The Sandpiper Stakes

$100,000 Sandpiper Stakes

Fastest Time: 1:09.35* DORTH VADER (2023)

Slowest Time: 1:14.4 EXPENSIVE LUNCH (1995)

Longest Priced Winner: $28.20 MERCEDES SONG (1996)

Shortest Priced Winner: $ 3.60 SHANANIE’S BEAT (1994)

Closest Winning Margin: Nose STAR PERFORMER SPECIAL CHEERS (1997) (2007)

Largest Winning Margin: 9 1/4 Lengths SHANANIE’S BEAT (1994)

Shortest Priced Loser: $ .60 ENQUETE (2013)

Track Condition: Fast Sloppy All except 1995 & 2018

Richest Purse: $100,000 2013-present

Other Notes: New stakes-record holder Dorth Vader finished her juvenile campaign 3-for-5 with two stakes victories, then won the Grade II Davona Dale presented by FanDuel TV at Gulfstream in her second 3-year-old start. Another Florida-bred, 2021 Sandpiper winner Strategic Bird, is owned by film producer Gary Barber, the former chairman and CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and co-founder of Spyglass Entertainment. In 2020, the 2-year-old filly Feeling Mischief turned in the fastest time in Sandpiper history under jockey Jesus Castanon. In 2019, the trainer-jockey combination of Arnaud Delacour and Daniel Centeno made it two Sandpiper scores in a row and three in five years with Lucrezia's victory. Nothing was out of place in the 2018 Sandpiper for Fashion Faux Pas, who turned in a stylish effort on a sloppy track with Daniel Centeno in the irons for his fourth Sandpiper victory. Almond Roca flashed the speed inherited from her sire, 2004 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Speightstown, winning the Sandpiper in stakes-record time of 1:10.01 for 6 furlongs. After concluding her 2-year-old campaign by winning the 2016 Sandpiper, the best was yet to come for R Angel Katelyn, who won the Gasparilla and the Florida Cup Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies as a 3-year-old. The 2015 Sandpiper winner, Hidden Treat, raced as a homebred for the Lael Stables of Roy and Gretchen Jackson, who campaigned 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands winner Barbaro. Four months after her 2014 Sandpiper triumph, R Sassy Lass won the Florida Cup Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies Stakes. My Sweet Dove’s broodmare sire, Dove Hunt, won five Grade III stakes in his career. In addition to her record-setting 2012 Sandpiper triumph, Cor Cor won the Battle of New Orleans Stakes at Fair Grounds and the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Filly Division Sprint at Ocala Training Center. Jockey William Henry won the Sandpiper Stakes five times in seven years: with Shutrina’s Sand (1999), Star Performer (1997), Expensive Lunch (1995), Shananie’s Beat (1994), and Lindsey Lane (1993). Two of those wins (in 1993 and 1994) were with owner Stonehedge Farm and trainer Kathleen O’Connell. In 1986, the Sandpiper was run at 5 ½ furlongs; the 1982 and 1983 races were run in two divisions. The Sandpiper was first run for 2-year-old fillies on Dec. 31, 2005, with Misty Rosette emerging victorious. The late George Steinbrenner’s Kinsman Stable has won this race twice: in 2003 with Ebony Breeze (trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Pedro Rodriguez) and in 2008 with Unfolding Wish (trained by Dale Bennett and booted home by Carlos Montalvo). The 2008 winner, Dr. Zic, trained by Joan Scott, won the Grade I Vinery Madison at Keeneland in 2010.