The S&P 500 has gained about 2% this year, but a handful of winners have more than doubled in value.

The downside: Some of the stocks were beaten down and benefited from a dead-cat bounce, while 6 of the 10 winners recently traded at less than $10 a share -- often the cut-off for long-term investors. Others benefited from rising commodity prices -- perhaps an indication that the recession is easing.

Success in the current market may be written in water, but these stocks have recently made waves:

1, 2. The "Ugh” Factor

Sprint Nextel (S) and Tenet Healthcare (THC) recently fetched less than $5 a share, so they doubled off a narrow base. This doesn’t inspire confidence or suggest a strong run ahead. Still, it would be unkind to call their recent move higher a statistical quirk: Tenet is up about 151% this year; Sprint is up about 173%.

3, 4. Pass the Financials

XL Capital (XL) and Genworth (GNW) are from the mashed, bashed, and stomped upon financial sector. The sector appears to be regaining its footing, but sending flowers to a former sweetie may have less risk right about now. Still, Genworth is up about 141% and XL Capital is up about 193%.

5. Wheeling and Dealing

Ford (F) avoided the worst of the General Motors (GRM) and Chrysler bailout follies, and appears positioned to grab market share -- assuming consumers start buying big-ticket items again. Ford refinanced some debt and the company is building a solid reputation for reliability. Imagine: an American automaker!

Ford is up about 145% this year.