What is the Wise Dan Stakes?
The Wise Dan Stakes is a Grade II Thoroughbred race held annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Contested at 1 1/16 miles on the turf for horses aged four and older, it is the premier summer turf race on the Churchill Downs Stephen Foster Day card and a key benchmark for older turf horses targeting the Breeders' Cup Mile and Turf sprint championship circuit. Inaugurated in 1983 as the Firecracker Handicap on dirt, the race was moved to turf in 1993 and renamed the Wise Dan Stakes in 2016 to honor Wise Dan, the two-time American Horse of the Year (2012, 2013) who won this race in 2011 and 2013 on his way to becoming one of the greatest turf horses in American racing history. Classified as Grade III in 1995 and upgraded to Grade II in 2002, the race was briefly on hiatus in 2022 due to the suspension of turf racing at Churchill Downs and moved to Ellis Park in 2023 due to spring meet fatalities. It returned to Churchill Downs in 2024 with a purse of $500,000, cementing its status as one of the top summer turf events in North America. Notable recent winners include Set Piece (GB), Ottoman Fleet (GB), and Brilliant Berti, all of whom went on to compete at the highest level in North American turf racing.
When is the Wise Dan Stakes in 2026?
The 2026 Wise Dan Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, June 27 at Churchill Downs as part of Stephen Foster Day. Contested at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course with a purse of $500,000, the race is the marquee turf event of the Stephen Foster Day card and draws the top older turf horses in the country targeting summer stakes championship events.
Wise Dan Stakes History & Notable Winners
The Wise Dan Stakes has produced a string of top-class turf performers in recent years. Brilliant Berti gave trainer Cherie DeVaux and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. a 2025 victory, rebounding from a narrow defeat in the Arlington Stakes the month prior to deliver a satisfying exacta with stablemate Taking Candy for Klein Racing. Godolphin's Ottoman Fleet gave trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey Flavien Prat a dominant 2024 win at 3-5 odds, returning $3.40 as the shortest-priced winner in the race's recent history. Juddmonte's Set Piece (GB) gave trainer Brad Cox a 2021 victory under Florent Geroux, the multiple Grade I winner weaving through traffic to win in his trademark come-from-behind style. The race was not held in 2022 due to the suspension of turf racing at Churchill Downs.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Brilliant Berti | Brian Hernandez Jr. | 1:43.41 |
| 2024 | Ottoman Fleet (GB) | Flavien Prat | 1:41.26 |
| 2023 At Ellis Park | Stitched | Flavien Prat | 1:40.97 |
| 2022 | Not run — turf racing suspended at Churchill Downs | ||
| 2021 | Set Piece (GB) | Florent Geroux | 1:40.50 |
* Run at Ellis Park. Race moved from Churchill Downs due to spring meet fatalities.
The Wise Dan Stakes is the premier summer turf event on Churchill Downs' Stephen Foster Day and a key early-summer benchmark for older turf horses targeting the fall championship circuit.
