The Clement L. Hirsch Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age three years and older over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt track, scheduled annually in late July or early August at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The event currently carries a purse of $400,000.

History

The event was inaugurated as the Chula Vista Handicap on July 17, 1937, as a five and one-half furlong race for two-year-olds bred in California and was won by High Strike owned by singer Bing Crosby. The event was held again until 1967 when it was run at a distance of one mile.

In 1973, the race was brought back permanently as a contest for horses aged three and older at a distance of miles on the turf. During the next few years there would be more distance changes. It was run at miles in 1973, 1 mile in 1974–1975, and seven and one-half furlongs from 1976–1980, after which it was set at its current distance of miles.

In 1981 the event was moved to the dirt and the events conditions changed to the current restriction of fillies and mares that are three-years-old and older. Since then it has been run on the dirt except from 2007 to 2014 when Del Mar used a synthetic "all weather" surface.

In 2000 it was renamed to honor Clement L. Hirsch (1914–2000), a Thoroughbred owner whose horse, Magical Maiden won this race in 1993. A Newport Beach, California businessman, Hirsch was responsible for the creation of the Oak Tree Racing Association.

The race was run in two divisions in 1977 and again in 1980.

The event was classified as Grade III in 1983, upgraded to Grade II in 1986 and a Grade I event in 2009. At the same time, conditions for the event changed from a handicap to a stakes format.

In the 1980s when this event became a fillies and mares race it started to attract high calibre performers that would confirm the status of the event. Starting in 1984 with the winner Princess Rooney who later that year would win the Breeders' Cup Distaff and be crowned US Champion Older Dirt Female Horse. The 1990 winner, the Argentine bred mare Bayakoa would rectify her unplaced finish from 1989 and would also win the Breeders' Cup Distaff for the second time and retain her position as US Champion Older Dirt Female Horse. Allen E. Paulson's two-time winner of the event, Azeri would become US Horse of the Year in 2002. Zenyatta proved her dominance in this event winning it three times and with that she continued on winning the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic and in 2010 becoming US Horse of the Year.

Records Speed record: miles: 1:40.00 – Matching (1982) (new stakes and track record)

Speed record: 7 lengths – Beholder (2015)

Most wins: 3 – Zenyatta (2008, 2009, 2010)

Most wins by a jockey: 7 – Chris McCarron (1981, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000)

Most wins by a trainer: 5 – John W. Sadler (2006, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019)

Most wins by an owner: 3 – Sidney Craig (1992, 1994, 1996) 3 – Jerry and Ann Moss (2008, 2009, 2010) 3 – Hronis Racing (2014, 2016, 2017)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefClement L. Hirsch Stakes2026Eunomia4Micah J. HusbandsSaffie A. Joseph, Jr.St. Elias Stables LLC and WSS Racing, LLC miles1:44.10$402,000I2025Seismic Beauty4Juan J. HernandezBob BaffertMyRacehorse & Peter Leidel miles1:42.33$400,500I2024Adare Manor 5Juan J. HernandezBob BaffertMichael Lund Petersen miles1:43.29$401,500I2023Adare Manor 4Juan J. HernandezBob BaffertMichael Lund Petersen miles1:43.33$400,000I2022Blue Stripe (ARG)5Hector I. BerriosMarcelo PolancoPozo de Luna miles1:42.97$400,000I2021Shedaresthedevil4Florent Geroux Brad CoxFlurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing and Big Aut Farms miles1:45.38$300,000I2020Fighting Mad4 Abel Cedillo Bob BaffertGary L. & Mary E. West miles1:43.46$250,500I2019Ollie's Candy4Kent J. DesormeauxJohn W. SadlerPaul & Karen Eggert miles1:44.66$300,351I2018Unique Bella4Mike E. SmithJerry HollendorferDon Alberto Stable miles1:44:40$300,000I2017Stellar Wind5Victor EspinozaJohn W. SadlerHronis Racing miles1:43.92$300,000I2016Stellar Wind4Victor EspinozaJohn W. SadlerHronis Racing miles1:41.24$300,000I2015Beholder5Gary L. StevensRichard E. MandellaSpendthrift Farm miles1:43.81$300,750I2014Iotapa4Joseph TalamoJohn W. SadlerHronis Racing miles1:43.04$300,250I2013Lady of Fifty4Corey NakataniJerry HollendorferJerry Hollendorfer & George Todaro miles1:42.96$301,000I2012Include Me Out3Joseph TalamoRonald W. Ellis Jay Em Ess Stable miles1:41.96$300,000I2011Ultra Blend5Tyler BazeArt ShermanNels J. Erickson miles1:42.28$300,000I2010Zenyatta6Mike E. SmithJohn ShirreffsJerry & Ann Moss miles1:45.03$300,000I2009Zenyatta5Mike E. SmithJohn ShirreffsJerry & Ann Moss miles1:43.24$300,000IClement L. Hirsch Handicap 2008Zenyatta4Mike E. SmithJohn ShirreffsJerry & Ann Moss miles1:41.48$300,000II2007Nashoba's Key4Joseph TalamoCarla GainesWarren B. Williamson miles1:48.29$300,000II2006Healthy Addiction5Victor EspinozaJohn W. SadlerPamela C. Ziebarth miles1:42.92$294,000II2005Tucked Away5Alex O. SolisPatrick GallagherNico Nierenberg miles1:42.82$300,000II2004Miss Loren (ARG)6Jon CourtLuis E. SeglinLlers Corporation miles1:42.93$300,000II2003Azeri5Mike E. SmithLaura de SerouxA. E. Paulson Trust miles1:42.12$300,000II2002Azeri4Mike E. SmithLaura de SerouxA. E. Paulson Trust miles1:42.66$300,000II2001Tranquility Lake6Julio C. CananiPam & Martin Wygod miles1:41.78$294,000 II2000Riboletta (BRZ)5Chris McCarronEduardo Inda Aaron U. & Marie Jones miles1:42.06$300,000IIChula Vista Handicap1999A Lady From Dixie4Chris AntleyD. Wayne LukasRobert D. & Marilyn Randal miles1:43.40$300,000II1998Sharp Cat4Corey NakataniWallace DollaseThe Thoroughbred Corp. miles1:42.00$294,000II1997Radu Cool5Chris McCarronJohn Shirreffs505 Farms miles1:42.60$300,000II1996Different (ARG)4Chris McCarronRon McAnallySidney Craig miles1:42.40$303,200II1995Borodislew5Chris McCarronEduardo Inda505 Farms miles1:41.80$313,100II1994§ Paseana (ARG)7Chris McCarronRon McAnallySidney Craig miles1:40.40$202,100II1993Magical Maiden4Gary L. StevensWarren StuteClement L. Hirsch miles1:42.60$213,600II1992Exchange4Laffit Pincay Jr.William SpawrSidney Craig miles1:42.00$213,100II1991Vieille Vigne (FR)4Martin A. PedrozaJude T. FeldFry & Gasen miles1:42.60$210,300II1990Bayakoa (ARG)6Laffit Pincay Jr.Ron McAnallyFrank & Janis Whitham miles1:40.60$156,000II 1989Goodbye Halo4Corey BlackAlex Campbell Jr. & Arthur B. Hancock III miles1:41.80$133,400II1988Clabber Girl5Chris McCarronD. Wayne LukasJohn A. Nerud miles1:41.60$131,600II1987Infinidad (CHI)5Corey BlackCharles E. WhittinghamArthur B. Hancock III miles1:41.40$106,650II1986Fran's Valentine4Bill ShoemakerJoseph ManziGreen Thumb Farm miles1:41.40$100,000II 1985Dontstop Themusic5Darrel G. McHargueRandy WinickAlbert R. & Dana N. Broccoli miles1:41.80$79,775III1984Princess Rooney4Pat ValenzuelaNeil D. DrysdalePaula J. Tucker miles1:40.40$105,350III1983§ Sangue (IRE)5Bill ShoemakerHenry M. MorenoR. Charlene Parks miles1:42.20$80,350III1982Matching4Ray SibilleSteven L. MorguelanGlencrest Farm & Steven L. Morguelan miles1:40.00$79,600 1981Save Wild Life4Chris McCarronHoward M. TesherH. Joseph Allen miles1:41.60$81,400 1980Wayside Station5Pat ValenzuelaEdwin J. GregsonHarris Farms furlongs1:28.80$32,875 4Bill ShoemakerCharles E. WhittinghamL. Rowan (Lessee)1:29.00$32,8751979He's Dewan4Darrel G. McHargueJerry M. FanningDan J. Agnew furlongs1:29.00$39,600 1978Nantequos5Darrel G. McHargueRon McAnallyMr. & Mrs. Albert Katz furlongs1:29.40$33,750 1977Notably Different5Chuck BaltazarJay M. RobbinsArthur, Parsons & Robbins furlongs1:29.20$22,375 Authorization4Darrel G. McHargueWillard L. ProctorGlen Hill Farm1:29.40$22,1751976Uniformity4Rudy CampasWillard L. ProctorGlen Hill Farm furlongs1:28.20$28,150 1975Bahia Key5Wayne Harris Robert K. Mitchell Robert K. Mitchell & Gil Wiener1 mile1:34.00$21,7501974Bahia Key4Álvaro Pineda Robert K. Mitchell Robert K. Mitchell & Gil Wiener1 mile1:34.20$22,6501973Grotonian4Bill ShoemakerCharlie WhittinghamMarjorie L. Everett miles1:50.60$21,6001968–1972Race not held1967Daystar II (ARG)5Bill HartackFarrell W. Jones Mr. & Mrs. Hastings Harcourt1 mile1:35.20$16,5501938–1966Race not held1937High Strike2Tim SenaAlbert M. JohnsonBing Crosby furlongs1:06.00$1,145

Legend:

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

† In the 1937 the event was restricted to two year olds bred in California

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

External links 2020 Del Mar Media Guide

References