The 2016 How Now Stakes is a Group 3 sprint race run at Melbourne’s Caulfield Racecourse during mid-September each year. The How Now Stakes forms an integral part of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and is open only to mares aged four-years-old and over.
In recent years the How Now Stakes has been the second leg of the Sportingbet Sprint Series, and is referred to as “Heat 2”. The How Now Stakes shares the race card with the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m), the two Group 3s formerly part of the Underwood Stakes Day program.
The How Now Stakes is raced over 1200m and is held under set weights with penalties conditions and offers $150,000 in total prize money.
One of the better recognised lead-up races to the How Now Stakes is the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) in August, run over 1200m. The Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) run a week earlier under the same conditions is also a good indicator of mares likely to remain in Melbourne to contest the How Now Stakes.
The 2016 How Now Stakes will be run on September 17th.
| How Now Stakes | |
|---|---|
| Date: | September 17th, 2016 |
| Track: | Caulfield Racecourse |
| Distance: | 1,200m |
| Race Type: | 4YO&UP Mares SWP |
| Status: | Group 3 |
| Prize Money: | $150,000 |
2016 How Now Stakes Field
The 2016 How Now Stakes field and barriers were released on Wednesday September 14 and feature a final line-up of 11 mares including the returning Mick Price-trained Secret Agenda.
Check out the official 2016 How Now Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw – registered as the Ladbrokes Odds Boost Stakes – below complete with the latest How Now Stakes betting markets on offer from the race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au.
2016 How Now Stakes Nominations
The 2016 How Now Stakes nominations were released by Racing Victoria on Monday September 12 and feautre 19 mares including the Robert Smerdon-trained Group 2 winner My Poppette.
View the full 2016 How Now Stakes Nominations & Ballot now.
How Now Stakes History
The How Now Stakes was inaugurated in 1999, with Snippet’s Lass taking out the race that year. While the How Now Stakes doesn’t hold the long and storied history of other Caulfield events, it still stands up on its own as a respectable and worthy event.
In 2005 there was a dead heat between Sarah Michelle and Brindabella. In the same year, the How Now Stakes was upgraded from a listed race to a Group 3 event, a status it has retained since.
The How Now Stakes has been known by a variety of names throughout its short history. These include the Cranbourne Diahatsu Stakes, Dubai Convention Bureau Stakes, Dubai International Stakes and Emirates Racing Association Stakes. In 2006, the How Now Stakes returned to its correct name. Then in 2013, the race became known as the Sportingbet Sprint Series Heat 2, a name that it continued to hold throughout 2014.
Notable How Now Stakes winners include Piavonic (2000), Valentine Miss (2010) and Catkins (2013). How Now Stakes results since 2000 are listed below.
How Now Stakes Results
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 How Now Stakes |
1st | TBD | TBD |
| 2nd | TBD | ||
| 3rd | TBD | ||
| 2016 How Now Stakes |
1st | Secret Agenda | 1 minute 12.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Every Faith | ||
| 3rd | Exclusive Lass | ||
| 2015 How Now Stakes |
1st | Politeness | 1 minute 10.7 seconds |
| 2nd | Griante | ||
| 3rd | Jessy Belle | ||
| 2014 How Now Stakes |
1st | Girl Guide | 1 minute 10.3 seconds |
| 2nd | A Time For Julia | ||
| 3rd | Shamal Wind | ||
| 2013 How Now Stakes |
1st | Catkins | 1 minute 12.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Hi Belle | ||
| 3rd | Flash Of Doubt | ||
| 2012 How Now Stakes |
1st | Detours | 1 minute 10.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Classy Chloe | ||
| 3rd | Mrs Onassis | ||
| 2011 How Now Stakes |
1st | Sister Madly | 1 minute 10.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Valentine Miss | ||
| 3rd | Lone Rock | ||
| 2010 How Now Stakes |
1st | Valentine Miss | 1 minute 9.3 seconds |
| 2nd | I’m A Hussy | ||
| 3rd | Red Flair | ||
| 2009 How Now Stakes |
1st | Velocitea | 1 minute 11.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Neroli | ||
| 3rd | Dollops | ||
| 2008 How Now Stakes |
1st | Vivacious Spirit | 1 minute 10.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Benatar | ||
| 3rd | Vormista | ||
| 2007 How Now Stakes |
1st | Miss Judgement | 1 minute 9.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Juste Momente | ||
| 3rd | Flying Object | ||
| 2006 How Now Stakes |
1st | Queen Of The Hill | 1 minute 10.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Megadeal | ||
| 3rd | Nuclear Free | ||
| 2005 How Now Stakes |
=1st | Sarah Michelle | 1 minute 13.9 seconds |
| =1st | Brindabella | ||
| 3rd | Little Chloe | ||
| 2004 How Now Stakes |
1st | Strikeline | 1 minute 10.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Solar Antiquity | ||
| 3rd | Skewiff | ||
| 2003 How Now Stakes |
1st | Lovely Jubly | 1 minute 9.0 seconds |
| 2nd | Infinite Grace | ||
| 3rd | Astaroth | ||
| 2002 How Now Stakes |
1st | Taimana | 1 minute 9.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Calming | ||
| 3rd | Galapagos Girl | ||
| 2001 How Now Stakes |
1st | Miss Power Bird | 1 minute 11.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Purple Groove | ||
| 3rd | Dynamic Love | ||
| 2000 How Now Stakes |
1st | Piavonic | 1 minute 10.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Nova Clause | ||
| 3rd | Clemens Belle | ||