The Bewitch Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares four-year-olds and older over a distance of miles on the turf held annually in April at Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky during the spring meeting. The event currently offers a purse of $300,000.

History

The race is named for Calumet Farm's great Hall of Fame filly, Bewitch. Bewitch won her first two races as a two-year-old at Keeneland. The first event was on 10 April 1947, a maiden, The Dixiana Purse a four furlong race in which Bewitch won easily. The following week Bewitch won the Thoroughbred Club Dinner Purse equaling the track record in 46 seconds flat for the four furlong distance that was held by Odessa Beulah since 27 April 1937. Bewitch would win her first eight races and later would be voted U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Filly for 1947. Keeneland honored this fine champion with the running of the inaugural Bewitch Stakes, a two-year-old filly event on closing day of the spring meeting on 24 April 1962 with Bonnie's Girl winning by lengths in a time of 48 seconds for the about four furlong distance. Bonnie's Girl would finish second the following year in the Kentucky Oaks which was won by Sally Ship.

In 1965 the distance of the event was set at furlongs with the extension of the chute which is now known as the Headley Course. The number of two-year-old fillies that would enter the event was high which would enable Keeneland to split the event into divisions. This occurred in 1965, 1966, 1971, 1972 and 1976. The last time the event was held as a two-year-old stakes race was in 1978.

In 1979 the event was held with conditions for fillies and mares that are four years old or older and the distance was set at miles.

In 1982 the American Graded Stakes Committee upgraded the race to its current Grade III status.

Between 1979 and 1985 when the event was held on the dirt track three winners of the race had earlier had won the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park – Miss Baja scored a major upset at Oaklawn in 1979, confirmed her victory by winning by the Bewitch Stakes by lengths, Bold 'n Determined in 1981 and Heatherten in 1984.

Keeneland installed a new turf track in the fall of 1985 and in the following spring meeting (1986) the event was moved as was the Elkhorn Stakes (for all horses) and scheduled as a miles event.

In 1995 the distance of the event was increased to miles.

The event was not held 2020 during Keeneland's spring meeting which was moved to July and shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

Records Speed record miles turf: 2:27.54 – Bursting Forth (1999) miles turf: 1:48.37 – La Gueriere (1992) miles dirt: 1:43.00 – Miss Baja (1979), Jolie Dutch (1980) furlongs dirt: 0:51.00 – Royalty Note (1968)

Margins 9 lengths – Shore (1966), Forever After All (2025)

Most wins: 3 – War Like Goddess (2021, 2022, 2023)

Most wins by a jockey 6 – Pat Day (1983, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997)

Most wins by an owner 3 – George Krikorian (2021, 2022, 2023)

Most wins by a trainer 6 – William I. Mott (1984, 1989, 1993, 2021, 2022, 2023)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref2026Speed Shopper5John R. VelazquezWilliam WaldenGary Barber, Bridlewood Farm & Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners miles2:29.00$348,750 III2025Forever After All6Irad Ortiz Jr.Brendan P. WalshDixiana Farms miles2:35.56$319,500III 2024Chop Chop4Axel Concepcion Brad H. CoxSelective, LLC miles2:27.80$290,125 III2023War Like Goddess6 Joel RosarioWilliam I. MottGeorge Krikorian miles2:32.11$297,500III2022War Like Goddess 5Joel RosarioWilliam I. MottGeorge Krikorian miles2:31.26$298,500III2021War Like Goddess 4Julien R. LeparouxWilliam I. MottGeorge Krikorian miles2:29.21$150,000III2020Race not held2019Ickymasho (GB)7Jose L. OrtizRoger L. AttfieldTriton Stable miles2:30.02$150,000III2018Mom's On Strike5Adam BeschizzaJoe SharpCarl R. Moore Management & Brad Grady miles2:30.02$150,000III2017Quiet Business4Brian Hernandez Jr.George R. Arnold IICalumet Farm miles2:31.50$150,000III2016Olorda (GER)4Julien R. LeparouxChad C. BrownMartin S. Schwartz miles2:30.09$150,000III2015† Cay Dancer (GB)4Joel RosarioChad C. BrownHighclere America, Barnett miles2:30.28$149,667III2014Inimitable Romanee6Alan GarciaH. Graham MotionGallagher's Stud miles2:32.29$150,000III2013Strathnaver (GB)4Joel RosarioH. Graham MotionAndrew Stone miles2:30.65$150,000III2012Upperline5James GrahamMichael StidhamMichael Stidham, John H. Adger, Stone Farm & Oakcrest Farm miles2:33.28$150,000III2011Keertana5Jose LezcanoThomas F. ProctorBarbara Hunter miles2:33.08$150,000III2010Lady Shakespeare4John R. VelazquezRoger L. AttfieldCharles E. Fipke miles2:31.42$150,000III2009Winter View5Julien R. LeparouxJonathan E. SheppardAugustin Stable miles2:34.11$150,000III2008Communique4Garrett K. GomezGeorge R. Arnold IIG. Watts Humphrey Jr. miles2:28.91$150,000III20075John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherArindel Farm miles2:28.75$150,000III2006Noble Stella (GER)5Edgar S. PradoRoger L. AttfieldGary A. Tanaka miles2:33.15$107,400III2005Angara (GB)4Gary L. StevensPatrick L. BianconeMartin S. Schwartz miles2:36.24$109,300III2004Meridiana (GER)4Edgar S. PradoChristophe ClementSarah & Jon Kelly miles2:31.05$113,400III2003Lilac Queen (GER)5Jerry D. BaileyRobert J. FrankelGary A. Tanaka miles2:29.70$112,100III2002Sweetest Thing4Mark GuidryRoger L. AttfieldRoger L. Attfield, Michael Canino & William Werner miles2:31.97$110,700III2001Keemoon (FR)5Jerry D. BaileyNeil D. DrysdaleHenry E. Pabst miles2:30.28$200,000III2000The Seven Seas4Alex O. SolisRobert J. FrankelCharles Kenis miles2:29.20$113,100III1999Bursting Forth5Jorge F. ChavezH. Graham MotionSam Huff miles2:27.54$110,900III1998Maxzene5Jose A. SantosThomas J. SkiffingtonSekiguchi Fusao miles2:30.50$112,300III1997Cymbala (FR)4Pat DayNeil J. HowardWilliam S. Farish III, George Bolton & J. S. Reynolds miles2:28.87$111,500III1996Memories (IRE)5Shane SellersBurk Kessinger Jr.New Phoenix Stable & Alvin Haynes miles2:30.14$106,500III1995Market Booster6Pat DayD. Wayne LukasMoyglare Stud miles2:29.33$81,825III1994Freewheel5Pat DayNeil J. HowardWilliam S. Farish III & E. J. Hudson miles1:50.24$82,050III1993Miss Lenora4Julie KroneWilliam I. MottAllen E. Paulson miles1:50.60$82,850III1992La Gueriere4Brian Dale PeckA. Peter PerkinsWimborne Farm miles1:48.37$83,750III1991Miss Unnameable7Pat DayD. Wayne LukasLeonard D. Mathis miles1:50.02$86,500III1990Coolawin4Jerry D. BaileyCarl A. NafzgerJim Tafel miles1:49.20$83,150III1989Gaily Gaily (IRE)6Julie KroneWilliam I. MottDiana M. Firestone miles1:50.00$82,850III1988Beauty Cream5Pat DayPatrick C. ClarkWarren N. Moore miles1:51.60$86,550III1987Gerrie Singer6Ricky FrazierJeff TrosclairJohn J. Petrie miles1.52.60$61,125III1986Devalois (FR)4Eddie MapleWoodford C. StephensMrs. Alec Head miles1:54.00$69,900III1985Sintra4K. Keith AllenSteven C. PenrodCherry Valley Farm miles1:43.40$63,275III1984Heatherten5Sam MapleWilliam I. MottJohn A. Franks miles1:45.80$58,350III1983Try Something New 4Pat DayJohn A. Bell III miles1:44.40$56,925III1982Expressive Dance4Don BrumfieldBertram R. FirestoneDiana M. Firestone miles1:43.40$56,025III1981Bold 'n Determined4Eddie DelahoussayeNeil D. DrysdaleSaron Stable miles1:43.80$58,825 1980Jolie Dutch4Randy RomeroAnthony J. LombardiSusan B. Fisher miles1:43.00$45,875 1979Miss Baja4Eddie MapleJoseph B. CanteyLockhart Spears miles1:43.00$35,825 1978Twenty One Inch2Anthony BasileBwamazon Farm (Millard Waldheim) furlongs0:52.60$18,225 1977Crystalan2Garth PattersonGlenn L. HildRaymond Parker furlongs0:53.00$18,380 1976Olden2Robert BreenLloyd P. TateJames H. Stone furlongs0:51.40$16,970 Fun and Tears2Larry MelanconDouglas M. Davis Jr.Patricia Blass0:51.40$17,3701975Pink Jade2Eddie DelahoussayeJohn Ngai Jr.Hoi Toi Stable furlongs0:51.60$18,675 1974Dancing Home2Alan PattersonDon BreashearJ. F. Smith furlongs0:53.60$18,143 Secret's Out2Don BrumfieldJames E. PicouMarcia Lou Schott0:51.40$18,0421973Me and Connie2Jimmy NicholsDouglas M. Davis Jr.Patricia Blass furlongs0:52.40$19,390 1972Gallant Davelle2Jimmy NicholsDouglas M. Davis Jr.George M. Holtsinger furlongs0:52.40$20,825 Bosuns Strike2Anthony DeSpiritoDouglas M. Davis Jr.Joan Turner0:53.20$21,1251971Sidle2David KassenStanley M. Rieser Barbara Hunter furlongs0:52.20$19,950 Cautious Bidder2Jimmy NicholsLarry Robideaux Jr.Larry Robideaux Jr.0:52:00$20,500 1970Fancy Road2Nelson MenardRoy J. GillemDreabon Copelan furlongs0:52.20$21,700 1969Little Tudor2David E. WhitedCarter ThorntonCarter Thornton furlongs0:52.80$23,350 1968Royalty Note2Michael ManganelloThomas H. Stevens Sr.James O. Alston furlongs0:51.00$23,250 1967Jet To Market2Grady OvertonDavid F. ErbRoger W. Wilson & Mrs. Thomas Phillip Hull Jr. furlongs0:51.60$13,925 1966Shore2Jimmy NicholsHarry TrotsekClaiborne Farm furlongs0:52:00$11,850 Furl Sail2Earlie FiresJohn L. WinansMrs. Edwin K. Thomas0:52.60$11,9501965Justakiss2Kenny KnappStanley M. Rieser Clifford Lussky furlongs0:53.00$12,587 Ole Liz2Bill ShoemakerHenry ForrestHenry Forrest & Elton Gordon0:52:40$12,3881964Mississippi Mama2Ronnie BaldwinDouglas M. Davis Jr. Michael & Douglas M. Davis Jr. 0:48.20$13,650 1963Royal Bund2Avelino GomezFrank E. CundallBwamazon Farm (Millard Waldheim)0:49.40$13,150 1962Bonnies Girl2Clarence MeauxE. Thurston ColglazierJ. H. Riedinger0:48.20$15,025

Legend:

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

† In the 2015 running of the event Kitten's Point was first past the post and wagering was paid out as the winner, however the horse returned a positive swab for methocarbamol (Robaxin) and consequently was disqualified from the prizemoney and was placed 14th (last). Cay Dancer (GB) was declared the official winner of the event.

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

External links 2020 Keeneland Media Guide

References