Mineshaft Stakes

The Mineshaft Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for four-year-olds and older run over a distance of ​1 ¹⁄₁₆ miles on the dirt at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana in February. Originally run as a handicap, the race is now run under allowance weight conditions. In 2020, the purse was increased to $200,000.[2]

Mineshaft Stakes

Grade III race
Location	Fair Grounds Race Course New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Inaugurated	1973 (as Whirlaway Handicap)
Race type	Thoroughbred – Flat racing
Website	www.fairgroundsracecourse.com
Race information
Distance	​1 ^1⁄16 miles
Surface	Dirt
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Four-years-old & older
Weight	124 lbs with allowances[1]
Purse	$200,000 (2020)[2]

It is named for Hall of Fame inductee Mineshaft, who finished second in the 2003 running when the race was known as The Whirlaway Handicap.[3] It is a major prep for the New Orleans Handicap.[4] The race was given Grade III status in 2003.[5]

Winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2020	Silver Dust	Brian Hernandez Jr.	W. Bret Calhoun	Tom R. Durant	1:43.40
2019	Silver Dust	Jack Gilligan	W. Bret Calhoun	Tom R. Durant	1:45.46
2018	The Player	Calvin Borel	William B. Bradley	William B. Bradley, Carl Hurst	1:42.29
2017	Honorable Duty	Julien Leparoux	Brendan P. Walsh	DARRS	1:43.03
2016	Majestic Harbor	Corey Lanerie	Paul J. McGee	Gallant Stable	1:42.86
2015	Street Babe	Kerwin D. Clark	Michael Dilger	Anstu Stables	1:43.58
2014	Bradester	Rosie Napravnik	Eddie Kenneally	Joseph W. Sutton	1:43.80
2013	Mark Valeski	Rosie Napravnik	J. Larry Jones	Brereton C. Jones	1:44.82
2012	Nates Mineshaft	Jesse M. Campbell	Austin K. Smith	Windy Hill Farm	1:43.01
2011	Demarcation	Rosie Napravnik	Paul J. McGee	Amerman Racing	1:43.45
2010	Stonehouse	Miguel Mena	Joseph E. Broussard	Rudolph, Richard and Vranich, Michael	1:44.09
2009	Honest Man	Gabriel Saez	J. Larry Jones	Fox Hill Farms	1:44.16
2008	Grasshopper	Robby Albarado	Neil J. Howard	William Stamps Farish III et al.	1:43.46
2007	Master Command	John R. Velazquez	Michael W. McCarthy	A & M Jones	1:42.28
2006	no race
2005	Wanderin Boy	Larry Melancon	Nick Zito	Arthur B. Hancock III	1:43.08
2004	Olmodavor	Corey Lanerie	Richard E. Mandella	Wertheimer et Frère	1:45.59
2003	Balto Star	Eddie Martin Jr.	Todd Pletcher	Anstu Stables	1:43.74
2002	Valhol	Robby Albarado	Dallas E. Keen	James D. Jackson	1:42.94
2001	Include	Lonnie Meche	Bud Delp	Robert Meyerhoff	1:44.01
2000	Take Note of Me	Robby Albarado	Gene A. Cilio	Steve Holland, Est of Barry Shipp	1:42.94
1999	Precocity	Eddie Martin Jr.	Bobby C. Barnett	John A. Franks	1:43.42
1998	Moonlight Dancer	Curt Bourque	Albert Stall Jr.	Columbine Stable	1:44.34
1997	Byars	Curt Bourque	Bobby C. Barnett	John A. Franks	1:44.47
1996	Bucks Nephew	Craig Perret	P. Noel Hickey	Irish Acres Farm	1:43.40
1995	Adhocracy	Larry Melancon	Niall M. O'Callaghan	Centaur Farms	1:43.10
1994	Cool Quaker	Eddie Martin Jr.	Louie J. Roussel III	Louie J. Roussel III	1:42.55
1993	West by West	Jean-Luc Samyn	George R. Arnold II	John H. Peace	1:43.80
1992	Irish Swap	Bruce Poyadou	Joseph E. Broussard	Randall Hendricks	1:43.00
1985	Rapid Gray	Randy Romero	William I. Mott	W. F. Lucas

References

1. "Chart of the 2020 Mineshaft Stakes". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
2. "Stakes profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
3. "No Denying Grasshopper in Mineshaft". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
4. "Pants on Fire, Nehro back on LA Derby Preview undercard". Brisnet. 20 February 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
5. "Graded Stakes for 2003". www.horse-races.net. Retrieved 22 May 2020.

• Fair Grounds Race Course official site