Forward Gal Stakes

The Forward Gal Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies, over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt held annually in late January or early February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The event currently carries a purse of $125,000.

Forward Gal Stakes

Grade III race
Location	Gulfstream Park Hallandale, Florida, United States
Inaugurated	1981
Race type	Thoroughbred – Flat racing
Website	Gulfstream Park
Race information
Distance	7 furlongs
Surface	Dirt
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-old fillies
Weight	122 lbs. with allowances
Purse	$125,000 (since 2023)
Bonuses	Qualification points –Road to the Kentucky Oaks

History

The race is named for Forward Gal, the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1970 and a career winner of twelve events in 26 starts.^[1]

The inaugural running of the event was on 12 February 1981 and was won by Hickory Tree Stable's Dame Mysterieuse by 1+1⁄4 lengths in a time of 1:221⁄5. Dame Mysterieuse starting as the 8/5 favorite was ridden by French-born jockey Jean-Luc Samyn and was trained by Hall of Fame trainer Woody Stephens. Woody Stephens also trained the second placegetter Heavenly Cause and the fourth place finisher Del La Rose in the race.^[2]

The following year, 1982, the event was run in split divisions.^[3]

The 1984 winner Miss Oceana began her three-year-old career in the event after winning three Grade I events as a two-year-old.^[4] Starting at short odds of 2/5on Miss Oceana breezed winning the race by three lengths in a time of 1:222⁄5 providing Woody Stephens with his third winner after only four runnings of the event.^[5]

The event was upgraded in 1986 by the American Graded Stakes Committee to Grade III race.^[6]

In the 1989 the event was won by Eugene V. Klein's Open Mind, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner from the year before and US Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. Trained by US Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr., Open Mind won by two lengths, winning her third straight event.^[7] Open Mind would win seven more straight events including five Grade I events^[8] to be voted US Champion Three-Year-Old Filly for 1989.

The event was upgraded to Grade II classification in 1991 and was downgraded back to Grade III in 1997.^[6] In 1997, the 17th running of the event H. Joseph Allen's Glitter Woman ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Mike E. Smith blitzed her rivals winning by a then record 9+3⁄4 lengths victory and setting a new stakes record time for the event in 1.21.76.^[9] The record stands to date, however the 2012 winner Broadway's Alibi created a new winning margin record thrashing her rivals by 16+3⁄4 lengths.^[10]

In 2004 the event was upgraded once again to Grade II and held the classification for fourteen runnings until 2017 when it was downgraded back to Grade III.^[11]

The event carries qualification points to the Kentucky Oaks as part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

Records

Speed record:

• 1:21.76 – Glitter Woman (1997)

Margins:

• 16+3⁄4 lengths – Broadway's Alibi (2012)

Most wins by an owner:

• 2 – Hickory Tree Stable (1981, 1982)
• 2 – Edward P. Evans (1991, 2001)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 4 – Luis Saez (2017, 2021, 2022, 2023)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 4 – Todd A. Pletcher (2012, 2013, 2014, 2021)

Winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance	Time	Purse	Grade	Ref
2024	R Harper Rose	Edgard Zayas	Saffie A. Joseph Jr.	Averill Racing & Two Eight Racing	7 furlongs	1:24.34	$145,000	III	[12]
2023	Red Carpet Ready	Luis Saez	George R. Arnold II	Ashbrook Farm & Upland Flats Racing	7 furlongs	1:23.54	$125,000	III	[13]
2022	Girl With a Dream	Luis Saez	Brad H. Cox	Jim Bakke & Gerald Isbister	7 furlongs	1:23.42	$100,000	III	[14]
2021	Zaajel	Luis Saez	Todd A. Pletcher	Shadwell Stable	7 furlongs	1:24.72	$100,000	III	[15]
2020	Tonalist's Shape	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Saffie A. Joseph Jr.	Slam Dunk Racing, Doug Branham & Legacy Ranch	7 furlongs	1:24.47	$150,000	III	[16]
2019	Feedback	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Chad C. Brown	Klaravich Stables	7 furlongs	1:23.51	$150,000	III	[17]
2018	Take Charge Paula	Paco Lopez	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	Peter Deutsch	7 furlongs	1:23.47	$200,000	III	[18]
2017	Tequilita	Luis Saez	Michael R. Matz	Dorothy Alexander Matz	7 furlongs	1:24.36	$200,000	II	[19]
2016	Cathryn Sophia	Joel Rosario	John C. Servis	Cash is King	7 furlongs	1:22.04	$200,000	II	[20]
2015	Birdatthewire	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Dale L. Romans	Forum Racing	7 furlongs	1:24.92	$200,000	II	[21]
2014	Onlyforyou	Javier Castellano	Todd A. Pletcher	Glencrest Farm (Lessee)	7 furlongs	1:22.50	$200,000	II	[22]
2013	Kauai Katie	John R. Velazquez	Todd A. Pletcher	Stonestreet Stables	7 furlongs	1:22.13	$200,000	II	[23]
2012	Broadway's Alibi	John R. Velazquez	Todd A. Pletcher	E. Paul Robsham	7 furlongs	1:21.94	$200,000	II	[10]
2011	Pomeroys Pistol	Paco Lopez	Amy Tarrant	Hardacre Farm	7 furlongs	1:22.89	$200,000	II	[24]
2010	Bickersons	Joe Bravo	Kelly J. Breen	Lori & George Hall	7 furlongs	1:22.35	$150,000	II	[25]
2009	Frolic's Dream	Jermaine Bridgmohan	Martin D. Wolfson	Dare To Dream Farm	7 furlongs	1:24.15	$150,000	II	[26]
2008	Bsharpsonata	Eric Camacho	Timothy E. Salzman	Cloverleaf Farm II	7 furlongs	1:23.09	$150,000	II	[27]
2007	Forever Together	Elvis Trujillo	Jonathan E. Sheppard	Augustin Stable	7 furlongs	1:22.60	$150,000	II	[28]
2006	Miraculous Miss	Jeremy Rose	Steve Klesaris	Puglisi Stables & Steve Klesaris	7 furlongs	1:22.78	$150,000	II	[29]
2005	Letgomyecho	Javier Castellano	George R. Arnold II	Dixiana Farm	7 furlongs	1:23.24	$150,000	II	[30]
2004	Madcap Escapade	Jerry D. Bailey	Frank L. Brothers	Bruce Lunsford	7 furlongs	1:22.97	$150,000	II	[31]
2003	Midnight Cry	Edgar S. Prado	Kenneth G. McPeek	Barrister Hall Stables	7 furlongs	1:22.55	$100,000	III	[32]
2002	Take the Cake	Rene R. Douglas	Carl A. Nafzger	Elizabeth J. Valando	7 furlongs	1:25.47	$100,000	III	[33]
2001	Gold Mover	Jerry D. Bailey	Mark A. Hennig	Edward P. Evans	7 furlongs	1:22.43	$113,000	III	[34]
2000	Miss Inquistive	Tommy Turner	Frank A. Passero Jr.	Colebrook Farms	7 furlongs	1:22.25	$75,000	III	[35]
1999	China Storm	Pat Day	D. Wayne Lukas	Overbrook Farm	7 furlongs	1:23.69	$75,000	III	[36]
1998	Uanme	Shane Sellers	Dallas Stewart	Horton Stable	7 furlongs	1:24.56	$75,000	III	[37]
1997	Glitter Woman	Mike E. Smith	Claude R. McGaughey III	H. Joseph Allen	7 furlongs	1:21.76	$75,000	III	[9]
1996	Mindy Gayle	Julie Krone	Julian Canet	Harvey Tenenbaum	7 furlongs	1:24.54	$75,000	II	[38]
1995	Chaposa Springs	Heberto Castillo Jr.	Martin D. Wolfson	Suresh Chintamaneni	7 furlongs	1:24.18	$73,100	II	[39]
1994	Mynameispanama	Marco Castaneda	Odin J. Londono Sr.	A. Garcia-de-Parades & Jorge Ameglio	7 furlongs	1:22.97	$72,600	II	[40]
1993	Sum Runner	Randy Romero	Donald R. Winfree	S Solon Cohen Stables	7 furlongs	1:23.67	$74,850	II	[41]
1992	Spinning Round	Jose A. Santos	James E. Baker	Kinsman Stable	7 furlongs	1:24.85	$73,050	II	[42]
1991	Withallprobability	Craig Perret	D. Wayne Lukas	Edward P. Evans	7 furlongs	1:22.50	$79,650	II	[43]
1990	Charon	Earlie Fires	Eugene Navarro	Stanley Ersoff	7 furlongs	1:24.80	$60,300	III	[44]
1989	Open Mind	Angel Cordero Jr.	D. Wayne Lukas	Eugene V. Klein	7 furlongs	1:24.20	$61,300	III	[7]
1988	On To Royalty	Craig Perret	Benjamin W. Perkins Jr.	Benjamin W. Perkins Jr. & Neil Litten	7 furlongs	1:23.20	$61,700	III	[45]
1987	Added Elegance	Jacinto Vasquez	Frank Gomez	Wimborne Farm	7 furlongs	1:24.60	$67,700	III	[46]
1986	Noranc	Herb McCauley	Joseph Provost	Peter Rosbeck & Jack Roberts	7 furlongs	1:23.80	$60,000	III	[47]
1985	Lucy Manette	Craig Perret	J. Willard Thompson	William M. Hackman	7 furlongs	1:23.40	$66,150		[48]
1984	Miss Oceana	Eddie Maple	Woodford C. Stephens	Newstead Farm	7 furlongs	1:22.40	$40,180		[5]
1983	Unaccompanied	Robert Woodhouse	Dennis W. Ebert	Ben P. Walden & Wells P. Hardesty	7 furlongs	1:23.40	$47,005		[49]
1982	Trove	Larry Saumell	Woodford C. Stephens	Hickory Tree Stable	7 furlongs	1:22.80	$29,712		Division 1[50]
	All Manners	Odin J. Londono	Duke Davis	Mrs. Rosemary Bailey		1:23.00	$29,962		Division 2[51]
1981	Dame Mysterieuse	Jean-Luc Samyn	Woodford C. Stephens	Hickory Tree Stable	7 furlongs	1:22.20	$43,400		[2]

See also

• List of American and Canadian Graded races
• Forward Gal Stakes top three finishers
• Road to the Kentucky Oaks

External links

• 2021–22 Gulfstream Park Media Guide

References

1. "Forward Gal (FL) TB, CH, M, foaled March 6, 1968". equibase. 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
2. Moran, Paul (12 February 1981). "Stephens' gals in a near sweep (1981 Forward Gal Stakes – race 9: held 11 February 1981)". Fort Lauderdale News. p. 70. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
3. "FORWARD GAL STAKES (2ND. DIV.) - GULFSTREAM PARK, FL". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
4. "Miss Oceana (VA) TB, B, M, foaled February 13, 1981". equibase. 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
5. Moran, Paul (13 March 1984). "Miss Oceana wins Forward Gal Stakes (1984 Forward Gal Stakes – race 9: held 12 March 1984)". South Florida Sun Sentinel. p. 39. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
6. "Forward Gal Stakes Profile". Equibase. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
7. Evans, Dick (2 February 1989). "Top filly of 1988 wins Forward Gal (1989 Forward Gal Stakes – race 9: held 1 February 1989)". The Miami Herald. p. 41. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
8. "Open Mind (NJ) TB, CH, M, foaled March 8, 1986". equibase. 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
9. "1997 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 22 January 1997. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
10. "2012 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 29 January 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
11. "FORWARD GAL STAKES - MULTIPLE TRACKS". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
12. "2024 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 (race 10)". Equibase. 3 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
13. "2022 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 10)". Equibase. 5 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
14. "2022 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
15. "2021 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
16. "2020 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 6)". Equibase. 1 February 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
17. "2019 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
18. "2018 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 10)". Equibase. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
19. "2017 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 6)". Equibase. 4 February 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
20. "2016 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 3)". Equibase. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
21. "2015 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
22. "2014 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 7)". Equibase. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
23. "2013 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 26 January 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
24. "2011 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 30 January 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
25. "2010 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 31 January 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
26. "2009 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 6)". Equibase. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
27. "2008 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 9 February 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
28. "2007 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 7)". Equibase. 10 March 2007. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
29. "2006 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 10)". Equibase. 5 March 2006. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
30. "2005 Stonerside Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 6)". Equibase. 5 March 2005. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
31. "2004 Stonerside Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 4)". Equibase. 13 March 2004. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
32. "2003 Stonerside Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 14 March 2003. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
33. "2002 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 27 January 2002. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
34. "2001 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 28 January 2001. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
35. "2000 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 10)". Equibase. 30 January 2000. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
36. "1999 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 27 January 1999. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
37. "1998 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 28 January 1998. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
38. "1996 Forward Gal Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 24 January 1996. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
39. "1995 Forward Gal Breeders' Cup Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 25 January 1995. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
40. "1994 Forward Gal Breeders' Cup Stakes Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 26 January 1994. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
41. "1993 Forward Gal Breeders' Cup Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 3 February 1993. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
42. "1992 Forward Gal Breeders' Cup Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 5 February 1992. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
43. "1991 Forward Gal Breeders' Cup Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 7 February 1991. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
44. Spencer, Clark (15 February 1990). "Charon wins Forward Gal (1990 Forward Gal Stakes – race 10: held 14 February 1990)". The Miami Herald. p. 51. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
45. Evans, Dick (11 February 1988). "On To Royalty wins Forward Gal (1988 Forward Gal Stakes – race 9: held 10 February 1988)". The Miami Herald. p. 78. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
46. Evans, Dick (10 March 1987). "Gamble pays for Vasquez, 'Elegance' (1987 Forward Gal Stakes – race 9: held 11 March 1987)". The Miami Herald. p. 55. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
47. Evans, Luther (13 February 1986). "Top Gal, Noranc may be next 'Risk' (1986 Forward Gal Stakes – race 9: held 12 February 1986)". The Miami Herald. p. 55. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
48. Moran, Paul (5 February 1985). "Trainer's strategy takes back seat in Forward Gal (1985 Forward Gal Stakes – race 9: held 4 February 1985)". South Florida Sun Sentinel. p. 24. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
49. Evans, Luther (8 February 1983). "Unaccompanied remains unaccompanied (1983 Forward Gal Stakes – race 9: held 7 February 1983)". The Miami Herald. p. 106. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
50. Evans, Luther (8 April 1982). "Trove, 'Manners' win Forward Gal (1982 Forward Gal Stakes Division 1 – race 7: held 7 April 1982)". The Miami Herald. p. 74. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
51. "Trove and All Manners win split stakes (1982 Forward Gal Stakes Division 2 – race 9: held 7 April 1982)". Miami News. 8 April 1982. p. 14. Retrieved 25 January 2022.