Stephen Foster Stakes
The Stephen Foster Stakes is a Grade 1 stakes race held annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky and is run over a distance of 9/8 miles (9 furlongs).
The 2025 Stephen Foster Stakes has a purse of $1,000,000 and will take place on Saturday, June 28, 2025.
Scroll down for details on this year's horses, odds, results and more.
Stephen Foster Stakes Information
| Date | Saturday, 28 June 2025 |
| Post Time | TBA |
| Racetrack | Churchill Downs |
| Distance | (9 furlongs) |
| Conditions | Three-Year-Olds and older. Assigned weight. |
| Status | Grade 1 Stakes |
| Purse | $1,000,000 |
| Track Direction | Left-handed |
| Track Surface | Dirt |
| 2024 Winner | Kingsbarns |
Stephen Foster Stakes History
The Stephen Foster Stakes is a Grade II horse race at Churchill Downs, Louisville. Named after songwriter Stephen Foster, it began in 1982. The race covers 1 1/8 miles on dirt and usually occurs in June. It is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, offering the winner a spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
The race has seen many notable winners and plays a vital role in American horse racing. It acts as a preparatory event for the Breeders' Cup, adding to Churchill Downs' legacy, which is also known for the Kentucky Derby.
It has progressed from Grade III status in 1988 to Grade II in 1995 to Grade I in 2002. In 2019, it was downgraded to Grade II. In 2023 the event was upgraded by the American Graded Stakes Committee to Grade I
Five horses have won the Stephen Foster and the Breeders' Cup Classic in the same year. Black Tie Affair (1991), Awesome Again (1998) and Blame (2010) won both races at Churchill Downs. Saint Liam (2005) won his running of the Classic at Belmont Park
The Stephen Foster Stakes continues to be a key event in horse racing, attracting top horses and providing exciting competition every year.
Stephen Foster Stakes Entries
View our horse racing entries section closer to the Stephen Foster Stakes race day for details on each horse.
Fan Odds provides morning line and current odds, along with insights on each horse's past performance.
Stephen Foster Stakes Past Performances
View our free past performances section closer to the Stephen Foster Stakes race day for detailed insights on each horse, including their win, place and show strike rate percentages.
Stephen Foster Stakes 2025 Horses & Field
This year's Stephen Foster Stakes horses, jockeys, trainers and field information will be provided closer to raceday.
In the meantime, you can view the 2024 field:
| No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pyrenees | Cherie Devaux | Brian Jr Hernandez | 1 | - |
| 2 | First Mission | B Cox | Florent Geroux | 2 | - |
| 4 | Disarm | Steven Asmussen | Joel Rosario | 4 | - |
| 5 | Dreamlike | Todd Pletcher | Irad Ortiz Jr | 5 | - |
| 6 | Classic Causeway | Kenneth McPeek | J R Leparoux | 6 | - |
| 7 | Kingsbarns | Todd Pletcher | Luis Saez | 7 | - |
| 8 | Steal Sunshine | Bobby Dibona | Paco Lopez | 8 | - |
| 9 | Skippylongstocking | S Joseph Jr | Jose Ortiz | 9 | - |
| 3 | Happy American | Neil Pessin | Corey Lanerie | 3 | - |
Stephen Foster Stakes 2025 Favorites
This year's Stephen Foster Stakes favorites will be listed below closer to the race.
Stephen Foster Stakes 2025 Picks
When available – See this year's Stephen Foster Stakes top picks below:
How To Bet On The Stephen Foster Stakes
To start betting on the Stephen Foster Stakes, follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Choose a Racebook
Start by choosing an online racebook. We recommend TwinSpires but there are other legal and registered racebooks available like TVG and FanDuel.
Step 2: Sign Up
Signing up with a racebook is easy: verify you're 18+, fill in your details, and you're set!
Step 3: Deposit Funds
After signing up with a racebook, add funds to your account using your card or an approved deposit method like PayPal. Remember to review the minimum deposit and any fees for your chosen deposit method.
Step 4: Place Your Bets
With funds now in your account, you're ready to bet. To learn about the various Stephen Foster Stakes bet types available, keep reading below.
Bet Types For The Stephen Foster Stakes
There are many ways to bet on the Stephen Foster Stakes. You can place a bet to win or hedge your bets with an exacta, trifecta or superfecta.
You can split bet types for the Stephen Foster Stakes into three different categories:
- Straight Bets (Win, Place & Show)
- Horizontal Bets (Parlay)
- Vertical Bets (Exotic)
Straight Bets
Straight bets are straightforward and ideal for newcomers or more casual horse racing fans.
| Bet Type | Explanation |
| Win | Your horse must win |
| Place | Your horse must finish first or second |
| Show | Your horse must finish first, second or third |
Horizontal Bets
Horizontal bets are parlay bets – to win, you must correctly select the winner of consecutive races.
| Bet Type | Explanation |
| Daily Double | Select the winning horse, two races in a row |
| Pick 3 | Select the winning horse, three races in a row |
| Pick 4 | Select the winning horse, four races in a row |
| Pick 5 | Select the winning horse, five races in a row |
| Pick 6 | Select the winning horse, six races in a row |
Vertical Bets
Vertical bets are exotic bets – to win, you must correctly select the finishing order of multiple horses in a single race.
| Bet Type | Explanation |
| Quinella | Select the horses that finish first and second, in any order |
| Exacta | Select the horses that finish first and second, in the correct order |
| Trifecta | Select the horses that finish first, second and third, in the correct order |
| Superfecta | Select the horses that finish first, second, third and fourth, in the correct order |
Stephen Foster Stakes Past Winners
See a list of past winners for the Stephen Foster Stakes since the year 2000 below.
| YEAR | WINNER | JOCKEY / TRAINER |
| 2014 | Kingsbarns | Luis Saez/ Todd Pletcher |
| 2023 | West Will Power | Flavien Prat / Brad H. Cox |
| 2022 | Olympiad | Junior Alvarado / William I. Mott |
| 2021 | Maxfield | Jose L. Ortiz / Brendan P. Walsh |
| 2020 | Tom's d'Etat | Miguel Mena / Albert Stall Jr. |
| 2019 | Seeking the Soul | John Velasquez / Dallas Stewart |
| 2018 | Pavel | Mario Gutierrez / Doug F. O'Neill |
| 2017 | Gun Runner | Florent Geroux / Steven M. Asmussen |
| 2016 | Bradester | Joe Bravo / Eddie Kenneally |
| 2015 | Noble Bird | Shaun Bridgmohan / Mark E. Casse |
| 2014 | Moonshine Mullin | Calvin H. Borel / Randy L. Morse |
| 2013 | Fort Larned | Brian Hernandez Jr. / Ian R. Wilkes |
| 2012 | Ron the Greek | Jose Lezcano / William I. Mott |
| 2011 | Pool Play | Miguel Mena / Mark E. Casse |
| 2010 | Blame | Garrett K. Gomez / Albert Stall Jr. |
| 2009 | Macho Again | Robby Albarado / Dallas Stewart |
| 2008 | Curlin | Robby Albarado / Steven M. Asmussen |
| 2007 | Flashy Bull | Robby Albarado / Kiaran P. McLaughlin |
| 2006 | Seek Gold | Calvin H. Borel / Ron Moquett |
| 2005 | Saint Liam | Edgar S. Prado / Robert J. Frankel |
| 2004 | Colonial Colony | Rafael Bejarano / Walter M. Bindner Jr. |
| 2003 | Perfect Drift | Pat Day / Murray W. Johnson |
| 2002 | Street Cry (IRE) | Jerry D. Bailey / Saeed bin Suroor |
| 2001 | Guided Tour | Larry Melancon / Niall M. O'Callaghan |
| 2000 | Golden Missile | Kent J. Desormeaux / Joe Orseno |
Stephen Foster Stakes 2024 Results
See the full list of results for the 2024 Stephen Foster Stakes below.
| Pos. | Horse (Post Pos) | Trainer | Jockey | Weight | Margin | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st |  7.Kingsbarns (7) T: T. Pletcher J: L. Saez (123lbs) | Todd Pletcher | Luis Saez | 123lbs | - | 6-1 |
2nd |  1.Pyrenees (1) T: C. Devaux J: B. Jr (123lbs) | Cherie Devaux | Brian Jr Hernandez | 123lbs | - | 12-1 |
3rd |  9.Skippylongstocking (9) T: S. Joseph J: J. Ortiz (123lbs) | S Joseph Jr | Jose Ortiz | 123lbs | - | 5-2 |
4th |  2.First Mission (2) T: B. Cox J: F. Geroux (123lbs) | B Cox | Florent Geroux | 123lbs | - | 6-5 |
5th |  8.Steal Sunshine (8) T: B. Dibona J: P. Lopez (123lbs) | Bobby Dibona | Paco Lopez | 123lbs | - | 20-1 |
6th |  4.Disarm (4) T: S. Asmussen J: J. Rosario (123lbs) | Steven Asmussen | Joel Rosario | 123lbs | - | 6-1 |
7th |  6.Classic Causeway (6) T: K. McPeek J: J. R (123lbs) | Kenneth McPeek | J R Leparoux | 123lbs | - | 30-1 |
8th |  5.Dreamlike (5) T: T. Pletcher J: I. Ortiz (123lbs) | Todd Pletcher | Irad Ortiz Jr | 123lbs | - | 1-2 |
 3.Happy American (3) T: N. Pessin J: C. Lanerie (123lbs) | Neil Pessin | Corey Lanerie | 123lbs | - | 30-1 |
Stephen Foster Stakes 2024 Replay
See the full replay for the 2024 Stephen Foster Stakes below.
How To Watch The Stephen Foster Stakes
Racing fans keen to watch the Stephen Foster Stakes have several viewing options to choose from. Note these options may change.
On Television
The Stephen Foster Stakes will be broadcast live on NBC, NBC Sports, and USA Network. You can also stream the race on the NBC Sports app (iOS & Android) or USA Network website.
Streaming Online
For those preferring to stream on a computer or mobile, NBC Sports and the NBC Sports app offer live coverage. Peacock, NBC's streaming service will also have coverage of the race for a subscription fee.
FanDuel TV
The Stephen Foster and the rest of a stacked racecard Saturday will be shown exclusively on FanDuel TV, which will have a team of broadcasters on-site at Ellis Park for coverage.
Alternative Streaming Options
Streaming services like Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and FuboTV include NBC in their offerings. These platforms may offer free trials, potentially allowing viewers to watch the race without additional costs.
For International Fans
Viewers outside the United States can use a VPN to access the Stephen Foster Stakes broadcast. A VPN connection to a US server, enables race fans anywhere to subscribe to US-based streaming services to watch the race live.
Tips For Watching The Stephen Foster Stakes
- Make sure to check your local TV listings for the correct channel and time.
- If you're streaming online, ensure you have a stable internet connection to avoid any disruptions during the race.
- You can also listen to the race on the radio or through online streaming services like SiriusXM.
Stephen Foster Stakes FAQs
Where is the Stephen Foster Stakes Held?
The Stephen Foster is held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
When is the Stephen Foster Stakes 2025?
The Stephen Foster Stakes race is scheduled for Saturday, June 28, 2025.
What Time is the Stephen Foster Stakes?
The Stephen Foster Stakes race time is scheduled for approximately TBA ET.
How Long is the Stephen Foster Stakes?
The Stephen Foster Stakes is run over a distance of 8 miles (9 furlongs).
How Many Horses are in the Stephen Foster Stakes?
The field capacity for the Stephen Foster Stakes, a Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race, typically accommodates up to 14 horses. However, the exact number of entries can vary each year based on the number of horses nominated and accepted to run in the race.
What is the Purse for the Stephen Foster Stakes?
This year’s Stephen Foster Stakes purse is $1,000,000.
How Do You Bet on the Stephen Foster Stakes?
To bet on the Stephen Foster Stakes, simply choose a racebook, sign up, deposit your funds, and then place your bet once the deposit clears. For more details on bet types, see our Bet Types For Stephen Foster Stakes section above.
Who Won the Stephen Foster Stakes in 2024?
Kingsbarn won the Stephen Foster Stakes in 2024. Kingsbarn was trained by Todd Pletcher and jockeyed by Luis Saez.
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Who Won the Stephen Foster Stakes in 2023?
West Will Power won the Stephen Foster Stakes in 2023. West Will Power was trained by Brad H. Cox and jockeyed by Flavien Prat.