Laurel Futurity Stakes

The Laurel Futurity is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late September at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. Run over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles on turf, at one time it was a Grade I stakes race on dirt, and one of the richest and most important races for two-year-old American thoroughbreds. When the race was moved from the dirt to the turf in 2005, it lost its graded status and was subsequently ineligible for grading in 2006.^[1] The race was finally cancelled in 2008 for economic reasons.^[2] It was announced by Laurel Park that the famed race would be restored in 2011 and run on October 8 at 6 furlongs.

Originally known as the Pimlico Futurity (the race began at Pimlico Race Course in 1921, only moving to Laurel in 1969 where it was briefly known as the Pimlico-Laurel Futurity). Past winners include Triple Crown champions Count Fleet, Citation, Secretariat and Affirmed, who defeated his arch rival Alydar in this race.

Speed record:

• 1+1⁄16 miles – 1:40.17 – Barbaro (2005)
• 1+1⁄8 miles – 1:49.35 – Scottish Halo (1999)
• 1 mile – 1:39.00 – High Strung (1928)
• 7+1⁄2 furlongs – 1:30.70 – Appealing Skier (1995)

Most wins by an owner:

• 4 – Greentree Stable (1927, 1948, 1950, 1982)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 3 – Edgar Prado (1994, 1998, 2007)
• 3 – Bill Shoemaker (1957, 1958, 1961)
• 3 – Douglas Dodson (1944, 1947, 1954)
• 3 – John Gilbert (1932, 1940, 1946)
• 3 – Albert Johnson (1921, 1922, 1923)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 3 – George M. Odom (1924, 1928, 1955)

• Laurel Futurity Stakes top three finishers

• Barbaro's win in the 2005 Laurel Futurity
• Video at YouTube of Affirmed and Alydar in the 1977 Laurel Futurity
• Morvich and the first Pimlico (Laurel) Futurity
• Morvich: Autobiography of a Horse in the Internet Archive