Southwest Stakes

The Southwest Stakes is a race held at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas in mid February during the President's Day weekend. The race is open to three-year-olds and contested at one mile on the dirt with a purse of $250,000. On November 28th, 2007, the ungraded Southwest Stakes was upgraded to a Grade III event by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

Inaugurated in 1968 as the Southwest Handicap, it was run at a distance of six furlongs from 1968 through 1983. The race is often used as a prep to the Rebel Stakes and the Arkansas Derby, both significant preps for the Kentucky Derby.

The race's forerunner was the Southwest Purse, held in 1959 and 1962 and won by Call Hy and Killoqua, respectively.

It was run in two divisions in 1972 and 2002.

Past winners:

• 2008    Denis Of Cork
• 2007    Teuflesberg
• 2006    Lawyer Ron
• 2005    Greater Good
• 2004    Smarty Jones
• 2003    Great Notion
• 2002    Private Emblem
• 2002    Paloma Parilla
• 2001    Son of Rocket
• 2000    Afternoon Affair
• 1999    Jim'Smrtee
• 1998    Hot Wheels
• 1997    Smoke Glacken
• 1996    Ide
• 1995    Mystery Storm
• 1994    Southern Rhythm
• 1993    Foxtrail
• 1992    Big Sur
• 1991    Fenter
• 1990    Tarascon
• 1989    Termez
• 1988    Proper Reality
• 1987    Demons Begone
• 1986    Rare Brick
• 1985    Clever Allemont
• 1984    Whitebrush