What is the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap?
The Count Fleet Sprint Handicap is a Grade III Thoroughbred race held annually at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Run at 6 furlongs on the dirt for horses aged four and older, it is one of the premier sprint races in the country each spring and the crown jewel of Oaklawn's older sprint division. Named in honor of the 1943 Triple Crown champion Count Fleet, the race was inaugurated in 1974 and has grown to offer a purse of $500,000. It regularly attracts some of the best older sprinters in North America and has served as a launching pad for horses who later compete at the elite level.
When is the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap in 2026?
The 2026 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap is scheduled for Saturday, April 11 at Oaklawn Park, sharing the card with the Grade I Apple Blossom Handicap. The race draws consistently strong fields and has been dominated in recent years by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who holds the all-time record with seven wins in the event, including four consecutive editions from 2022 to 2025 with Jackie's Warrior, Skelly (twice), and Booth.
Count Fleet Sprint Handicap History & Notable Winners
The Count Fleet Sprint Handicap has produced a memorable roll of champions over its five decades. Whitmore became the first horse to win the race three times in 2020, having also captured it in 2017 and 2018. Champions Mitole (2019) and Jackie's Warrior (2022) both used the race as a springboard to Breeders' Cup Sprint glory. More recently, Skelly swept back-to-back editions in 2023 and 2024 under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. before Booth, a son of Mitole, kept the Asmussen dominance intact with a front-running score in 2025 under apprentice Erik Asmussen.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Booth | Erik Asmussen | 1:09.82 |
| 2024 | Skelly | Ricardo Santana Jr. | 1:08.82 |
| 2023 | Skelly | Ricardo Santana Jr. | 1:09.20 |
| 2022 | Jackie's Warrior | Joel Rosario | 1:09.09 |
| 2021 | C Z Rocket | Florent Geroux | 1:09.62 |
Last Updated on 04/07/2026
The Count Fleet Sprint Handicap is a highlight of the Oaklawn spring meet and one of the richest and most competitive sprint races on the American calendar each April.
