The Woodward Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race and is one of the premier races for older thoroughbred horses in the United States. The Woodward has been won by many horses who were named the American Horse of the Year and twenty winners of the race were eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame: Sword Dancer, Kelso, Gun Bow, Buckpasser, Damascus, Arts and Letters, Forego, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, Slew o’ Gold, Precisionist, Alysheba, Easy Goer, Holy Bull, Cigar, Skip Away, Ghostzapper, Curlin and Rachel Alexandra. In 1973, Secretariat lost the Woodward to Prove Out, who set a stakes record for the then-current distance of ?1 1?2 miles. Triple Crown winners Seattle Slew and Affirmed also won the race during the 1970s