The Jessamine Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old filles over a distance of miles on the turf held annually in early October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky during the fall meeting.

History

The event was inaugurated on 22 October 1991 as the Green River Stakes and was won by the second favorite Shes Just Super who was ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day in a time of 1:44.91. The name of the event was named after the Green River a tributary of the Ohio River that rises in Lincoln County in south-central Kentucky. The event was created in parallel with the Hopemont Stakes which was run one day later for two-year-olds regardless of sex.

The event was run in two divisions in 1994.

In 2003 the event was renamed to the Jessamine County Stakes – Jessamine County is near Lexington and is considered part of the Lexington-Fayette metropolitan area. In 2005 the event was renamed to the Jessamine Stakes.

In 2009, the race was moved from the turf to the main all weather track due to weather conditions.

The American Graded Stakes Committee made it a Graded stakes race for the first time in 2011 and was upgraded to Grade II status in 2018.

The race is currently part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series and was sponsored by JP Morgan Chase. The winner automatically qualify for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Records Speed record: 1:40.86 – Aunt Pearl (IRE) (2020)

Margins lengths – Sweet Melania (2019)

Most wins by an owner 3 – William A. Carl (1991, 1997, 2003) 3 – Kenneth L. Ramsey (1994, 2000, 2014)

Most wins by a jockey 5 – Pat Day (1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001)

Most wins by a trainer 4 – Kenneth G. McPeek (1993, 2003, 2009, 2010) 4 – Todd A. Pletcher (2002, 2004, 2005, 2019)

Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefJessamine Stakes2026Serenas GhostLuis SaezJoe SharpMoving Forward Racing miles1:45.57$400,000II2025ImaginationtheladyFrankie DettoriBrendan P. WalshMark Dobbin miles1:42.61$398,750II2024May Day Ready Frankie Dettori Joseph Lee KatieRich Stables miles1:44.10$350,000II2023Buchu Martin Garcia Philip BauerRigney Racing miles1:42.48$350,000II2022DelightLuis SaezJonathan ThomasAugustin Stable miles1:44.14$320,463II2021California AngelRafael BejaranoGeorge Leonard IIIChris Walsh miles1:44.30$200,000II2020Aunt Pearl (IRE)Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxMichael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Peter Deutsch, Michael E. Kisber, The Elkstone Group miles1:40.86$150,000II2019Sweet MelaniaJose L. OrtizTodd A. PletcherLawana L. & Robert E. Low miles1:43.13$200,000II2018Concrete RoseJose LezcanoGeorge R. Arnold II Ashbrook Farm & BBN Racing miles1:44.09$200,000II2017Rushing FallJavier CastellanoChad C. Brown e Five Racing Thoroughbreds miles1:46.20$150,000III2016La CoronelFlorent GerouxMark E. Casse John C. Oxley miles1:43.37$150,000III2015HarmonizeJunior AlvaradoWilliam I. Mott Larkin Armstrong miles1:44.19$150,000III2014Joel RosarioH. Graham Motion Three Chimneys Farm miles1:43.85$150,000III2013Kitten KaboodleAlan GarciaChad C. Brown Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey miles1:44.01$150,000III2012MoonwalkCorey J. LanerieDale L. Romans Spendthrift Farm miles1:45.17$150,000III2011Somali LemonadeAlex O. SolisMichael R. Matz Caroline A. Forgason miles1:45.39$150,000III2010KathmanbluJulien R. LeparouxKenneth G. McPeek Five D Thoroughbreds & Wind River Stables miles1:44.01$150,000Listed 2009House of GraceMichael J. LuzziKenneth G. McPeek Magdalena Racing miles1:44.32$150,000 Listed 2008LaraghEdgar S. PradoJohn P. Terranova II Golden Goose Enterprise & IEAH Stables miles1:43.54$150,000 Listed 2007Wind in My WingsJamie TheriotReade Baker Craig B. Singer miles1:45.34$150,000 Listed 2006SwingitBrian Hernandez Jr.Hal R. Wiggins Robert V. Hovelson miles1:43.37$125,000 Listed 2005J'rayBrice BlancTodd A. Pletcher Lawrence Goichman miles1:45.57$112,000 Listed Jessamine County Stakes2004Paddy's DaisyJohn R. VelazquezTodd A. Pletcher Stonehaven Farm miles1:44.33$112,600 Listed 2003Galloping GalBrice BlancKenneth G. McPeek William A. Carl miles1:44.56$113,200Listed Green River Stakes2002Ocean DriveJohn R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherBonnie & Sy Baskin miles1:44.30$111,500Listed 2001StylelistickPat DayWilliam I. Mott Dream With Me Stable & Team Valor miles1:45.88$113,900 Listed 2000Word PuzzleMarlon St. JulienCharles Simon Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey miles1:43.81$84,075 Listed 1999SolvigPat DayCarl A. Nafzger Bentley L. Smith miles1:42.21$67,025 Listed 1998Perfect StingPat DayPatrick B. Byrne Stronach Stables miles1:43.77$71,500 Listed 1997Runnaway DreamShane SellersW. Elliott Walden William A. Carl miles1:43.60$68,500Listed 1996Parade QueenPat DayNeil J. Howard William S. Farish III & Edward J. Hudson miles1:45.21$68,500Listed 1995AntespendShane Sellers Jack Kent Cooke miles1:45.30$63,000 Listed 1994Christmas GiftMark A. Hennig Edward P. Evans miles1:43.96$46,100 Bail Out BeckyShane SellersWilliam I. MottKenneth L. Ramsey1:44.16$50,6001993Fred's AffairJoseph J. SteinerTerry J. Brennan Jeff Rand miles1:45.59$49,000 1992WarsideShane SellersKenneth G. McPeek Roy K. Monroe miles1:45.36$45,500 1991Shes Just SuperPat DayW. Elliott Walden William A. Carl miles1:44.91$43,700

Legend:

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References