John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes
Grade III stakes race
LocationSam Houston Race Park
Houston, Texas, United States
Inaugurated1995 (as John B. Connally Jr. Turf Cup Handicap)
Race typeThoroughbred
WebsiteSam Houston Race Park
Race information
Distance1+1⁄2 miles
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFour-year-olds and older
Weight123 lbs with allowances
Purse$200,000 (since 2010)

The John B. Connally Turf Cup is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race, for four-year-olds and older over a distance of one and one-half miles (12 furlongs) on the turf track, held annually in late January or early February at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas. The event currently carries a purse of $200,000.

History

One of Sam Houston Race Park's most prestigious races is named in honor of former Texas governor John B. Connally (1917–1993) who was long time supporter and lobbied for the horse racing industry in Texas.[1]

The inaugural running of the event was on 21 October 1995 as the John B. Connally Jr. Turf Cup Handicap for horses three-years-old or older over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles and was won by Temple Webber Junior's Marastani by 3⁄4 lengths in a time of 1:51.25.[2]

The following year 1990 and until 2008, the Breeders' Cup sponsored the event which reflected in the name of the event.[3] In 1997 the event was moved from October to early April.[3]

The event was upgraded in 2006 by the American Graded Stakes Committee to a Grade III race.[3] In 2009 the event was not held.[4]

In 2011 the event was moved to a January schedule and the conditions were changed to allow only four-year-olds and older.[3][5] The following year the event's conditions were changed from a handicap to a stakes with allowances with the name of the event modified to the John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes.[3]

In 2016 the distance of the event was increased to 1+1⁄2 miles.[4]

The event is one of only two graded stakes races held at the track along with the Grade III Houston Ladies Classic. Along with the Ladies Classic, Pulse Power Turf Sprint and Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile, the John B. Connally Turf Cup is one of the main events of the Houston Racing Festival.[6]

Records

Speed record:

  • 1+1⁄8 miles: 1:47.65 – Chorwon (1999)
  • 1+1⁄2 miles: 2:28.16 – Da Big Hoss (2016)

Margins:

  • 4+3⁄4 lengths – Da Big Hoss (2016)

Most wins:

  • 3 – Candid Glen (2001, 2002, 2003)
  • 3 – Bigger Picture (2017, 2018, 2019)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

  • 3 – Glen C. Warren (2001, 2002, 2003)
  • 3 – Three Diamonds Farm (2017, 2018, 2019)

Winners

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes
2022 Another Mystery 6 Jareth Loveberry Chris Block Team Block 1+1⁄2 miles 2:31.28 $200,000 III Dead heat[7]
Fantasioso (ARG) 7 James Graham Ignacio Correas IV Bloom Racing Stable & Ignacio Correas IV
2021 Spooky Channel 6 Julien R. Leparoux Brian A. Lynch Terry Hamilton 1+1⁄2 miles 2:30.94 $200,000 III [8]
2020 Dot Matrix 7 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox Ten Strike Racing 1+1⁄2 miles 2:33.46 $200,000 III [9]
2019 Bigger Picture 8 Jose L. Ortiz Michael J. Maker Three Diamonds Farm 1+1⁄2 miles 2:32.62 $200,000 III [10]
2018 Bigger Picture 7 Jose L. Ortiz Michael J. Maker Three Diamonds Farm 1+1⁄2 miles 2:31.13 $200,000 III [11]
2017 Bigger Picture 6 Jose L. Ortiz Michael J. Maker Three Diamonds Farm 1+1⁄2 miles 2:32.24 $248,500 III [12]
2016 Da Big Hoss 5 Florent Geroux Michael J. Maker Skychai Racing 1+1⁄2 miles 2:28.16 $200,000 III [13]
2015 Coalport 6 Miguel Mena Michael J. Maker Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.00 $200,000 III [14]
2014 Admiral Kitten 4 Julien R. Leparoux Michael J. Maker Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.80 $200,000 III [15]
2013 Swift Warrior 5 Jose L. Espinoza John P. Terranova II James Covello & James Dolan 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.21 $200,000 III [16]
2012 Papaw Bodie 5 Rosie Napravnik Michael J. Maker Connie M. Apostelos 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.84 $200,000 III [17]
John B. Connally Turf Cup Handicap
2011 Schramsberg 5 Chris Landeros Chris A. Hartman Bobby Joe Hammer 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.22 $200,000 III [5]
John B. Connally Turf Handicap
2010 Acting Zippy 5 Robby Albarado William Don Bennett William Don Bennett & Carl Bowling 1+1⁄8 miles 1:52.31 $197,000 III [18]
2009 Race not held
2008 Scrappy Roo 5 Paul M. Nolan John G. Locke Tawana Cantrell 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.65 $168,500 III [19]
2007 Mending Fences 5 Quincy Hamilton Martin D. Wolfson Farnworth Stables 1+1⁄8 miles 1:52.34 $201,000 III [20]
2006 Fort Prado 5 Robby Albarado Jeff Trosclair Team Block 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.41 $193,000 III [21]
2005 Rapid Proof 5 Brian Hernandez Jr. Hal R. Wiggins Dolphus C. Morrison 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.31 $216,000 Listed [22]
2004 Warleigh 4 Jeremy Beasley Steven M. Asmussen Rosendo G. Parra 1+1⁄8 miles 1:53.01 $222,000 Listed [23]
2003 Candid Glen 6 Elvis J. Perrodin Andrew Leggio Jr. Glen C. Warren 1+1⁄8 miles 1:53.21 $223,000 Listed [24]
2002 Candid Glen 5 Elvis J. Perrodin Andrew Leggio Jr. Glen C. Warren 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.38 $222,000 Listed [25]
2001 Candid Glen 4 Elvis J. Perrodin Andrew Leggio Jr. Glen C. Warren 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.51 $212,000 Listed [26]
2000 Rod and Staff 7 Robby Albarado Bobby C. Barnett Jim H. Plemmons 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.68 $162,250 Listed [27]
1999 Chorwon 6 Calvin H. Borel Hal R. Wiggins Thomas C. Mueller 1+1⁄8 miles 1:47.65 $165,750 Listed [28]
1998 Chorwon 5 Gerard Melancon Hal R. Wiggins Thomas C. Mueller 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.86 $137,850 Listed [29]
1997 Scott's Scoundrel 5 Ronald D. Ardoin Paul J. Pellerin Virgil L. Huskey 1+1⁄8 miles 1:53.63 $125,000 Listed [30]
1996 Western Trader 5 Carlos Gonzalez Bobby C. Barnett John A. Franks 1+1⁄8 miles 1:52.30 $122,250 Listed [31]
John B. Connally Jr. Turf Cup Handicap
1995 Marastani 5 Curt C. Bourque Thomas M. Amoss Temple Webber Jr. 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.25 $75,000 Listed [2]

Legend:
  Turf

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jon Montgomery. "Texas Horseracing Lobby Collection - John Connally Presented Texas Racing Association Award (1968)". Texas Archives. This short news clip, reported by Larry Todd, covers John Connally receiving the First Annual Award - an inscribed gold belt buckle - from the Texas Racing Association in recognition of his support of the sport in Texas. In his acceptance speech, he pays special tribute to Robert Kleberg, Jr. and the King Ranch for raising a great number of champion horses.
  2. 1 2 "1995 John B. Connally Jr. Turf Cup Handicap Listed - (race 4)". Equibase. 21 October 1995. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes (Gr. 3)". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  4. 1 2 "JOHN B. CONNALLY TURF CUP STAKES - MULTIPLE TRACKS". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  5. 1 2 "2011 John B. Connally Turf Cup Handicap Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 29 January 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  6. ↑ "2022 Stakes Schedule Sam Houston Race Park" (PDF). Sam Houston Race Park. 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  7. ↑ "2022 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  8. ↑ "2021 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 31 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  9. ↑ "2020 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  10. ↑ "2019 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 27 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  11. ↑ "2018 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 28 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  12. ↑ "2017 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  13. ↑ "2016 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  14. ↑ "2015 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  15. ↑ "2014 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  16. ↑ "2013 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 26 January 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  17. ↑ "2012 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 28 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  18. ↑ "2010 John B. Connally Turf Handicap Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 30 January 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  19. ↑ "2008 John B. Connally Turf Handicap Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 5 April 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  20. ↑ "2007 John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 7 April 2007. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  21. ↑ "2006 John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 8 April 2006. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  22. ↑ "2005 John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 9 April 2005. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  23. ↑ "2004 John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 10 April 2004. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  24. ↑ "2003 John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 15 February 2003. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  25. ↑ "2002 John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap Listed - (race 8)". Equibase. 23 February 2002. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  26. ↑ "2001 John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap Listed - (race 8)". Equibase. 24 February 2001. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  27. ↑ "2000 John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap Listed - (race 8)". Equibase. 26 February 2000. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  28. ↑ "1999 John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 6 March 1999. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  29. ↑ "1998 John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap Listed - (race 8)". Equibase. 7 March 1998. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  30. ↑ "1997 John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap Listed - (race 8)". Equibase. 5 April 1997. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  31. ↑ "1996 John B. Connally Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap Listed - (race 9)". Equibase. 12 October 1996. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
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