The Orchid 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
fillies
A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use:
*In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old.
*In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...
and
mares
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four y ...
that are four years or older held over a distance of one and one-half miles 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 ...
usually scheduled annually in late March as an under card event on
Florida Derby
The Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Since 2005, it has been run five weeks before the Kentucky Derby, which is held on the first Saturd ...
day 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 $150,000.
History
The inaugural running of the event was on 11 March 1954 as a six furlong dirt sprint for three year old fillies that was easily won by Queen Hopeful who was ridden by
US Hall of Fame jockey
John H. Adams and trained by
US Hall of Fame trainer
Harry E. Trotsek by a 3 lengths margin.
[
Gulfstream Park did not schedule the event again until 1965 after an absence of 10 years. In 1965 and 1966 the event was still held for three year old fillies but the distance was increased to miles.][ In 1967 the event was held on the turf for the first time over a distance of one mile. The conditions of the event were changes to allow older mares compete under handicap conditions. In the first division Indian Sunlite set a track record for the mile in a time of 1:34.][
In 1969 the distance of the event was increased to miles.][ and in 1981 the event was upgraded to ]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 ...
.[
In 2006 the event was downgraded to a Grade III event.]
Records
Speed record:
* miles – 2:11.73 Mean Mary (2020)
* miles – 2:23.07 Honey Ryder (2005)
* miles – 1:40.40 Just A Game (IRE) (1980)
* 1 mile – 1:34.60 Indian Sunlite (1967)
Margins:
* lengths – Tweedside (2003)
Most wins:
* 2 – Honey Ryder (2005, 2006)
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 ...
:
* 5 – John R. Velazquez (2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 7 – Christophe Clement
Christophe Clement (born November 1, 1965 in Paris, France) is a Thoroughbred horse trainer in the United States who won the 2014 Belmont Stakes with Tonalist.
Racing background
Clement initially acquired his training skills from his father, Mi ...
(1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2015)
Most wins by an owner:
* 3 – Barbara Hunter (1970, 1974, 1979)
* 3 – Glencrest Farm (1987, 2005, 2006)
Winners
''Legend:''
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 links
2020–21 Gulfstream Park Media Guide
References
{{reflist, 2
Graded stakes races in the United States
Grade 3 stakes races in the United States
1954 establishments in Florida
Horse races in Florida
Long-distance horse races for fillies and mares
Gulfstream Park
Recurring sporting events established in 1954