Geisha Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...

 held annually in April since 1973 primarily at Pimlico Race Course

Pimlico Race Course

Pimlico Race Course is a horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Olde Ben Pimlico's Tavern in London...

 in Baltimore or at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel

Laurel, Maryland

Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...

. To be eligible for the Geisha Handicap, a horse must be bred in Maryland. Due to that restriction the race is classified as a non-graded or "listed" stakes race and is not eligible for grading by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

The race was run at 1-1/16 miles for its first 30 years in existence from 1973-2003. The race was run on the turf one year in 1988.

In its 39th running in 2010, the race was named in honor of Alfred G. Vanderbilt's Geisha, a Maryland-bred daughter of Discovery

Discovery (horse)

Discovery was an American Thoroughbred racehorse about whom the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame said: "...considered one of the greatest horses of the 20th century."...

 and bred by John P. Grier. She was foaled at the famed Sagamore Farm

Sagamore Farm

Sagamore Farm is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding farm on Belmont Avenue in Reisterstown, Baltimore County, Maryland. Established in 1925, it was owned by Margaret Emerson Vanderbilt who gave it to her son Alfred G. Vanderbilt II for his twenty-first birthday...

 in Glyndon, Maryland

Glyndon, Maryland

Glyndon, Maryland is an unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1871 by Dr. Charles A. Leas, the village is located in the northwest section of Baltimore County and serves primarily as a residential suburb of metropolitan Baltimore City...

 in 1943. She was bred to Preakness Stakes

Preakness Stakes

The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...

 winner Polynesian

Polynesian (horse)

Polynesian was an American Thoroughbred racehorse owned by Gertrude T. Widener, of the prominent Widener family of Philadelphia, and bred by her father-in-law Joseph E...

 and produced Native Dancer

Native Dancer

Native Dancer , nicknamed the Grey Ghost, was one of the most celebrated and accomplished Thoroughbred racehorses in history, the first horse made famous through the medium of television. He was one of the best horses produced in USA after the war...

 in 1950, one of the greatest race horses and sires of the 20th century.

Records

Speed record:

• 1-1/16 miles (8.5 furlongs) : 1:42.20 - Any Spray (1984)
• 1-1/8 miles (9 furlongs) : 1:51.40 - Prominade Girl (2004)

Most wins by an owner:

• 4 - Stephen Quick (2004, 2007, 2008 & 2009)

Most wins by a jockey

Jockey

A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

:

• 4 - William J. Passmore
  William J. Passmore
  William J. "Bill" Passmore, Sr. was an American jockey and racing steward, who rode thoroughbred horses for 38 years including at the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes winning 3,531 races and $23 millions in his 38-year career before spending 20 years as a steward.The 5-foot,...
  
    (1974, 1975, 1976 and 1980)

Most wins by a trainer

Horse trainer

In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

:

• 4 - Christopher W. Grove  (2004, 2007, 2008 & 2009)

Winners of the Geisha Handicap since 1973

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance (Miles)	Time	Purse
2011		-				1 mile	0:00.00	$75,000
2010	Fascinatin' Rhythm	5	Forest Boyce	Richard W. Small	Buckingham Farm	1 mile	1:37.14	$75,000
2009	Princess Nyla	4	Julian Pimentel	Christopher W. Grove	Stephen Quick	1-1/16	1:45.43	$75,000
2008	Lexi Star	6	Jeremy Rose Jeremy Rose Jeremy Rose is an American Thoroughbred racehorse jockey. He began his career as a professional rider at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Delaware and in 2001 was his breakout year and he was voted the United States' Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey.In 2005, Rose guided Afleet Alex, to...	Christopher W. Grove	Stephen Quick	1-1/16	1:43.76	$75,000
2007	Lexi Star	5	J. D. Acosta	Christopher W. Grove	Stephen Quick	1-1/8	1:53.40	$75,000
2006	Sassy Love	5	Luis Garcia	Casey J. Randall	Michael J. Harrison	1-1/8	1:54.00	$75,000
2005	Promenade Girl	3	E. Rodriguez	Lawrence E. Murray	Sondra D. Bender	1-1/8	1:51.40	$75,000
2004	Silmaril Silmaril (horse) Silmaril Silmaril Silmaril (foaled March 31, 2001 in Maryland is an American thoroughbred mare racehorse. She is sired by stakes winner, Diamond, who in turn was sired by leading North American sire, Mr. Prospector. She was out of the mare, Kattebuck, whose sire was the 1985 United States Horse of...	3	Abel Castellano Jr.	Christopher W. Grove	Stephen E. Quick	1-1/8	1:53.80	$100,000
2003	Cruise Along	5	Abel Castellano Jr.	Lawence E. Murray	Sondra D. Bender	1-1/16	1:42.80	$100,000
2002	Shiny Sheet	4	Jeremy Rose Jeremy Rose Jeremy Rose is an American Thoroughbred racehorse jockey. He began his career as a professional rider at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Delaware and in 2001 was his breakout year and he was voted the United States' Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey.In 2005, Rose guided Afleet Alex, to...	Charles H. Hadry	Henry T. Rathburn	1-1/16	1:44.40	$100,000
2001	Shine Again	4	Jean-Luc Samyn Jean-Luc Samyn Jean-Luc Samyn is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.The son of a pastry chef, Jean-Luc Samyn was one of three children. At age thirteen, he went to work for the stable of trainer John Cunnington at Chantilly, a racecourse about north of Paris city center...	H. Allen Jerkens H. Allen Jerkens Harry Allen Jerkens is an American Thoroughbred race horse Hall of Fame trainer.Jerkens' father owned a riding academy on Long Island that led to his interest in horse racing and in 1950 he trained his first winner. Sometimes called the "Giant Killer", he is best known for his upsets...	Bohemia Stable	1-1/16	1:43.60	$100,000
2000	Unbridled Lady	4	Mario Pino	Robin L. Graham	Alan S. Kline	1-1/16	1:44.80	$100,000
1999	Truth and Nobility	4	Steve Capanas	Roger J. Seeger		1-1/16	1:43.60	$100,000
1998	Weather Vane	4	Mario Pino	Richard W. Delp	Par Four Racing Stable	1-1/16	1:43.80	$100,000
1997	Churchbell Chimes	6	Edgar S. Prado	J. William Boniface	Susan Y. Granville	1-1/16	1:42.80	$100,000
1996	Urbane	4	Jose Valdivia, Jr. Jose Valdivia, Jr. Jose Valdivia, Jr. is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. The son of a top South American jockey, he is the nephew of retired jockey Fernando Toro and trainer, Juan Suarez. He and his family moved to the United States in 1989 and settled in the West Palm Beach, Florida area where his...	Randy Bradshaw	Siegel Family	1-1/16	1:44.00	$100,000
1995	Calipha Calipha Calipha is an American Thoroughbred filly racehorse. The daughter of Two Punch will best be remembered for posting a two length score over the favorite Bunting in the mile and an eighth Grade II $200,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on May 20, 1994.- Black-Eyed Susan Stakes...	4	Kent Desormeaux Kent Desormeaux Kent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...	Grover G. Delp	Nancy Bayard	1-1/16	1:50.00	$100,000
1994	Stars Knockout	5	Richard Migliore	Michael E. Hushion	Liberation Farm	1-1/16	1:43.60	$100,000
1993	Green Darlin	4	Joe Bravo Joe Bravo (jockey) Joe Bravo is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. The son and grandson of jockeys, he began his professional career in Thoroughbred flat racing at Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, Florida during the latter end of 1988.According to his NTRA profile, Joe Bravo has dominated the New...	Lawrence E. Murray		1-1/16	1:43.80	$100,000
1992	Brilliant Brass	5	Edgar Prado	Carlos A. Garcia		1-1/16	1:43.00	$100,000
1991	Capp the Power	4	Mike Luzzi Mike Luzzi Michael Jude Luzzi is an American jockey. He grew up near Delaware Park Racetrack where his grandfather, trainer Buddy Raines, had a major role in raising him and his brother John who also became a jockey...	Ronald Cartwright		1-1/16	1:43.60	$100,000
1990	Thirty Eight Go Go	5	Donnie A. Miller, Jr.	King T. Leatherbury King T. Leatherbury King T. Leatherbury MBA is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer who ranks third all-time in wins among U.S. trainers....	Janet Wayson	1-1/16	1:42.60	$100,000
1989	Thirty Eight Go Go	4	Kent Desormeaux Kent Desormeaux Kent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...	King T. Leatherbury King T. Leatherbury King T. Leatherbury MBA is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer who ranks third all-time in wins among U.S. trainers....	Janet Wayson	1-1/16	1:42.40	$100,000
1988	Thirty Eight Go Go	3	Donnie A. Miller, Jr.	King T. Leatherbury King T. Leatherbury King T. Leatherbury MBA is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer who ranks third all-time in wins among U.S. trainers....	Janet Wayson	1-1/16	1:43.20	$80,000
1987	Alden's Ambition	6	Jesse Davidson	Jerry Robb		1-1/16	1:44.00	$60,000
1986	Owned by All	6	Vincent Bracciale, Jr.		Baird C. Brittingham	1-1/16	1:44.80	$60,000
1985	Owned by All	5	Danny Wright		Baird C. Brittingham	1-1/16	1:42.40	$60,000
1984	Any Spray	4	Dave Byrnes			1-1/16	1:42.20	$60,000
1983	Kattegat's Pride	4	Donnie A. Miller, Jr.		Stephen E. Quick	1-1/16	1:45.40	$60,000
1982	Zvetlana	4	Leroy Moyers			1-1/16	1:45.00	$60,000
1981	Weber City Miss	4	Angel Cordero, Jr.			1-1/16	1:44.00	$60,000
1980	Jameela	4	William J. Passmore William J. Passmore William J. "Bill" Passmore, Sr. was an American jockey and racing steward, who rode thoroughbred horses for 38 years including at the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes winning 3,531 races and $23 millions in his 38-year career before spending 20 years as a steward.The 5-foot,...		Richard W. Worthington	1-1/16	1:44.40	$60,000
1979	Pearl Necklace Pearl Necklace (horse) Pearl Necklace was an American Thoroughbred racing mare bred and raced by Reginald N. Webster. He was sired by Ambernash, a son of U.S...	5	Ruben Hernandez	Roger Laurin Roger Laurin Roger Laurin is a trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses in the United States and Canada. He has trained Champions Numbered Account, the 1971 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly, and Chief's Crown, the 1984 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner.-A family business:Roger...	Reginald N. Webster Reginald N. Webster Reginald N. Webster was an American businessman and Thoroughbred racehorse owner.Born in Dublin, Ireland, Reginald Webster's family emigrated to the United States when he was a small boy. Pursuing a career in business, he was president of precision parts manufacturer Standard-Thomson Corp. of...	1-1/16	1:43.20	$60,000
1978	Lucky Penny	5	Ronald Ardoin Ronald Ardoin Ronald D. Ardoin is a retired jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. He is one of a number of successful Cajun jockeys who began their careers riding in bush track races in Louisiana....			1-1/16	1:47.00	$35,000
1977	Gala Lil	5	George Cusimano		Mrs. Gertude Leviton	1-1/16	1:42.60	$27,500
1976 #	Gala Lil	4	Leroy Moyers		Mrs. Gertude Leviton	1-1/16	1:51.00	$100,000
1976 #	Crackerfax	5	William J. Passmore William J. Passmore William J. "Bill" Passmore, Sr. was an American jockey and racing steward, who rode thoroughbred horses for 38 years including at the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes winning 3,531 races and $23 millions in his 38-year career before spending 20 years as a steward.The 5-foot,...			1-1/16	1:44.00	$25,000
1975	Twixt	6	William J. Passmore William J. Passmore William J. "Bill" Passmore, Sr. was an American jockey and racing steward, who rode thoroughbred horses for 38 years including at the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes winning 3,531 races and $23 millions in his 38-year career before spending 20 years as a steward.The 5-foot,...			1-1/16	1:44.60	$35,000
1974	Twixt	5	William J. Passmore William J. Passmore William J. "Bill" Passmore, Sr. was an American jockey and racing steward, who rode thoroughbred horses for 38 years including at the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes winning 3,531 races and $23 millions in his 38-year career before spending 20 years as a steward.The 5-foot,...			1-1/16	1:45.00	$35,000
1973	Alma North	5	Ron Turcotte Ron Turcotte Ron Joseph Morel Turcotte, CM is a Hall of Fame thoroughbred race horse jockey best known as the rider of Secretariat, winner of the U.S. Triple Crown in 1973....			1-1/16	1:42.80	$28,000