Commonwealth Stakes
# Commonwealth Stakes

The Commonwealth Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses that are four years old or older, over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt held annually in early April at Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky during the spring meeting. The event currently carries a purse of $300,000.

## History

The inaugural running of the event was on 16 October 1987, during Keeneland's fall meeting as the Commonwealth Breeders' Cup Stakes as a six furlong dirt sprint for three year olds and older and was won by Exclusive Enough who was ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Mike E. Smith. Exclusive Enough equaled the track record with his winning time of 1:084⁄5 and to date is the only three year old to have won the event.

Between 1987 and 2007, the Breeders' Cup sponsored the event which reflected in the name of the event.

Two years later, in 1989 Keeneland moved the event to their spring meeting in April and increased the distance to seven furlongs and changed the conditions of the event to only allow four year olds and older.

The following year in 1990 the event was upgraded to Grade III status and in 1994 the event was upgraded once more Grade II.

Between 2007 and 2014 the event was held on the synthetic Polytrack surface.

In 2013 the event was downgraded to a Grade III event.

The event was not held 2020 during Keeneland's spring meeting which was moved to July and shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

## Records

Speed record

* 1:20.40 – Distorted Humor (1998)

Margins

* 6 lengths – Calestoga (1988)

Most wins

* 2 – Black Tie Affair (1990, 1991)

Most wins by a jockey

* 3 – Edgar Prado (2001, 2003, 2008)
* 3 – Joel Rosario (2012, 2017, 2021)

Most wins by a trainer

* 3 – Todd A. Pletcher (2003, 2004, 2011)

Most wins by an owner

* 2 – Jeff Sullivan (1990, 1991)
* 2 – Michael B. Tabor (2003, 2004)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Commonwealth Stakes |||||||||||
| 2023 | Here Mi Song | 5 | Alex Achard | William Stinson Jr. | Nathan Hayden | 7 furlongs | 1:23.42 | $300,000 | III | |
| 2022 | Prevalence | 4 | Tyler Gaffalione | Brendan Walsh | Godolphin Racing | 7 furlongs | 1:22.47 | $300,000 | III | |
| 2021 | Flagstaff | 7 | Joel Rosario | John W. Sadler | Lane's End Racing & Hronis Racing | 7 furlongs | 1:22.80 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2020 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 2019 | Bobby's Wicked One | 4 | Miguel Mena | Albert Stall Jr. | Autumn Hill Farms Racing Stables | 7 furlongs | 1:22.80 | $250,000 | III | |
| 2018 | Warrior's Club | 4 | Luis Contreras | D. Wayne Lukas | Churchill Downs Racing Club | 7 furlongs | 1:22.61 | $250,000 | III | |
| 2017 | Awesome Slew | 4 | Joel Rosario | Mark E. Casse | Live Oak Plantation | 7 furlongs | 1:22.31 | $250,000 | III | |
| 2016 | Ami's Flatter | 4 | Martin Garcia | Josie Carroll | Ivan Dalos | 7 furlongs | 1:21.66 | $250,000 | III | |
| 2015 | Kobe's Back | 4 | Gary L. Stevens | Peter Eurton | C R K Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:22.16 | $300,000 | III | |
| 2014 | Occasional View | 6 | Alan Garcia | Kenneth G. McPeek | Robert Trussell | 7 furlongs | 1:22.77 | $175,000 | III | |
| 2013 | Handsome Mike | 4 | Mario Gutierrez | Doug F. O'Neill | Reddam Racing | 7 furlongs | 1:23.14 | $175,000 | III | |
| 2012 | Lonesome Street | 5 | Joel Rosario | Michael J. Maker | Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey | 7 furlongs | 1:21.17 | $175,000 | II | |
| 2011 | Aikenite | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Dogwood Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:22.35 | $175,000 | II | |
| 2010 | Together Indy | 4 | Kent J. Desormeaux | George Weaver | Raymond A. Hill Stable & Vic Fontana | 7 furlongs | 1:22.34 | $245,000 | II | |
| 2009 | Eternal Star | 5 | Eibar Coa | Michael J. Trombetta | Harry C. & Tom O. Meyerhoff | 7 furlongs | 1:21.17 | $203,500 | II | |
| 2008 | Rebellion (GB) | 5 | Edgar S. Prado | H. Graham Motion | Hickory Tree Stables | 7 furlongs | 1:21.40 | $390,000 | II | |
| Commonwealth Breeders' Cup Stakes |||||||||||
| 2007 | Silent Name (JPN) | 5 | Corey Nakatani | Gary Mandella | Stronach Stables & Wertheimer et Frère | 7 furlongs | 1:21.26 | $400,000 | II | |
| 2006 | Sun King | 4 | Corey Nakatani | Nicholas P. Zito | Tracy Farmer | 7 furlongs | 1:23.30 | $443,200 | II | |
| 2005 | Clock Stopper | 5 | Jerry D. Bailey | Dallas Stewart | Overbrook Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:22.06 | $424,900 | II | |
| 2004 | Lion Tamer | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Todd A. Pletcher | Michael B. Tabor | 7 furlongs | 1:23.14 | $270,250 | II | |
| 2003 | Smooth Jazz | 4 | Edgar S. Prado | Todd A. Pletcher | Michael B. Tabor | 7 furlongs | 1:21.73 | $273,750 | II | |
| 2002 | Orientate | 4 | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas | Beverly J. & Robert B. Lewis | 7 furlongs | 1:21.54 | $272,000 | II | |
| 2001 | Alannan | 5 | Edgar S. Prado | Carl A. Nafzger | Eaglestone Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:22.39 | $270,750 | II | |
| 2000 | Richter Scale | 6 | Richard Migliore | Mary Jo Lohmeier | Nancy & Rcichard S, Kaster & Nathan Fox | 7 furlongs | 1:21.07 | $207,800 | II | |
| 1999 | Good and Tough | 4 | Shane Sellers | Frank A. Alexander | David P. Reynolds | 7 furlongs | 1:22.09 | $201,300 | II | |
| 1998 | Distorted Humor | 5 | Gary L. Stevens | W. Elliott Walden | Russell L. Reineman & Prestonwood Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:20.40 | $211,000 | II | |
| 1997 | Victor Cooley | 4 | Eddie Martin Jr. | Mark R. Frostad | Windways Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:22.40 | $208,600 | II | |
| 1996 | Afternoon Deelites | 4 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Richard E. Mandella | Burt Bacharach | 7 furlongs | 1:21.00 | $211,400 | II | |
| 1995 | Golden Gear | 4 | Craig Perret | Doug Matthews | Barry Golden | 7 furlongs | 1:22.00 | $210,900 | II | |
| 1994 | Memo (CHI) | 7 | Paul Atkinson | Richard E. Mandella | Stud Panter | 7 furlongs | 1:22.20 | $149,900 | II | |
| 1993 | Alydeed | 4 | Craig Perret | Roger L. Attfield | Kinghaven Farms | 7 furlongs | 1:21.40 | $182,350 | III | |
| 1992 | Pleasant Tap | 5 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Christopher Speckert | Buckland Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:22.40 | $161,750 | III | |
| 1991 | Black Tie Affair (IRE) | 5 | Juvenal Lopez Diaz | Ernie T. Poulos | Jeff Sullivan | 7 furlongs | 1:21.80 | $182,500 | III | |
| 1990 | Black Tie Affair (IRE) | 4 | Mark Guidry | Ernie T. Poulos | Jeff Sullivan | 7 furlongs | 1:22.00 | $175,500 | III | |
| 1989 | Sewickley | 4 | Randy Romero | Flint S. Schulhofer | Robert S. Evans | 7 furlongs | 1:22.40 | $155,950 | Listed | |
| 1988 | Calestoga | 6 | Don Brumfield | Neil B. Boyce | N. & M. Boyce Racing Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:09.40 | $156,350 | | |
| 1987 | Exclusive Enough | 3 | Mike E. Smith | Jack Van Berg | Dorothy Scharbauer | 6 furlongs | 1:08.40 | $155,400 | | |

Legend:

 All Weather Track  Dirt

