 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2022) |
| Location | Belterra Park Cincinnati, Ohio United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1977 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Two-year-olds |
| Purse | $125,000 |
The Cradle Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds held at Belterra Park (formerly River Downs) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Open to two-year-olds, it is run over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles on the turf.[1]
It was originally created as a dirt race for juveniles in 1977. Miller Genuine Draft sponsored the race from the beginning and, until 2009, it was the longest continuously sponsored Thoroughbred race in the United States.[citation needed] During the 1980s, the Cradle Stakes grew to become the richest race for 2-year-olds in Ohio. One notable winner in that decade was Spend a Buck, who won the 1984 Cradle before going on to win the Kentucky Derby and Horse of the Year honors in 1985.[1]
The Cradle Stakes was moved to the turf in 2007 to serve as a prep for the new Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf race.[citation needed] River Downs management put the Cradle, and its filly counterpart the Bassinet, on hiatus after 2010 as part of a new contract with horsemen in an effort to maintain daily purses. In July 2022, Belterra management announced that both races would return in September of that year.[1] Both races were cancelled again in August 2022.
- ^ a b c King, Byron (7 July 2022). "Belterra Park Revives Cradle, Bassinet Stakes". The Blood-Horse. Retrieved 7 July 2022.