Spiral Stakes, A Proven Producer Of Past Kentucky Derby Winners

By Author: Lee Lane-Edgar
Total Articles: 365
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The Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park in Kentucky gained some added notoriety last year when Animal Kingdom parlayed a win in the 1 1/8-mile contest with a victory in the 2011 Kentucky Derby. That success, combined with the $500,000 in all-important graded stakes earnings that are on the line, has led the 2012 Spiral Stakes to be the destination of more than a dozen Kentucky Derby contenders on March 24.

The Spiral Stakes had lost some its luster after Turfway Park switched its main track from conventional dirt to a synthetic surface, brand name Polytrack, in 2005. In fact, the American Graded Stakes Committee downgraded the Spiral to a Grade 3 last year because of the mediocre fields that were largely the result of the surface switch. However, Animal Kingdom turned that all on its head last year when winning the Kentucky Derby at 21-to-1.

The Spiral Stakes has typically been used as a Kentucky Derby prep for contenders considered to be perhaps a cut below the top 3-year-olds at this point in the season. The 2012 edition is expected to continue that trend.

Most of the Spiral contenders will be horses that ...
... have been based at Turfway all winter and competed in that track's series of 3-year-old races, which include the WEBN Stakes and John Battaglia Memorial. However, some big name outfits are also sending horses to contest the Spiral Stakes. Trainer Graham Motion, who was at the controls of Animal Kingdom's championship season, will ship recent Maiden winner Went the Day Well from South Florida to compete. Top trainers Jerry Hollendorfer, Todd Pletcher, Bill Mott and Doug O'Neill are also expected to send representatives.

Despite the Spiral's place in the Kentucky Derby prep pecking order, it has been won by many of racing's best horses. Counting Animal Kindgom, there have been five winners of the Spiral Stakes that went on to win a Triple Crown race. That group includes Summer Squall (1990), Hansel (1991), Lil E. Tee (1992) and Prairie Bayou (1993). All but one of those, Hansel, were ridden by Hall of Fame jockey and Kentucky legend Pat Day.

Summer Squall would go on to run second in the 1990 Kentucky Derby and win the Preakness Stakes. Hansel, who was ridden by Jerry Bailey, would win the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Lil E. Tee would go on to pull off won of the biggest upsets in Kentucky Derby history while providing Day with his one and only win in America's greatest horse race. Prairie Bayou would run second in the Derby and win the Preakness on his way to being named the champion 3-year-old of 1993.

Day won a total of five Spiral Stakes in his distinguished career to lead all jockeys. Trainer William E. Adams leads his respective category in all-time Spiral wins with seven.

As an added bonus for 2012, the Spiral Stakes will be shown live on NBC Sports Network, which was formerly the Versus network. The broadcast begins at 5 p.m. Eastern and will also include the Bourbonette Stakes from Turfway Park, which is a major prep for the Kentucky Oaks.