The Fantasy Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt run annually usually in early April at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The event currently offers a purse of $750,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 6 April 1973 and was won by Robert E. Lehmann's Knitted Gloves coming from behind by lengths in a time of 1:42.

After three runnings the event was upgraded to Grade II status in 1976 and in 1978 was once again upgraded to a Grade I, signifying that the race was a major event for the three-year-old fillies. Between 1978 and 1989 the event held this classification and in that time some impressive winners include Davona Dale in 1979 who captured the U.S. Filly Triple Crown becoming the U.S. Champion three-year-old filly, the 1980 winner and US Hall of Fame inductee Bold 'n Determined. The 1980 US Champion two-year-old filly Heavenly Cause won this event in her sophomore season. Other champions to win this event were Tiffany Lass, the 1986 U.S. Champion three-year-old filly and the 1987 winner Very Subtle who later that year would win the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Hollywood Park Racetrack.

In 1990, the event was downgraded to Grade II status and held this status until the 2012 running and the next year it was reclassified as Grade III

The 2008 winner Eight Belles won the event as a short 1/2 odds-on favorite in a four-horse field. Later that spring Eight Belles would be tragically euthanized after finishing second in the 2008 Kentucky Derby.

Two winners of this event have gone on to defeat their male counterparts in Triple Crown events. Rachel Alexandra, the winner in 2009 by the stakes record of lengths went on to win the Preakness Stakes. She would later be crowned the US Horse of the Year. Also Swiss Skydiver, the 2020 winner would go on and win the Preakness Stakes defeating the Kentucky Derby winner Authentic.

The event is a prep race to the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing, including the Kentucky Oaks, Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and Mother Goose Stakes.

In 2024 the event was upgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association back to Grade II.

Records Speed record: 1:41.20 – My Darling One (1984)

Margins: lengths – Rachel Alexandra (2009)

Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Chris McCarron (1984, 1987, 1989, 1992)

Most wins by a trainer: 4 – Steven M. Asmussen (2016, 2017, 2019, 2021)

Most wins by an owner: 3 – Fox Hill Farms (2005, 2008, 2011)

Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref2026Counting StarsFrancisco ArrietaMark E. CasseWest Point Thoroughbreds miles1:44.47$1,000,000II2025 QuietsideJosé L. OrtizJohn Alexander OrtizShortleaf Stable miles1:44.31$750,000II 2024 Thorpedo AnnaBrian Hernandez Jr.Kenneth G. McPeekBrookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy B. Hicks & Magdalena Racing miles1:44.24$750,000II 2023 Wet Paint Flavien PratBrad H. CoxGodolphin miles1:44.08$600,000III2022YuugiriFlorent GerouxRodolphe BrissetSekie Yoshihara & Tsunebumi Yoshihara miles1:43.65$600,000III2021Pauline's Pearl Ricardo Santana Jr.Steven M. AsmussenStonestreet Stables miles1:43.64$600,000III2020Swiss SkydiverBrian Hernandez Jr.Kenneth G. McPeekPeter Callahan miles1:42.00 $400,000III2019Lady AppleRicardo Santana Jr.Steven M. AsmussenPhoenix Thoroughbred III & Katierich Stables miles1:43.88$500,000III2018Sassy SiennaGary L. StevensBrad H. CoxMedallion Racing & Jerry McClanahan miles1:45.63$400,000III2017Ever So CleverLuis ContrerasSteven M. AsmussenClearview Stable miles1:43.40$400,000III2016Terra PromessaRicardo Santana Jr.Steven M. AsmussenStonestreet Stables miles1:45.06$400,000III2015Include BettyThomas F. ProctorBrereton C. Jones & Timothy Thornton miles1:44.16$400,000III2014Sugar ShockChanning HillDoug L. AndersonOn Cloud Nine miles1:43.87$400,000III2013Rose to GoldCalvin H. BorelSal SantoroKathleen Amaya & Raffaele Centofanti miles1:45.80$400,000III2012Mamma KimboMike E. SmithBob BaffertPeachtree Stable miles1:43.64$300,000II2011Joyful VictoryMike E. SmithJ. Larry Jones Fox Hill Farms miles1:44.74$285,000II2010Blind LuckRafael BejaranoJerry HollendorferMark Dedomenico, John Carver, Peter Abruzzo & Jerry Hollendorfer miles1:42.56$285,000II2009Rachel AlexandraCalvin H. BorelHal R. WigginsL & M Partners miles1:43.35$245,000II2008Eight BellesRamon A. DominguezJ. Larry Jones Fox Hill Farms miles1:43.06$237,500II2007High HeelsJoe M. JohnsonGary G. HartlageAnita A. Ebert miles1:44.43$250,000II2006Ready to PleaseStewart ElliottTodd A. Pletcher James T. Scatuorchio miles1:45.63$250,000II2005Round PondStewart ElliottJohn C. Servis Fox Hill Farms miles1:43.49$250,000II2004House of FortuneAlex O. SolisRon McAnallyArnold Zetcher miles1:42.62$200,000II2003Ruby's ReceptionTerry J. ThompsonJ. Larry JonesOasis Racing Stable miles1:44.61$200,000II2002See How She RunsDonald R. PettingerDonnie K. Von Hemel Pin Oak Stable miles1:43.80$200,000II2001Mystic LadyEibar CoaMark A. HennigR. Lee Lewis miles1:43.52$200,000II2000Classy CaraIgnacio PuglisiDoug F. O'NeillJohn J. Zamora miles1:43.95$200,000II1999Excellent MeetingKent J. DesormeauxBob BaffertGolden Eagle Farm miles1:42.73$250,000II1998Silent EskimoCarlos GonzalezBobby C. BarnettJohn A. Franks miles1:43.84$250,000II1997Blushing K. D.Lonnie MecheSam B. David Jr.James & Sue Burns miles1:42.61$250,000II1996EscenaPat DayWilliam I. MottAllen E. Paulson miles1:43.93$250,000II1995Cat's CradleChris AntleyDavid E. HofmansRidder Thoroughbred Stable miles1:44.29$250,000II1994Two AltazanoKirk Paul LeBlancMichael StidhamHarold Goodman miles1:43.64$250,000II1993Aztec HillMike E. SmithThomas K. BohannanLoblolly Stable miles1:44.33$250,000II1992Chris McCarronRon McAnallyMarianne & Brandon Chase miles1:43.74$250,000II1991Lite LightCorey NakataniJerry HollendorferOaktown Stable miles1:41.93$250,000II1990SilveredDonald Lee HowardDewey SmithArthur B. Hancock III & Roy L. Bowen miles1:44.20$250,000II1989Fantastic LookChris McCarronGary F. JonesMr. & Mrs. John C. Mabee miles1:43.20$250,000I1988Jeanne JonesBill ShoemakerCharles E. WhittinghamMr. & Mrs. John C. Mabee miles1:42.20$250,000I1987† Very SubtleChris McCarronMelvin F. StuteBen Rochelle & Estate of Carl Grinstead miles1:42.40$271,300I1986Tiffany LassGary L. StevensLaz Barrera Aaron U. Jones miles1:42.00$274,400I1985Rascal LassRay SibilleLin WheelerVista Stable miles1:43.20$282,700I1984My Darling OneChris McCarronLaz BarreraDolly Green miles1:41.20$267,400I1983Brindy BrindyKenneth JonesJack Van BergJane M. Martin miles1:44.60$283,300I1982Flying PartnerRay SibilleCharles E. WhittinghamBuckland Farm miles1:47.00$271,700I1981Heavenly CauseLaffit Pincay Jr.Woodford C. Stephens Ryehill Farm miles1:43.80$223,150I1980Bold 'n DeterminedEddie DelahoussayeNeil D. DrysdaleSaron Stable miles1:45.20$169,900I1979Davona DaleJorge VelasquezJohn M. VeitchCalumet Farm miles1:44.40$169,350I1978EquanimityHank E. MorenoHenry MorenoPine Tree Stable miles1:44.60$129,750I 1977Our MimsDon BrumfieldJohn M. VeitchCalumet Farm miles1:45.00$139,850II1976T. V. VixenBernie WaltPeter W. Salmen Jr.Crimson King Farm miles1:43.40$121,950II1975Hoso Mickey Solomone Frank H. Merrill Jr. Roxie Gian miles1:46.00$118,2501974Miss MusketBill Shoemaker Aaron U. Jones miles1:44.40$122,9001973Knitted Gloves Julio C. Espinoza Ike Mourar Robert E. Lehmann miles1:42.60$61,600

Notes:

† In the 1987 running, Up The Apalachee, was first past the post but was disqualified and placed second. Very Subtle was declared the winner.

See also Road to the Kentucky Oaks List of American and Canadian Graded races

External links Oaklawn Park Media Guide 2020

References