The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes is a ungraded American Thoroughbred horse race for two year olds over a distance of one mile on the turf. Previously, the event was a Grade II event for three-year-olds and up, and contested on dirt usually at a distance of miles. The race has a purse of US$200,000. It is run as part of the undercard on either the Friday card or Saturday card of the Breeders' Cup.

Race history The race was originally established in 2008 as part of the annual Breeders' Cup World Championships with its inaugural running on October 25, 2008 at a distance of miles as the Breeders' Cup Marathon. The inaugural running took place on the second day of the Breeders' Cup on the Pro-Ride synthetic dirt at the 2008 host track, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

In 2009, the distance was extended by 2 furlongs to miles.

Due to technical requirements, the race was not eligible for classification as a graded stakes race in its first two runnings. It received Grade III status effective in 2010. The race was upgraded to Grade II status for 2011. The race was originally run under Weight for Age conditions.

Removal from Breeders' Cup On April 25, 2014, the Breeders' Cup announced that the Marathon would be discontinued. The event was renamed to the Marathon Stakes as an undercard Breeders' Cup stakes race. The purse of the event was reduced from $500,000 to $200,000. The first year, the race was sponsored by the Las Vegas Tourism Board. The event's conditions were changed to Set Weights with allowances.

Citing that "the conditions of the race have not developed into a competition that we believe reaches the standard set by the remaining races comprising the Championships", the Breeders' Cup Committee announced its discontinuation.

However, the venue that holds the Breeders' Cup has been running the event with separate sponsorship.

In 2020 the event was renamed to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes, sponsors since 2017.

In 2024 the event was downgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Grade III status. However, the Breeders' Cup undercard changed the conditions of the event from a Marathon distance for older horses to a two-year-old turf event over one mile. The event was run as an ungraded black-type event.

Records

Margins: lengths – Cary Street (2014)

Most wins: 2 – Rocketry (2018, 2020)

Most wins by a jockey: 2 – John R. Velazquez (2010, 2017) 2 – Joel Rosario (2015, 2018)

Most wins by a trainer: 2 – Brendan P. Walsh (2014, 2016) 2 – James Jerkens (2018, 2020)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – Centennial Farms (2018, 2020)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefThoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes2023 Salesman (IRE)6 Flavien Prat Wertheimer et Frère miles2:44.08$250,000II2022Next 4 Luan Machado William CowansMichael A. Foster miles2:42.59 $342,667II2021 Lone Rock 6 Ramon Vazquez Flying P Stable & R. A. Hill Stable miles 2:42.61† $250,000II2020 Rocketry 6 Irad Ortiz Jr.James A. Jerkens Centennial Farms miles 2:42.57 $200,000II Marathon Stakes2019Itsinthepost (FR)7Drayden Van DykeJeff MullinsRed Baron's Barn miles3:03.95$200,351II2018Rocketry4Joel RosarioCentennial Farms miles2:57.62$200,000II2017Destin4John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherTwin Creeks Racing Stables & Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners miles2:57.77$201,035II2016Scuba5Brendan P. WalshDARRS miles2:58.20$201,380II2015Bailoutbobby5Joel RosarioDoug F. O'NeillR3 Racing miles2:56.75$200,000IILas Vegas Marathon Stakes2014Cary Street5Miguel MenaBrendan P. WalshBrendan P. Walsh & Marc Detampel miles2:58.29$200,750IIBreeders' Cup Marathon2013London Bridge3Mike E. SmithJo HughesEastwind Racing & Martha Trussell miles2:58.32$460,000II20129Aaron GryderGuillermo FrankelStud Dona Pancha miles2:57.25$454,500II2011Afleet Again4Cornelio VelasquezKasey K Racing Stable miles3:00.39$454,500II2010Eldaafer5John R. VelazquezDiane D. MoriciIEAH Stables and Mansour Albaroudy miles2:59.62$454,500III2009Man of Iron3Johnny MurtaghAidan P. O'BrienDerrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor miles2:54.11$454,500 Listed 2008Muhannak (IRE)4Patrick J. SmullenRalph BeckettRichard Pegum miles2:28.24$496,930 Listed

Legend:

Notes:

† New track record

See also Breeders' Cup Marathon "top three finishers" and starters Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships American thoroughbred racing top attended events List of American and Canadian Graded races

References