The inaugural running of the event was the Churchill Downs Handicap took place on the closing day of the Churchill Downs Spring meeting, June 6, 1911, as a three-year-old and over race over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles with five starters and was won by Carlton G. in track record time of 1:514⁄5 under jockey George Taplin for owner and trainer Lon Johnson.
Louise Hickman's Arab's Arrow would win the event three years straight including a dead heat victory with Kings Blue in 1939.
[4] The 1951 before a crowd of 18,000 on opening day of the spring meeting the winner of the event was the Detroit based sprinter Johns Joy who broke the seven furlongs time record in 1:224⁄5 which was held by Distinction and stood since 1921.
[9] The winner that year, 4/5 odds-on Pleasant Tap would also win the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Suburban Handicap and was awarded the U.S. Champion Older Male Horse.
[11] The 2004 winner six-year-old Speightstown continued his brilliant year capturing the Breeders' Cup Sprint and being crowned the U.S. Champion Sprinter.
[12] Mitole, the 2019 winner would also win the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap, Forego Stakes and Breeders' Cup Sprint and was crowned the U.S. Champion Sprinter.