The Inaugural Stakes

$100,000 Inaugural Stakes

Other Notes: Super Chow’s time of 1:09.60 was the third-fastest in the history of the race. The Inaugural was his third victory in a row during a sixrace span in which he won five of six with a second. Cattin concluded his 2-yearold campaign in 2021 with a flourish, rewarding jockey Samy Camacho with his second consecutive Inaugural Stakes victory. In 2020, homebred gelding Poppy’s Pride added to the wealth of outstanding Florida-bred juvenile stakes winners produced over the years by the Stonehedge LLC concern of Gilbert G. Campbell. In 2019, Daniel Centeno won his third consecutive Inaugural, guiding Arkansas-bred long shot Zaino Boyz to a frontrunning victory. The decision to supplement Gladiator King to the Inaugural in 2018 paid off for the connections of the Florida-bred 2-year-old colt, who drew off on a sloppy track. Tricks to Doo was a $600,000 purchase by Lael Stable out of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2017 2-year-olds in training sale. Trainer Gerald Bennett saddled 2016 Inaugural winner Chance of Luck, joining his son Dale Bennett, who sent out Cool Cowboy to win the 2013 edition. The 2014 Inaugural Stakes winner, Catalina Red, shattered the stakes record while rewarding trainer Chad Stewart and five-time leading jockey Daniel Centeno with their first Inaugural victories. In May of 2016, Catalina Red won the Grade II, $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes while trained by Jorge Navarro and ridden by Javier Castellano. The 2013 Inaugural Stakes winner, Cool Cowboy, is a son of 2009 Eclipse Award-winning Outstanding Sprinter, Kodiak Kowboy. The 2012 winner, Purple Egg, was the first Inaugural Stakes winner to finish in under 1:10 since the race was shortened from seven furlongs in 1996. The fourth-place finisher in that race, Falling Sky, won the Grade III, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and finished third in the Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby. The purse was $25,000 from 1986 through 1998; in 1999 it was run for $40,000 and in 2000 the race was valued at $50,000. In December of 2007, the Inaugural began running for $65,000 and was raised again for the 2011 edition. The 2011 Tampa Bay Derby winner, Watch Me Go, finished fifth in the 2010 Inaugural. The 1988 Inaugural winner, Storm Predictions, won the (then)-Grade III Tampa Bay Derby in 1989 and also won the Challenger at Tampa Bay Downs and the Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream and the Americana Handicap at Calder.