with turf horses and with fillies and mares. He has trained ten Eclipse Award winners including Stacelita, Big Blue Kitten, Lady Eli, ...

(2012, 2019, 2024) 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 - Robby Albarado (1998, 2001, 2004, 2007)

Winners

''Notes:''
† In the 2005 running of the event longshot Rapid Proof was first past the post. However, after a positive test for

dexamethasone Dexamethasone is a glucocorticoid medication used to treat rheumatic problems, a number of skin diseases, severe allergies, asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, croup, brain swelling, eye pain following eye surgery, superior vena cav ...

Rapid Proof was disqualified, and A to the Z was declared the winner with all prizemoney redistributed according to the adjusted finishing order
‡ In the 1992 inaugural running, City Ballet was first past the post but was disqualified and place sixth for interference in the straight and Slick Groom was declared the winner.

References

{{reflist, 2 Fair Grounds Race Course Graded stakes races in the United States Open mile category horse races Turf races in the United States Horse races in New Orleans

Horse racing 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 ...

Recurring events established in 1992 1992 establishments in Louisiana Grade 2 stakes races in the United States

History

Records

Winners

See also

References