Sycamore Stakes

The Sycamore Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds or older, over a distance of $1 1/2$ miles on the turf held annually in October at Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky during the autumn meeting. The event currently carries a purse of $300,000.

History
The inaugural running of the event was on 12 October 1995 over a distance of $1 1/2$ miles and was won by Frank Mansell's five-year-old Lindon Lime who was ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Craig Perret. Lindon Lime started as the even money favorite and won finishingf strongly by $1 5/8$ lengths in a time of 2:42.11 setting a new track record for the distance.

In 2001 the distance was reduced one furlong to $4 1/2$ miles. The event was won by Rochester who in his career win the event two more times (2002, 2005) and placing third as well in 2004.

In 2015 the event was upgraded to a Grade III.

Due to extremely wet conditions, the Sycamore was run "off the turf" on the polytrack in 2011. The event was also run at $1 1/2$ miles, originally scheduled for $1 5/8$ miles. The American Graded Stakes Committee determined that the race lose its grade for the 2013 running which was also run on the polytrack.

Between 2001 and 2006 the Breeders' Cup sponsored the event which reflected in the name of the event.

Records
Speed record
 * $1 1/2$ miles: 2:28.08 	Bold Act (IRE) (2023)
 * $1 1/2$ miles (turf): 2:38.68 Royal Strand (IRE) (1999)
 * $1 5/8$ miles (polytrack): 2:39.40 Sanagas (GER) (2011)

Margins
 * $1 5/8$ lengths: Royal Strand (IRE) (1999)

Most wins:
 * 3 – Rochester (2001, 2002, 2005)

Most wins by a jockey:
 * 4 – Pat Day (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003)

Most wins by a trainer:
 * 5 – Jonathan E. Sheppard (2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2009)

Most wins by an owner:
 * 6 – Augustin Stable (2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2014, 2015)

Winners
Legend: