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Kelly's Landing Stakes

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Kelly's Landing Stakes
ClassGrade III
LocationChurchill Downs
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated2010
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Websitewww.churchilldowns.com
Race information
Distance6+1⁄2 furlongs
Surfacedirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationThree years old and older
Weight125 lbs with allowances
Purse$250,000 (2024)

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

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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.[1] 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.[2]

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.[3] Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Alex Solis, it was his third straight win.[4] In his next start he caused a mild upset in winning the Grade I Forego Stakes at Saratoga.[5]

The following year Here Comes Ben returned and convincingly won the event by 3+1⁄4 lengths, this time ridden by veteran jockey Jon Court.[6] 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[7] and later moving to Jamaica where he was a successful sire.[8]

Between 2017 and 2022 the event was run as the Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes.[9]

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.[10]

In 2022 the event's distance was decreased to 6+1⁄2 furlongs.[9]

In 2023 the event was moved to Ellis Park after Churchill Downs closed their spring meeting earlier due to a spate of injuries.[11]

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.[12]

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.[13] The Maryland-bred Aloha West on his first attempt in the event in 2021 finished fourth to Bango.[14] 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.[15] Bango finished 4th in the same event.[15] Aloha West would have one more start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland before retiring.[16]

Records

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Speed record:

  • 6+1⁄2 furlongs: 1:14.89 – Closethegame Sugar (2025)
  • 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)

Most wins by a jockey:

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)

Winners

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Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
At Churchill Downs – Kelly's Landing Stakes
2024 Closethegame Sugar 4 Irad Ortiz Jr. Adam Rice Adam Rice & Sugar Diaz 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:14.89 $235,000 Listed [17]
At Ellis Park
2023 Bango 6 Tyler Gaffalione Gregory D. Foley Tamaroak Partners 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.02 $225,000 Listed [18]
At Churchill Downs – Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes
2022 Aloha West 5 Joel Rosario Wayne M. Catalano Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners 6+1⁄2 furlongs 1:15.44 $120,350 Listed [15]
2021 Bango 4 Tyler Gaffalione Gregory D. Foley Tamaroak Partners 7 furlongs 1:21.25 $107,025 [14]
2020 Race not held
2019 Line Judge 5 Corey Lanerie Peter Miller Tom Kagele 7 furlongs 1:21.35 $120,600 [19]
2018 C Z Rocket 4 Shaun Bridgmohan Albert M. Stall Jr. Frank Fletcher Racing Operations 7 furlongs 1:21.51 $68,130 [20]
2017 Limousine Liberal 5 Robby Albarado Ben Colebrook Katherine G. Ball 7 furlongs 1:23.08 $70,893 [21]
Kelly's Landing Stakes
2016 Alsvid 7 Chris Landeros Chris A. Hartman Black Hawk Stable 7 furlongs 1:22.55 $64,465 [22]
2015 Viva Majorca 4 Brian Hernandez Jr. Ian R. Wilkes Marylou Whitney Stables 7 furlongs 1:22.12 $67,750 [23]
2014 Good Lord 7 Brian Hernandez Jr. Forrest H. Kaelin Thomas D. Shank & Stan Young 7 furlongs 1:22.45 $58,128 [24]
2013 Right to Vote 4 Shaun Bridgmohan Ron Moquett B J D Thoroughbreds 7 furlongs 1:22.44 $60,325 [25]
2012 Delaunay 5 Leandro D. Goncalves Thomas M. Amoss Maggi Moss 7 furlongs 1:22.77 $67,000 [26]
2011 Here Comes Ben 5 Jon Court Charlie LoPresti Brandon L. & Marianne I. Chase 7 furlongs 1:22.26 $76,445 [6]
2010 Here Comes Ben 4 Alex Solis Charlie LoPresti Brandon L. & Marianne I. Chase 7 furlongs 1:21.89 $65,387 [3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Equibase - Horse Profiles Kelly's Landing (KY)". www.equibase.com. Equibase. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  2. ^ "$225,000 Kelly's Landing (Listed)" (PDF). kentuckyderby.com (media). Churchill Downs Inc. 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "2010 Kelly's Landing Stakes Black Type – (race 10)". Equibase. 25 June 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  4. ^ "Equibase - Horse Profiles Here Comes Ben (KY)". www.equibase.com. Equibase. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  5. ^ Shandler, Jason (September 4, 2010). "Here Comes Ben Pulls Forego Upset; The 4-year-old son of Street Cry was making his graded stakes debut". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  6. ^ a b "2011 Kelly's Landing Stakes Black Type – (race 10)". Equibase. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  7. ^ "HERE COMES BEN (USA) dkb/br. H, 2006 {4-n} - 17 Starts, 7 Wins, 1 Places, 3 Shows Career Earnings: $410,764". Pedigee Online. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  8. ^ "Benson makes statement with impressive victory in George HoSang Trophy". jamaicaobserver.com. Jamaica Observer. January 24, 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2025. 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.
  9. ^ a b "KELLYS LANDING STAKES - MULTIPLE TRACKS". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  10. ^ "Churchill Downs Announces $9.85 Million September Stakes Schedule Led by Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks and Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby". churchilldowns.com. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  11. ^ King, Byron (2 June 2023). "Churchill Downs Suspends Meet; Dates to Shift to Ellis The ongoing meet at Churchill Downs had been scheduled to run through July 3". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  12. ^ "TOBA Announces U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes for 2025". Bloodhorse.com. Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  13. ^ Rollins, Molly (September 27, 2024). "Bango Runs to Record 12th Win at Churchill Downs; Son of Congrats becomes the all-time winningest horse at the Louisville, Ky. track". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  14. ^ a b "2021 Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes Black Type – (race 10)". Equibase. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  15. ^ a b c "2022 Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes Listed – (race 9)". Equibase. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  16. ^ Rollins, Molly; Perez, Joe (November 13, 2022). "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". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  17. ^ "2024 Kelly's Landing Stakes Listed – (race 10)". Equibase. 29 June 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  18. ^ "2023 Kelly's Landing Stakes Listed – (race 6)". Equibase. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  19. ^ "2019 Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes Black Type – (race 8)". Equibase. 29 June 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  20. ^ "2018 Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes Black Type – (race 10)". Equibase. 30 June 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  21. ^ "2017 Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes Black Type – (race 10)". Equibase. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  22. ^ "2016 Kelly's Landing Stakes Black Type – (race 10)". Equibase. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  23. ^ "2015 Kelly's Landing Stakes Black Type – (race 10)". Equibase. 27 June 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  24. ^ "2014 Kelly's Landing Stakes Black Type – (race 10)". Equibase. 28 June 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  25. ^ "2013 Kelly's Landing Stakes Black Type – (race 3)". Equibase. 29 June 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  26. ^ "2012 Kelly's Landing Stakes Black Type – (race 9)". Equibase. 23 June 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
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