Florida Oaks
# Florida Oaks

The Florida Oaks is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over the distance of 1+1⁄16 miles on the turf scheduled annually in mid-March at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Florida. The event currently carries a purse of $200,000.

## History

The race was inaugurated on 10 March 1984, at a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt and was won by Sure Too Explode who was ridden by the Tampa Bay Downs track leading jockey Rick Luhr in a time of 1:242⁄5. The next year, the distance was changed in 1985 to 1+1⁄16 miles and has remained so to date.

The Florida Oaks was first upgraded to Grade III status by the American Graded Stakes Committee (AGSC) in 1996, but was downgraded to listed status in 2004.

It returned to Grade III in 2008 but was again downgraded for 2011.

In 2011 Tampa Bay Downs officials decided to switch the race to the turf. The AGSC restored the Grade III designation for the 2013 edition.

Two Florida Oaks winners, Luv Me Luv Me Not in 1992 and Secret Status in 2000, went on to win the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

## Records

Speed record:

* 1+1⁄16 miles turf – 1:41.89 Tapicat (2013)
* 1+1⁄16 miles dirt – 1:43.65 Don't Forget Gil (2009)

Margins:

* 9 lengths – R Lady Joy (2005)

Most wins by a jockey:

* 4 - Jose Lezcano (2005, 2012, 2014, 2015)

Most wins by a trainer:

* 4 - Chad C. Brown (2014, 2021, 2022, 2023)

Most wins by an owner:

* 3 - William S. Farish III (1995, 2000, 2001)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2023 | Mission of Joy | Antonio Gallardo | H. Graham Motion | RyZan Sun Racing and Madaket Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.12 | $200,000 | III |
| 2022 | Dolce Zel (FR) | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Chad C. Brown | Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables & Robert V. LaPenta | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.18 | $151,000 | III |
| 2021 | Domain Expertise | Antonio Gallardo | Chad C. Brown | Klaravich Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.12 | $152,500 | III |
| 2020 | Outburst (GB) | Javier Castellano | Eddie Kenneally | Marc Detampel, TSF Thoroughbred Racing & Rebecca Hillen | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.03 | $150,000 | III |
| 2019 | Concrete Rose | Julien R. Leparoux | George R. Arnold II | Ashbrook Farm & BBN Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.02 | $150,000 | III |
| 2018 | Andina Del Sur | Julien R. Leparoux | Thomas Albertrani | Don Alberto Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.37 | $150,000 | III |
| 2017 | Fifty Five | Jose L. Ortiz | Thomas M. Bush | Empire Equines | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.60 | $155,000 | III |
| 2016 | Baciami Piccola (GB) | Julien R. Leparoux | Brian A. Lynch | Amerman Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.20 | $155,000 | III |
| 2015 | Quality Rocks | Jose Lezcano | William I. Mott | Flavor Racing, Brous Stable, Wachtel Stable & Destiny Oaks Of Ocala | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.39 | $180,000 | III |
| 2014 | Testa Rossi (FR) | Jose Lezcano | Chad C. Brown | James Covello, Thomas Coleman & Doheny Racing Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.51 | $152,500 | III |
| 2013 | Tapicat | Joel Rosario | William I. Mott | Besilu Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.89 | $100,000 | III |
| 2012 | § Dixie Strike | Jose Lezcano | Mark E. Casse | John C. Oxley | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.30 | $105,000 | Listed |
| 2011 | Dynamic Holiday | Ramon A. Dominguez | H. Graham Motion | Augustin Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.56 | $105,000 | Listed |
| 2010 | Diva Delite | Rosemary Homeister Jr. | David A. Vivian | Barbara Vivian & Dominic Vittese | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:46.10 | $170,000 | III |
| 2009 | Don't Forget Gil | Rajiv Maragh | Mark A. Hennig | Alan Brodsky | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.60 | $200,000 | III |
| 2008 | Awesome Chic | Irwin J. Rosendo | Rafael Ramos | Aurora Springs Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.38 | $200,000 | III |
| 2007 | Cotton Blossom | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Dogwood Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.06 | $200,000 | Listed |
| 2006 | Bushfire | John R. Velazquez | Eddie Kenneally | Ron & Ricki Rashinski | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:46.25 | $200,000 | Listed |
| 2005 | R Lady Joy | Jose Lezcano | Kirk Ziadie | Richard N. Averill | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.58 | $150,000 | Listed |
| 2004 | Ender's Sister | Pat Day | George R. Arnold II | Green Lantern Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.66 | $150,000 | Listed |
| 2003 | Ebony Breeze | Mark Guidry | William I. Mott | Kinsman Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.20 | $150,000 | III |
| 2002 | French Satin | Ramon A. Dominguez | Steven W. Standridge | Sabine Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.29 | $150,000 | III |
| 2001 | Quick Tip | Richard Migliore | Neil J. Howard | William S. Farish III | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.36 | $150,000 | III |
| 2000 | Secret Status | Pat Day | Neil J. Howard | William S. Farish III, James A. Elkins Jr. & W. Temple Webber Jr. | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.05 | $125,000 | III |
| 1999 | Crown Jewel | Luis Jeronimo Martinez | Evelio Garcia | Donald Murray | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.60 | $100,000 | III |
| 1998 | Pantufla | Pat Day | David M. Carroll | Helen Alexander | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.40 | $100,000 | III |
| 1997 | Anklet | Shane Sellers | W. Elliott Walden | Alexander S. Loeb, Brad ay & Jeffrey S. Sullivan | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.00 | $100,000 | III |
| 1996 | Mindy Gayle | Jorge A. Guerra | Julian Canet | Tanenbaum Racing Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.80 | $100,000 | III |
| 1995 | Sneaky Quiet | Mike E. Smith | Neil J. Howard | William S. Farish III & Temple Webber Jr. | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.40 | $100,000 | Listed |
| 1994 | Cavada | Kevin Whitley | A. Archie Smith Jr. | Bebe R. Dalton | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:46.40 | $100,000 | Listed |
| 1993 | Star Jolie | Eduardo O. Nunez | Ronald H. McKenzie | Five Star Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.60 | $100,000 | Listed |
| 1992 | Luv Me Luv Me Not | Willie Martinez | Glenn S. Wismer | Philip & Judy Maas | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.60 | $100,000 | Listed |
| 1991 | Designated Dancer | Willie Martinez | Oliver E. Edwards | David Melin | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.40 | $100,000 | Listed |
| 1990 | Dance Colony | Herb McCauley | Ross R. Pearce | Buckland Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.20 | $100,000 | |
| 1989 | She's Scrumptious | Richard Murray Adkins | Glenn S. Wismer | Philip & Judy Maas | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:46.00 | $100,000 | |
| 1988 | Colonial Waters | Victor H. Molina | John P. Campo | Buckland Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.80 | $110,000 | |
| 1987 | Single Blade | Julio Molina Pezua | Robert J. Reinacher Jr. | Greentree Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.60 | $130,000 | |
| 1986 | Noranc | Herb McCauley | Joseph Provost | Gallopping Acres & Hidden Point Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.60 | $108,300 | |
| 1985 | Erstwhile | Charles Hussey | Cam Gambolati | Hunter Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:48.00 | $56,450 | |
| 1984 | Sure Too Explode | Rick D. Luhr | Sherman Ingram | Frederick Lehmann | 7 furlongs | 1:24.40 | $62,200 | |

Legend:

 Dirt  Turf

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

