Nursery Stakes Explained

The Nursery Stakes, or other designations incorporating the word "Nursery", refers to a Thoroughbred horse race used by racetracks worldwide to identify it as a novice race exclusively for two-year-olds, the age a horse is first legally allowed to compete.

In use since the 18th century, it is today still used but is a somewhat dated term. In recent decades the Nursery designation in a race title has often been supplanted by the term "Juvenile". Current or defunct "Nursery" races include:

Australia:

• VATC Gwyn Nursery at Caulfield Racecourse
• RRC Nursery Handicap.

United States:

• Nursery Stakes at Belmont Park
• Pimlico Nursery Stakes at Pimlico Race Course
• Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes at Philadelphia Park Racetrack
• Santa Catalina Nursery Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Great Britain:

• Nursery Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse
• Princes of Wales's Nursery Plate at Doncaster Racecourse.

South Africa:

• Nursery Stakes at Turffontein Racecourse.

References

• Information on Nursery Races at FlatStats