Kelly's Landing Stakes
{{Infobox horseraces
| class = Grade III
| horse race = Kelly's Landing Stakes
| image =
| caption =
| location = Churchill Downs
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
| inaugurated = 2010
| race type = Thoroughbred - Flat racing
| website = {{URL|http://www.churchilldowns.com}}
| distance = {{frac|6|1|2}} furlongs
| surface = dirt
| track = left-handed
| qualification = Three years old and older
| weight = 125 lbs with allowances
| purse = $250,000 (2024)
| bonuses =
}}
The Kelly's Landing Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance six and one-half furlongs on the dirt scheduled annually in late June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
History
The event was named after Summerplace Farm's Kelly's Landing, who earned $1,853,831 from a record of 10-3-2 in 27 starts for trainer Eddie Kenneally between 2004 and 2009.{{cite web|url=https://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=6154227®istry=T |title=Equibase - Horse Profiles Kelly's Landing (KY) |publisher=Equibase |website=www.equibase.com |accessdate=May 8, 2025}} The gelding won the six-furlong Grade III Aristides Handicap at Churchill Downs in 2005 by stopping in a track record 1:07.55 which has since been broken. His biggest victory came in the 2007 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Nad Al Sheba in the United Arab Emirates. Kelly's Landing also won the
2006 GIII Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland and 2007 GIII Mr. Prospector Handicap at Gulfstream Park.{{cite web|url=https://www.kentuckyderby.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Kellys-Landing.pdf |title=$225,000 Kelly's Landing (Listed) |publisher=Churchill Downs Inc. |website=kentuckyderby.com (media) |accessdate=May 8, 2025 |date=2024}}
The event was inaugurated on June 25, 2010, over a distance of seven furlongs and was won by Brandon L. & Marianne I. Chase's Here Comes Ben, who started as the short 7/10 odds-on favorite winning by a neck in furious fully extended five-wide bid in a time of 1:21.89. Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Alex Solis, it was his third straight win.{{cite web|url=https://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=7748120®istry=T&rbt=TB |title=Equibase - Horse Profiles Here Comes Ben (KY) |publisher=Equibase |website=www.equibase.com |accessdate=May 8, 2025}} In his next start he caused a mild upset in winning the Grade I Forego Stakes at Saratoga.{{cite web |last1=Shandler |first1=Jason |title=Here Comes Ben Pulls Forego Upset; The 4-year-old son of Street Cry was making his graded stakes debut. |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/140578/here-comes-ben-pulls-forego-upset |website=bloodhorse.com |access-date=8 May 2025 |date=September 4, 2010}}
The following year Here Comes Ben returned and convincingly won the event by {{frac|3|1|4}} lengths, this time ridden by veteran jockey Jon Court. Here Comes Ben raced one more time before being retired from and moving on to career in stud, first at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in New York State{{cite web|url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/index.php?search_bar=horse&query_type=horse&h=HERE+COMES+BEN2&g=5&cellpadding=0&small_font=1&l= |title=HERE COMES BEN (USA) dkb/br. H, 2006 {4-n} - 17 Starts, 7 Wins, 1 Places, 3 Shows Career Earnings: $410,764 |website=Pedigee Online |access-date=May 8, 2025}} and later moving to Jamaica where he was a successful sire.{{cite web |title=Benson makes statement with impressive victory in George HoSang Trophy |url=https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025/01/24/benson-makes-statement-impressive-victory-george-hosang-trophy/ |website=jamaicaobserver.com |publisher=Jamaica Observer |access-date=8 May 2025 |date=January 24, 2025 |quote=Benson's pedigree suggests that he has the potential to excel at the highest level. Sired by Here Comes Ben out of First Kiss, Benson has inherited a strong racing tradition from his parents.}}
Between 2017 and 2022 the event was run as the Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes.
In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Churchill Downs did not schedule the event in their updated and shortened September meeting.{{cite web |title=Churchill Downs Announces $9.85 Million September Stakes Schedule Led by Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks and Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby |url=https://www.churchilldowns.com/horses/news/churchill-downs-announces-9-85-million-september-stakes-schedule-led-by-sept-4-kentucky-oaks-and-sept-5-kentucky-derby/ |website=churchilldowns.com |date=8 July 2020 |accessdate=14 April 2025}}
In 2022 the event's distance was decreased to {{frac|6|1|2}} furlongs.{{cite web|url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/index.php?search_bar=stakes&query_type=stakes&field=view&id=10492 |title=KELLYS LANDING STAKES - MULTIPLE TRACKS |work=Thoroughbred Pedigree Online |date=2025 |access-date=8 May 2025 }}
In 2023 the event was moved to Ellis Park after Churchill Downs closed their spring meeting earlier due to a spate of injuries.{{cite web |last1=King |first1=Byron |title=Churchill Downs Suspends Meet; Dates to Shift to Ellis The ongoing meet at Churchill Downs had been scheduled to run through July 3. |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/269092/churchill-downs-suspends-meet-dates-to-shift-to-ellis |website=Bloodhorse.com |access-date=12 June 2023 |date=2 June 2023}}
After three runnings of the event with Listed status, in 2025 the event was upgraded to Grade III by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.{{cite web|url=https://toba.org/toba-announces-u-s-graded-and-listed-stakes-for-2025/ |title=TOBA Announces U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes for 2025 |date=18 December 2024 |access-date=19 December 2024 |work=Bloodhorse.com |publisher=Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association}}
Other notable winners of the event include Bango, who has started in the event four times and has won it twice. Bango is the winningest in Churchill Downs history having won twelve times at Churchill Downs.{{cite web |last1=Rollins |first1= Molly |title=Bango Runs to Record 12th Win at Churchill Downs; Son of Congrats becomes the all-time winningest horse at the Louisville, Ky. track. |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/279981/bango-runs-to-record-12th-win-at-churchill-downs |website=Bloodhorse.com |access-date=8 May 2025 |date=September 27, 2024}} The Maryland-bred Aloha West on his first attempt in the event in 2021 finished fourth to Bango. However, later in the year the horse was brilliant in winning the Grade I Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar. In 2022 Aloha West returned to run in the event and after having a poor start rallied three-wide on the turn and won by a neck as the 9/10 odds-on favorite. Bango finished 4th in the same event. Aloha West would have one more start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland before retiring.{{cite web |last1=Rollins |first1= Molly |last2=Perez |first2=Joe |title=Aloha West Retired, to Stand at Mill Ridge for $10,000; The son of Hard Spun captured the 2021 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Del Mar. |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/264806/aloha-west-retired-to-stand-at-mill-ridge-for-10-000 |website=Bloodhorse.com |access-date=8 May 2025 |date=November 13, 2022}}
Records
{{col-float}}
Speed record:
- {{frac|6|1|2}} furlongs: 1:14.89 – Closethegame Sugar (2024)
- 7 furlongs: 1:21.25 – Bango (2021)
Margins:
- 5 lengths – Right to Vote (2013)
Most wins:
- 2 – Here Comes Ben (2010, 2011)
- 2 – Bango (2021, 2023)
{{col-float-break}}
Most wins by a jockey:
- 2 – Brian Hernandez Jr. (2014, 2015)
- 2 – Shaun Bridgmohan (2013, 2018)
- 2 – Tyler Gaffalione (2021, 2023)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 2 – Charlie LoPresti (2010, 2011)
- 2 – Greg Foley (2021, 2023)
Most wins by an owner:
- 2 – Brandon L. & Marianne I. Chase (2010, 2011)
- 2 – Tamaroak Partners (2021, 2023)
{{col-float-end}}
Winners
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Winner ! Age ! Jockey ! Trainer ! Owner ! Distance ! Time ! Purse ! Grade ! Ref |
|---|
| style="font-size:90%; background-color:white"
|align="left" colspan=11|At Churchill Downs – Kelly's Landing Stakes |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2025 |Roll On Big Joe |align=center |5 |Robert Hess Jr. | Rancho Temescal, White Fence & Richard Hale Jr. |align=center |{{frac|6|1|2}} furlongs |align=center |1:15.22 |align=center |$220,000 |align=center |III |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2024 |{{nowrap|Closethegame Sugar}} |align=center |4 |Adam Rice | Adam Rice & Sugar Diaz |align=center |{{frac|6|1|2}} furlongs |align=center |1:14.89 |align=center |$235,000 |align=center |Listed |
| style="font-size:90%; background-color:white"
|align="left" colspan=11|At Ellis Park |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2023 |Bango |align=center |6 | Gregory D. Foley |Tamaroak Partners |align=center |{{frac|6|1|2}} furlongs |align=center |1:15.02 |align=center |$225,000 |align=center |Listed |
| style="font-size:90%; background-color:white"
|align="left" colspan=11|At Churchill Downs – Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2022 |Aloha West |align=center |5 |{{nowrap|Wayne M. Catalano}} |Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners |align=center |{{frac|6|1|2}} furlongs |align=center |1:15.44 |align=center |$120,350 |align=center |Listed |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2021 |Bango |align=center |4 | Gregory D. Foley |Tamaroak Partners |align=center |7 furlongs |align=center |1:21.25 |align=center |$107,025 |align=center | |
| style="font-size:90%; background-color:white"
|align="center" |2020 |align="center" colspan=10|Race not held |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2019 |Line Judge |align=center |5 | Peter Miller |Tom Kagele |align=center |7 furlongs |align=center |1:21.35 |align=center | $120,600 |align=center | |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2018 |C Z Rocket |align=center |4 |Frank Fletcher Racing Operations |align=center |7 furlongs |align=center |1:21.51 |align=center |$68,130 |align=center | |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2017 |Limousine Liberal |align=center |5 |Ben Colebrook |Katherine G. Ball |align=center |7 furlongs |align=center |1:23.08 |align=center |$70,893 |align=center | |
| style="font-size:90%; background-color:white"
|align="left" colspan=11|Kelly's Landing Stakes |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2016 |Alsvid |align=center |7 |Chris Landeros |Chris A. Hartman |Black Hawk Stable |align=center |7 furlongs |align=center |1:22.55 |align=center |$64,465 |align=center | |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2015 |Viva Majorca |align=center |4 |align=center |7 furlongs |align=center |1:22.12 |align=center |$67,750 |align=center | |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2014 |Good Lord |align=center |7 |Forrest H. Kaelin |Thomas D. Shank & Stan Young |align=center |7 furlongs |align=center |1:22.45 |align=center |$58,128 |align=center | |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2013 |Right to Vote |align=center |4 |Ron Moquett |B J D Thoroughbreds |align=center |7 furlongs |align=center |1:22.44 |align=center |$60,325 |align=center | |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2012 |Delaunay |align=center |5 |{{nowrap|Leandro D. Goncalves}} |Maggi Moss |align=center |7 furlongs |align=center |1:22.77 |align=center |$67,000 |align=center | |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2011 |Here Comes Ben |align=center |5 |Charlie LoPresti |Brandon L. & Marianne I. Chase |align=center |7 furlongs |align=center |1:22.26 |align=center |$76,445 |align=center | |
| style="font-size:90%;"
|align=center |2010 |Here Comes Ben |align=center |4 |Charlie LoPresti |Brandon L. & Marianne I. Chase |align=center |7 furlongs |align=center |1:21.89 |align=center |$65,387 |align=center | |
See also
External links
- [https://www.kentuckyderby.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Kellys-Landing.pdf 2023 Churchill Downs Media Guide – $225,000 Kelly's Landing (Listed)]