Arlington-Washington Futurity Stakes 2023

One of the older important juvenile races of the campaign in the States is the Arlington-Washington Futurity Stakes.

On the calendar since way back in 1927 and run every year in September, this race carries Listed status but can still spawn future Grade I types with many going from this race to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November.

Worth $100,000, the two-year-olds used to take in a full mile on Arlington Park’s synthetic Polytrack surface during this event.

This is something that set the better horses up well for a tilt at the Kentucky Derby prep races the following spring, as the wheat is sorted from the chaff in advance of the Triple Crown series; however, since 2014, the Futurity has been contested over seven furlongs.

Hosted at the now-closed Washington Park during the war and at Hawthorne Park in 1985, the event has had a settled status for some time now with very smart recent winners including Publication, Cactus Ridge, Terrain, and Flap Jack.