The Maryland Sprint Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance of six furlongs run annually in mid May on Preakness Stakes day at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 13 June 1987 as the Maryland Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap at Laurel Park Racecourse over a distance of seven furlongs. Between 1987 and 2006, the Breeders' Cup sponsored the event while Budweiser sponsored the event from 1987 to 1995 which reflected in the name of the event.

Since its second running, the race has been run on the Preakness Stakes undercard at Pimlico racetrack over a distance of six furlongs.2007 Maryland Jockey Club Media Guide, page 55 on March 3, 2007.

The race was first awarded graded status by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association in 1994.

The event was changed to the Maryland Sprint Stakes in 2017 when the conditions of the race were modified to be stakes with allowance weight conditions.

The event was the lead off leg of the Mid Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Sprint Dirt Division or MATCh Races, a series of five races in five separate thoroughbred divisions run throughout four Mid-Atlantic States.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States the Preakness Carnival was moved to October and the event was not scheduled.

Records Speed record: 6 furlongs – 1:09.07 - Forest Wildcat (1996)

Margins: lengths – Snow Ridge (2002)

Most wins: No horse has won this race more than once.

Most wins by a jockey: 3 - Jerry Bailey (1993, 1998, 1999) 3 - Edgar Prado (1994, 2005, 2008) 3 - Ricardo Santana Jr. (2017, 2018, 2019)

Most wins by a trainer: 4 - D. Wayne Lukas (1995, 1999, 2002, 2012) 4 - Steven M. Asmussen (2018, 2019, 2022, 2025)

Most wins by an owner: 2 - Overbrook Farm (1995, 2002)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Laurel Park – Maryland Sprint Stakes2026Bring the Smoke 4 Tyler Gaffalione D. Whitworth BeckmanAwestrike Racing, Berry Family Racing, Legion Racing, GLAM Racing & Clarke Ohrstrom6 furlongs 1:10.73$150,000IIIAt Pimlico 2025Booth 4 Erik AsmussenSteven M. AsmussenWilliam L. Heiligbrodt, Corinne Heiligbrodt, Jackpot Farm & Whispering Oaks Farm6 furlongs 1:10.39$148,500III2024Super Chow4Javier CastellanoJorge DelagadoLea Farms6 furlongs 1:11.19$100,000III20234John R. VelazquezDan BlackerMyRacehorse 6 furlongs 1:08.27$100,000III2022Jaxon Traveler4Joel RosarioSteven M. AsmussenWest Point Thoroughbreds & Marvin Delfiner6 furlongs1:09.70$150,000III2021Special Reserve 5Irad Ortiz Jr.Michael J. MakerParadise Farms & David Staudacher6 furlongs1:08.91$142,500III2020Race not held2019New York Central4Ricardo Santana Jr.Steven M. AsmussenWinstar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing6 furlongs1:08.74$150,000III2018Switzerland4Ricardo Santana Jr.Steven M. AsmussenWoodford Racing6 furlongs1:09.43$150,000III2017Whitmore4Ricardo Santana Jr.Ron MoquettRobert V. LaPenta, Southern Springs Stables & Head of Plains Partners6 furlongs1:09.90$150,000IIIMaryland Sprint Handicap2016Always Sunshine4Frankie PenningtonEdward T. AllardStonehedge 6 furlongs1:10.49$150,000III2015Sandbar4Joel RosarioJoe SharpKenneth and Sarah Ramsey6 furlongs1:09.81$150,000III2014Happy My Way4Joe BravoJoe OrsenoSagamore Farm & Mel Paikoff6 furlongs1:09.21$150,000III2013Sage Valley4John R. VelazquezRudy R. RodriguezMichael Dubb6 furlongs1:10.51$150,000III20126Corey NakataniD. Wayne LukasWestrock Stables & Barry Butzow6 furlongs1:10.48$100,000III2011Ventana5Martin GarciaBob Baffert Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman 6 furlongs1:09.88$100,000III2010Taqarub4Eibar CoaKiaran P. McLaughlinShadwell Stable6 furlongs1:10.02$100,000III2009Ravalo5John R. VelazquezDonald H. BarrLindy M. Redding6 furlongs1:09.95$100,000III2008Starforaday5Edgar S. PradoGary C. ContessaWinning Move Stable6 furlongs1:09.80$100,000III2007Diabolical4Mario G. PinoSteve KlesarisJeff Puglisi & Steve Klesaris6 furlongs1:09.16$198,500 IIIMaryland Breeders' Cup Sprint Handicap2006Friendly Island5Garrett K. GomezTodd A. PletcherAnstu Stable6 furlongs1:09.94$190,000IIIMaryland Breeders' Cup Handicap2005Willy o'the Valley4Edgar S. PradoRichard E. Dutrow Jr.IEAH Stables 6 furlongs1:09.95$189,000III2004Gators N Bears4Charles C. LopezLeo S. Nechamkin IILeo S. Nechamkin II6 furlongs1:10.84$186,000III2003§ Pioneer Boy5Jeremy RoseJohn J. RobbMichael J. Gill6 furlongs1:10.35$200,000III2002Snow Ridge4Mike E. SmithD. Wayne LukasOverbrook Farm6 furlongs1:10.06$200,000III2001Disco Rico4Harry VegaValora A. TestermanAlfred DiRico6 furlongs1:10.40$200,000III2000Dr. Max4Shane SellersGloria M. WenderothMartin B. Bernstein & Rufus Freeman6 furlongs1:10.91$137,000III1999Yes It's True3Jerry D. BaileyD. Wayne LukasPadua Stable6 furlongs1:09.20$194,000III1998Richter Scale4Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. MottNancy R. and Richard S. Kaster6 furlongs1:09.45$200,000III1997Cat Be Nimble5Joseph RoccoTimothy F. RitcheyCandy Stable6 furlongs1:10.12$209,600III1996§ Forest Wildcat5Joe BravoBen W. Perkins Sr.New Farm6 furlongs1:09.07$216,200IIIMaryland Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap1995Commanche Trail4Mike E. SmithD. Wayne LukasOverbrook Farm6 furlongs1:09.35$154,750III1994Secret Odds4Edgar S. PradoLawrence E. MurraySondra D. Bender6 furlongs1:10.38$156,025III1993Senor Speedy6Jerry D. BaileyAlfredo CallejasRobert Perez6 furlongs1:09.69$155,650 Listed 1992Potentiality6Pat DayRobert E. HolthusDan Jones & Halford E. Sutton 6 furlongs1:10.25$155,500 Listed 1991Jeweler's Choice6Chris McCarronJohn W. Hicks IIIFourbros Stable6 furlongs1:10.38$154,350 Listed 1990Norquestor4Craig PerretSonny HineScott C. Savin6 furlongs1:09.40$155,900 1989King's Nest5Joseph RoccoLawrence E. MurraySondra D. Bender 6 furlongs1:09.60$127,650 1988Fire Plug5Eddie GaudetArthur I. Appleton6 furlongs1:10.60$84,800 At Laurel Park1987Purple Mountain5Eliezer Ortiz Jr.Jacques D. Wimpfheimer7 furlongs1:24.40$144,000

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

See also Maryland Sprint Handicap "top three finishers" and starters List of American and Canadian Graded races

External sites Pimlico Race Course official website

References