Stakes History: Spiral Stakes

The first of the major Kentucky Derby preps is this weekend at Turfway in the Spiral Stakes. The national audience will be getting their first look at horses who could end up in the gate for this year's Derby. Though the race has had several names (Jim Beam, Lane's End), and was recently downgraded to a Grade 3 from a Grade 2. Some pretty good horses have won this race.



Note: there are a few horses where I could not find their Spiral wins on YouTube. Sorry about that


1986: Broad Brush (Ack Ack)- He would turn his Jim Beam into a Wood Memorial win. After finishing third in the Derby and Preakness, he skipped the Belmont. He would win the Ohio Derby, PA Derby, Meadowlands Cup, Big Cap, and Suburban. As a sire, he would have a BCC winner in Concern, Include who is quite underrated as an and Justenoughheart who is the dam to Lewis Michael and BC Juvenile Fillies winner Dreaming of Anna.


1990: Summer Squall (Storm Bird)- While little brother A.P. Indy would steal his thunder, he was a very good horse in his own right. He would win the Bluegrass on his way to finishing second in the Derby and winning the Preakness. I would also win the PA Derby and Fayatte Handicap after his Preakness win. As a sire, he has KY Derby winner Charismatic and KY Oaks winner Summerly.


1991: Hansel (Woodman)- 




He won the Jim Beam in stakes record time, and then followed that up with a win in the Lexington. After finishing 10th as the beaten favorite, he would win the Preakness and Belmont. While his career ended in August of that year after a runner up finish in the Travers, he had done enough to be named 3yo Champion Male. Hansel has been a disappointment at stud, and for a time was sent to Japan. However, he is back home in the US.

1992: Lil E. Tee (At the Threshold)- Much like his dad who won this race in 1984, he was ridden by Pat Day. After a runner up finish in the Arkansas Derby, he won the Run for the Roses. As a four year old he would win the Razorback Handicap as well.

1993: Prairie Bayou (Little Missouri)- He won the Blue Grass after his Jim Beam win. After finishing second in the Derby, he would become the first gelding since Creme Fraiche to win a TC race by winning the Preakness. Sadly, Julie Krone's Belmont win (the first by a woman jockey) would be overshadowed by his breakdown and euthanization. He was posthumously named 3yo Champion Male.

1995: Serena's Song (Rahy)- This would be the first of two times that year that she would defeat the boys. After a 16th finish in the Derby, she would win the Black Eyed Susan 2 weeks later. That July it would be the Haskell, and she would return to Turfway to finish behind Mariah's Storm (dam of Giant's Causeway) in the Turfway Breeders' Cup Stakes. Named 3yo Champion Female. As a four year old she would win G1 races such as the Santa Monica, and Hempstead (now the Ogden Phipps). Serena has a G2 winner in Grand Reward, G1 winner Sophisticat and G2 Harlington among her foals. She is in the Hall of Fame.

1996: Roar (Forty Niner)- He didn't run in the TC, but he still has recently made an impact on horse racing.   He's the broodmare sire of Rachel Alexandra, and his female family has the 2010 Leading Freshman Sire Congrats.

2002: Perfect Drift (Dynaformer)- He would go onto be one of the most popular racehorses. After a 3rd place finish in the Derby and 10th in the Belmont, he won the Indiana Derby. While he only won 1 Grade 1 race in the 2003 Stephen Foster (he should have two, but Seek Gold nosed him out 2006 edition), he always tried his best. He was retired in a ceremony at Turfway after his 2008 season. He currently splits his time between Churchill Downs museum and his owners farm.

2005: Flower Alley (Distorted Humor)-



While he would win the Lane's End, the light wouldn't go on until after the TC. He would win the Jim Dandy and the Travers, before finishing a very good second in the BCC. That normally would be more then enough to give him 3yo honors, but Afleet Alex who didn't run past the Belmont was named Champion. He wasn't the same horse at 4 despite winning a G3. At stud, it's been a bit on the quiet side. With that being said, he does have a G1 winner in Lilacs and Lace, G3 winner Bouquet Booth (who hails from the same female family as HOY Havre de Grace) and several promising horses. (Runner up in the race Wild Desert would win the Queen's Plate for CAN breds later that summer.)

2007: Hard Spun (Danzig)-



This was an important win for him in that he was able to rebound from a poor Southwest where he had finished in fourth. His TC record speaks for it's self, one of the "Big Three", he was second behind Street Sense in the Derby, third behind Curlin and SS in the Preakness and fourth behind Rags to Riches in the Belmont. Runner up behind Any Given Saturday in the Haskell and gets his G1 win in the King's Bishop. He returns to Turfway to defeat Street Sense in the Kentucky Cup, and ends his career with a good second in the mud in the BCC behind Curlin. Hard Spun finished 2nd on the Freshman Sire List last year via earnings (however had more winners then 1st place Scat Daddy), and is currently leading the Sophmore Sire List. Among his foals include G2 winner in England Red Duke, G2 placed Midnight Transfer and Glinda the Good, G3 placed Inny Minnie and Yvete Sangalo (MEX), as well as stakes winners Hardend Wildcat and Hard Not to Like. He also has a few promising horses.

2011: Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux (BRZ))-



Surprised many people by not only taking the Derby in his next race after winning the Spiral, but it was his first time on dirt and did it with a jockey (John Velazquez) who got the mount after his horse had scratched (Uncle Mo), do to an injury to Robby Alberado who was supposed to ride him. He would show that he was no fluke by finishing a brave second in the Preakness behind Shackleford and prob. would have finished better in the Belmont if Johnny V had almost come out of the saddle. Unfortunately he was injured in the race, and was given the rest of the year off. However with no standout, in the 3yo division his Derby win was enough to just hold off mile specialist Caleb's Posse for 3yo Male honors. He returned better then ever in allowance earlier this year, only to suffer a minor injury that will have him sidelined for a few months.