What is the Eddie Read Stakes?
The Eddie Read Stakes is a Grade II Thoroughbred race held annually at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. Contested at 1⅛ miles on the turf for horses aged three and older, it is the premier turf middle-distance race of the Del Mar summer meet and one of the most storied turf events in California racing history. Inaugurated on August 25, 1974 as the Eddie Read Handicap, the race was named in honor of William E. "Eddie" Read, who served as publicity director at Del Mar from the track's founding in 1937 until his death on May 28, 1973. Elevated to Grade I status in 1988, a distinction it held for nearly three decades before being downgraded to Grade II in 2016, the Eddie Read has a distinguished roll of honor including champions Kotashaan (1993), Aragorn (2006), and two-time winner United (2020, 2021). Kotashaan went on to win the Breeders' Cup Turf and be voted American Horse of the Year following his 1993 Eddie Read score. Trainer Robert J. Frankel holds the all-time record with seven wins. Jockey Umberto Rispoli has won the last two editions in 2024 and 2025, establishing himself as the dominant rider in the modern era of the race. The stakes record of 1:44.79 was set by Aragorn (IRE) in 2006.
