What is the Arlington Stakes?
The Arlington Stakes is a Grade III Thoroughbred race held annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Contested at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course for horses aged four and older, it is one of the most historic turf stakes in North America, tracing its roots to 1929 at the now-defunct Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Originally known as the Arlington Handicap, the race served for decades as a key prep for the prestigious Arlington Million at Arlington Park. Following the permanent closure of Arlington Park in 2021, the race moved to Churchill Downs in 2022, where it has found a new home as a key mid-spring turf test for older horses targeting the summer championship circuit. The Arlington Stakes is named in honor of Arlington Park, a track whose history stretched nearly a century and whose most famous event, the Arlington Million, was the first $1 million race in Thoroughbred history.
When is the Arlington Stakes in 2026?
The 2026 Arlington Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, May 30 at Churchill Downs. Contested at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course with a purse of $275,000, the race draws the top older turf horses in the country targeting summer Grade I events including the Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland and the Arlington Million at Colonial Downs.
Arlington Stakes History & Notable Winners
The Arlington Stakes has quickly established itself as one of the premier turf tests on the Churchill Downs Spring Meet since its move from Illinois in 2022. Mercante set the Churchill Downs course record for 1 1/16 miles on turf in 2025, blazing to a front-running score in 1:40.69 under jockey Joseph Ramos for trainer Brian Knippenberg. Godolphin's Ottoman Fleet (GB) gave trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey Flavien Prat a dominant 2024 victory in 1:41.45, while Brad Cox saddled Juddmonte's Set Piece (GB) to a 2023 win under Florent Geroux in 1:42.42. Admission Office gave trainer Brian Lynch and jockey John Velazquez the inaugural Churchill Downs edition of the Arlington Stakes in 2022, posting a solid 1:43.52 on the Matt Winn Turf Course.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mercante | Brian Knippenberg | Joseph D. Ramos | Carl F. Pollard | 1:40.89 |
| 2024 | Ottoman Fleet (GB) | Charles Appleby | Flavien Prat | Godolphin, LLC | 1:41.45 |
| 2023 | Set Piece (GB) | Brad H. Cox | Florent Geroux | Juddmonte | 1:42.42 |
| 2022 | Admission Office | Brian A. Lynch | John R. Velazquez | Amerman Racing LLC | 1:43.52 |
| 2021 | Bizzee Channel | Larry Rivelli | Jareth Loveberry | Patricia's Hope LLC | 1:55.08 |
| 2020 – Not run due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||||
The Arlington Stakes is a key mid-spring turf test at Churchill Downs and one of the most historically significant grass races on the Spring Meet calendar.
