Alabama Stakes

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Grade I race
Alabama Stakes
Location	Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Springs, New York
Inaugurated	1872
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	Saratoga Race Course
Race information
Distance	1¼ miles (10 furlongs)
Track	Dirt, left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-old fillies
Weight	121 lbs. (54.9 kg)
Purse	$600,000

The Alabama Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race open to three-year-old fillies. Inaugurated in 1872, the Grade I race is run over a distance of one and one-quarter miles on the dirt track at Saratoga Race Course. Held in mid August, it currently offers a purse of $600,000.

The Alabama Stakes is named in honor of William Cottrell of Mobile, Alabama. "Alabama" was the name settled on because Cottrell was too modest to have a race named for him personally.

The race was not run from 1893 to 1896 and 1898 to 1900. Due to the New York State ban on parimutuel betting there was no racing in the state in 1911 and 1912. During World War II, from 1943 through 1945 the Alabama Stakes was run at Belmont Park.

The race has been contested at various distances:

• 1 mile and 1 furlong - 1872-1901, 1904, 1906-1916
• 1 1/16 miles - 1901, 1902, and on the turf in 1903
• 1 5/16 miles - 1905
• 1¼ miles - 1917 to present

[edit] Records

Speed record at current distance:

• 200.80 - 1¼ miles set by Go For Wand in 1990.

Most wins by an owner:

• 5 - Belair Stud (1924, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1953)
• 4 - Walter M. Jeffords (1937, 1949, 1951, 1952)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 5 - Jorge Velasquez (1972, 1973, 1977, 1984, 1987), Jerry D. Bailey (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005)
• 4 - Mike E. Smith (1993, 1994, 1995, 2000)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 8 - Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons (1924, 1928, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1950, 1953, 1959)

[edit] Winners of the Alabama Stakes since 1969

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
1969	Shuvee	Jesse Davidson	Willard C. Freeman	Anne Minor Stone	2:06.40
1970	Fanfreluche	Sandy Hawley	Yonnie Starr	Jean-Louis Levesque	2:03.80
1971	Lauries Dancer	Ron Turcotte	John A. Bentley	Helen Stollery	2:03.00
1972	Summer Guest	Jorge Velasquez	J. Elliott Burch	Rokeby Stable	2:03.40
1973	Desert Vixen	Jorge Velasquez	Thomas F. Root, Sr.	Harry T. Mangurian, Jr.	2:04.20
1974	Quaze Quilt	Heliodoro Gustines	Charles R. Parke	Fred W. Hooper	2:02.60
1975	Spout	Jean Cruguet	Victor J. Nickerson	Elmendorf Farm	2:04.00
1976	Optimistic Gal	Eddie Maple	Leroy Jolley	Diana M. Firestone	2:01.60
1977	Our Mims	Jorge Velasquez	John M. Veitch	Calumet Farm	2:03.00
1978	White Star Line	Michael Venezia	Woody Stephens	Newstead Farm	2:04.00
1979	It's In The Air	Jeffrey Fell	Lazaro S. Barrera	Harbor View Farm	2:01.40
1980	Love Sign	Ruben Hernandez	Sidney Watters, Jr.	Stephen C. Clark, Jr.	2:01.00
1981	Prismatical	Eddie Maple	Luis Barrera	Happy Valley Farm	2:02.40
1982	Broom Dance	Gregg McCarron	James W. Maloney	Christiana Stable	2:02.20
1983	Spit Curl	Jean Cruguet	Leroy Jolley	Peter M. Brant	2:02.40
1984	Life's Magic	Jorge Velasquez	D. Wayne Lukas	Eugene V. Klein	2:02.60
1985	Mom's Command	Abigail Fuller	Edward T. Allard	Peter Fuller	2:03.20
1986	Classy Cathy	Earlie Fires	C. R. McGaughey III	Edward A. Cox, Jr.	2:04.20
1987	Up The Apalachee	Jorge Velasquez	George Arcenaux	J. Minos Simon	2:04.00
1988	Maplejinsky	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Philip G. Johnson	Susan Kaskel	2:01.80
1989	Open Mind	Angel Cordero, Jr.	D. Wayne Lukas	Eugene V. Klein	2:04.20
1990	Go For Wand	Randy Romero	William Badget, Jr.	Christiana Stable	2:00.80
1991	Versailles Treaty	Angel Cordero, Jr.	C. R. McGaughey III	Cynthia Phipps	2:02.40
1992	November Snow	Chris Antley	H. Allen Jerkens	Earle I. Mack	2:02.60
1993	Sky Beauty	Mike E. Smith	H. Allen Jerkens	Georgia E. Hofmann	2:03.40
1994	Heavenly Prize	Mike E. Smith	C. R. McGaughey III	Ogden Phipps	2:03.20
1995	Pretty Discreet	Mike E. Smith	William Terrill	E. Paul Robsham	2:02.00
1996	Yanks Music	John R. Velazquez	Leo O'Brien	M. Fennessy/A. Cooper	2:03.00
1997	Runup The Colors	Jerry D. Bailey	Neil J. Howard	William S. Farish III	2:02.20
1998	Banshee Breeze	Jerry D. Bailey	Carl A. Nafzger	James B. Tafel	2:03.40
1999	Silverbulletday	Jerry D. Bailey	Bob Baffert	Michael E. Pegram	2:02.60
2000	Jostle	Mike E. Smith	John C. Servis	Fox Hill Farms Inc.	2:04.60
2001	Flute	Jerry D. Bailey	Robert Frankel	Juddmonte Farm	2:01.80
2002	Farda Amiga	Pat Day	Paulo Lobo	Escolastica Stable et al	2:04.60
2003	Island Fashion	John R. Velazquez	Barclay Tagg	Jeffrey L. Nielsen	2:05.00
2004	Society Selection	Cornelio Velasquez	H. Allen Jerkens	Marjorie & Irving Cowan	2:02.60
2005	Sweet Symphony	Jerry D. Bailey	William I. Mott	Kinsman Stable	2:04.45
2006	Pine Island	Javier Castellano	C. R. McGaughey III	Phipps Stable	2:02.87
2007	Lady Joanne	Calvin Borel	Carl Nafzger	Bentley Smith	2:03.62

[edit] Earlier winners

+ In 1908 Stamina finished first but was disqualified and placed last.
+ In 1942 Bonnet Ann finished first but was disqualified and placed last.
+ In 1966 Lady Pitt finished first but was disqualified and placed second.
+ In 1968 Heartland finished first but was disqualified and placed second.