Yellow Ribbon Stakes
The Rodeo Drive Stakes is a Grade II race for thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three-years-old and upwards. It is run at Del Mar Racetrack with a purse of $250,000 and is contested over a distance of 11⁄16 miles (1,700 meters).
It was raced during the Oak Tree Racing Association meeting at Santa Anita Park in late September / early October. It was a major prep race for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and is raced over a distance of 11⁄4 miles (2,000 meters) on the turf.
Part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, the winner of the 2008 Yellow Ribbon Stakes automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Inaugurated in 1977, it was an Invitational through 1995. The original name for the race was the idea of Oak Tree Founding Director Louis R. Rowan and is taken from the wartime song: "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree."
Read more about Yellow Ribbon Stakes: Records, Winners of The Yellow Ribbon Stakes
Famous quotes containing the words yellow ribbon, yellow, ribbon and/or stakes:
“A yellow ribbon, Miss Dandridge. You know what that means in the cavalry—a sweetheart.”
—Frank S. Nugent (1908–1965)
“For in this yellow grave of sand and sea
A calling for colour calls with the wind
That’s grave and gay as grave and sea
Sleeping on either hand.”
—Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)
“I’ll tell you how the Sun rose--
A Ribbon at a time--”
—Emily Dickinson (1831–1886)
“This man was very clever and quick to learn anything in his line. Our tent was of a kind new to him; but when he had once seen it pitched, it was surprising how quickly he would find and prepare the pole and forked stakes to pitch it with, cutting and placing them right the first time, though I am sure that the majority of white men would have blundered several times.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)