Westchester Stakes (NYRA) explained

Class:Grade III
Horse Race:Westchester Stakes
Location:Belmont Park
Elmont, New York
Inaugurated:1918
Race Type:Thoroughbred – Flat racing
Website:NYRA
Distance:1 mile (8 furlongs)
Surface:Dirt
Track:Left-handed
Qualification:Four-years-old & up
Weight:123 lbs. with allowances
Purse:US$100,000 (2020)

The Westchester Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-years-old and older run over a distance of miles annually in early May at Belmont Park, in Elmont, New York. The event currently offers a purse of $100,000 added.

History

Originally called the Yorktown Handicap, it was first run in 1918 at the old Empire City Race Track and was won by the 1916 Kentucky Derby winner George Smith.[1]

For 1919, it was called the Victory Handicap, but in 1922 reverted to the Yorktown Handicap. There was no race run in 1932 and 1933 during the Great Depression.

In 1940 it was renamed the name Westchester Handicap in honor of Westchester County, New York. The race was hosted by the Jamaica Racetrack from 1943 to 1959 yet idle between 1954 and 1958. After which it was shifted to Aqueduct Racetrack.

From 1959 to 1971, the race was open to horses age four years old and up.[2]

Since 2012 the event has been run at Belmont Park.

Records

Speed record:

Most wins:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner

(Miles)
Time
Win$
Gr.
2023Repo Rocks5Ruben SilveraJamie NessDouble B Racing Stables1 m1:34.96$175,000G3
2022Cody's Wish4Junior AlvaradoWilliam I. MottGodolphin1 m1:34.68$110,00G3
2021Dr Post4Manuel FrancoTodd PletcherCloyce C. Clark1 m1:35.14$110,000G3
2020Code of Honor4John VelazquezC. R. McGaughey IIIWilliam S. Farish III1 m1:42.39$55,000G3
2019Nicodemus4Mike LuzziLinda RiceEverything's Cricket Racing (Avram C. Freedberg) & Lawrence Goichman 1 m1:35.07$110,000G3
2018Tale of Silence4Dylan Davis Barclay TaggCharles E. Fipke1 m1:36.14$120,000G3
2017Connect4Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad BrownPaul Pompa Jr.1 m1:36.49$120,000G3
2016Anchor Down5José OrtizTodd PletcherAlto Racing LLC1 m1:35.10$90,000G3
2015Tonalist4Joe BravoChristophe ClementRobert S. Evans1 m1:34.07$90,000G3
2014Palace Malice4John R. VelazquezTodd PletcherDogwood Stable/Three Chimneys Farm1 m1:35.53$90,000G3
2013Flat Out7Junior AlvaradoWilliam I. MottPreston Stables (Art Preston)1 m1:32.99$90,000G3
2012To Honor and Serve4Jose LezcanoWilliam I. MottLive Oak Racing (Charlotte Weber)1 m1:34.84$90,000G3
20116Cornelio VelásquezTodd A. PletcherRepole Stable1 m1:34.26$60,000G3
2010Le Grand Cru 5Cornelio VelásquezH. Allen JerkensJudson L. Streicher1 m1:34.89$60,000G3
2009Bribon6Alan GarciaRobert RibaudoMarc Keller1 m1:35.38$66,000G3
2008Divine Park4Alan GarciaKiaran McLaughlinJames J. Barry1 m1:32.74$65,460G3
2007Utopia7Mike LuzziSaeed bin SuroorSheikh Mohammed1 m1:33.23 $64,620G3
2006Sir Greeley 4Eibar CoaJames A. JerkensTimber Bay Farm (William J. Entenmann) & Denise (Entenmann) Walsh1 m1:33.69$65,280G3
2005Gygistar 6Javier CastellanoMark A. HennigEdward P. Evans1 m1:33.50$65,700G3
2004Gygistar 5Joe BravoMark A. HennigEdward P. Evans1 m1:35.89$65,700G3
2003Najran4Edgar PradoNick ZitoBuckram Oak Farm (Mahmoud Fustok)1 m1:32.24$65,820G3
2002Free of Love4Jerry D. BaileyRichard Violette Jr.Anthony J. Aprilante & Ralph M. Evans1 m1:35.56$67,500G3
2001Cat's At Home 4Filiberto LeonMark A. HennigEdward P. Evans1 m1:33.60$64,920G3
2000Yankee Victor 4 Heberto Castillo Jr.Carlos Morales Moreton Binn, et al. 1 m1:34.37 $66,000G3
1999Mr. Sinatra 5Chuck C. LopezGasper MoscheraBarbara J. Davis1 m1:35.04$64,202G3
1998Wagon Limit4Jean-Luc SamynH. Allen JerkensJoseph V. Shields Jr.1 m1:34.06$66,420G3
1997Pacific Fleet 5Frank AlvaradoAlfredo CallejasRobert Perez1 m1:33.88$65,940G3
1996Valid Wager 4Julio PezuaBruce N. LevineHarry T. Mangurian Jr.1 m1:34.74$66,240G3
1995Mr. Shawklit 4 Mike LuzziFrank Laboccetta Edward & Judith Anchel1 m1:34.66$65,760G3
1994Virginia Rapids 4Jean-Luc SamynH. Allen JerkensMiddletown Stables (Joseph & William Stavola)1 m1:34.52$65,640G3
1993Bill Of Rights 4Jean-Luc SamynThomas D. (Tim) KellyBoketo Stable1 m1:34.69$72,720G3
1992Rubiano5José A. SantosFlint S. SchulhoferCentennial Farms (Donald Little)1 m1:34.83$68,880G3
1991Rubiano4Jerry D. BaileyFlint S. SchulhoferCentennial Farms (Donald Little)1 m1:34.94$71,520G3
1990Once Wild 5Ángel Cordero Jr.John J. Lenzini Jr.Gary Marano1 m1:35.00$67,800G3
1989Lord of the Night 6Jorge VelásquezDominick GalluscioWinbound Farms (Raymond Wennik)1 m1:35.60$71,040G3
1988Faster Than Sound 4Julie KroneD. Wayne LukasH. Joseph Allen1 m1:34.40$108,000G3
1987King's Swan7José A. SantosRichard E. Dutrow Sr.Alvin Akman1 m1:36.20$69,120G3
1986Garthorn 6Rafael MezaRobert J. FrankelJerome S. Moss1 m1:33.80$75,240G3
1985Verbarctic 5Gregg McCarronGarner H. VinsonGarner H. Vinson1 m1:36.60$53,460G3
1984Jacque's Tip 4Ángel Cordero Jr.John ParisellaTheodore M. Sabarese1 m, 70 yds.1:41.80$55,440G3
1983Singh Tu 4Jean-Luc SamynH. Allen JerkensTop The Marc Stable (Joseph Taub)1 m1:35.20$33,780G3
1982-1Fabulous Find 4Juan CintronH. Allen JerkensTop The Marc Stable (Joseph Taub)1 m1:38.00$33,330G3
1982-2John Casey 5Jeffrey FellFloreano FernandezJulie Miron1 m1:38.00$33,090G3
1981Dunham's Gift 4Michael VeneziaBob G. DunhamCarl Hughes Jr.1 m1:35.00$33,000G3
1980Nice Catch 6Jeffrey FellFrank WrightOctober House Farm1 m1:36.80$34,020G3
1979Vencedor 5Ruben HernandezLuis BarreraArmando Cosme m1:44.00$33,060G2
1978Pumpkin Moonshine 4Dave BordenHoward M. TesherH. Joseph Allen m1:44.40$32,250G2
1977Cinteelo 4Eddie MapleThomas J. KellyJohn M. Schiff m1:43.40$33,090G2
1976Double Edge Sword 6Ángel Cordero Jr.Richard E. Dutrow Sr.Aisquith Stable (Elmer W. Aisquith)1 m1:33.40$34,170G2
1975Step Nicely 5Jorge VelásquezH. Allen JerkensHobeau Farm1 m1:34.00$33,900G2
1974Dundee Marmalade 6Michael HoleRobert P. LakeAlfred G. Vanderbilt II1 m1:36.00$32,940G2
1973North Sea 4Robyn SmithRobert P. LakeAlfred G. Vanderbilt II1 m1:33.60$33,990G2
1972Autobiography 4Ángel Cordero Jr.Pancho MartinSigmund Sommer1 m1:34.20$34,560
1971Never Bow 5Victor TejadaPancho MartinSigmund Sommer1 m1:36.40$35,580
1970Dewan 5Eddie BelmonteJames W. MaloneyWilliam Haggin Perry1 m1:34.20$37,440
1969Iron Ruler 4Ángel Cordero Jr.Edward J. YowellOctober House Farm1 m1:34.00$36,335
1968R. Thomas7Jimmy NicholsDavid ErbRoger W. Wilson1 m1:35.40$36,335
1967Advocator 4Manuel YcazaClyde TrouttAda L. Rice1 m1:35.40$35,815
19665Larry AdamsDavid ErbRoger W. Wilson1 m1:36.20$37,375
1965Tibaldo 5Braulio BaezaThomas J. KellyEsther D. du Pont1 m1:36.60$39,130
1964Rocky Link 4Donald PierceStephen A. DiMauroGolden Triangle Stables (Thomas A. Eazor)1 m1:35.20$18,947
1963Sunrise County 4John L. RotzThomas J. KellyTownsend B. Martin1 m1:34.20$18,005
1962Globemaster 4John L. RotzThomas J. KellyLeonard P. Sasso1 m1:34.60$18,687
1961Mail Order 5Larry AdamsLarry H. ThompsonAlamode Farm1 m1:34.00$18,655
1960Vendetta 4Jack LeonardWalter F. Wickes Jr.Mrs. Walter F. Wickes Jr.1 m1:35.20$19,005
1959Mystic II 5Mike SorrentinoMorris DixonC. Mahlon Kline m1:43.60$18,452
1954– 1958align=center colspan=8Race not held
1953Cold Command 4Hedley WoodhouseSylvester VeitchC. V. Whitney m1:49.60$33,150
1952Battlefield4Albert SchmidlWinbert F. MulhollandGeorge D. Widener Jr. m1:50.20$38,350
1951Bryan G.4Ovie ScurlockCasey HayesChristopher Chenery m1:49.20$21,100
1950Palestinian4Sam Boulmetis Sr.Hirsch JacobsIsidor Bieber m1:57.20$25,100
1949Three Rings4Hedley WoodhouseWillie KnappEvelyn L. Hopkins m1:56.80$20,200
1948Better Self 3Dave GormanMax HirschKing Ranch m1:57.80$39,600
1947Bridal Flower4Warren MehrtensJames W. SmithKing Ranch m1:59.20$39,700
1946Assault3Eddie ArcaroMax HirschKing Ranch m1:56.40$38,600
19454Robert PermaneHirsch JacobsEthel D. Jacobs m1:56.80$38,765
1944Seven Hearts 4Paul KeiperW. Graves SparksJ. Graham Brown m1:58.00$23,515
1943Slide Rule3Jack WestropeCecil WilhelmWilliam E. Boeing m1:57.60$22,700
1942Riverland 4Alfred RobertsonMoody JolleyLouisiana Farm (Harold A. Clark) m1:56.40$19,850
1941Gramps 4Herb LindbergJohn M. Gaver Sr.John Hay Whitney m1:59.80$19,650
1940Mioland3Leon HaasR. Thomas SmithCharles S. Howard m2:00.20$15,950
1939Third Degree 3Eddie ArcaroJohn M. Gaver Sr.Greentree Stable m1:51.40$7,250
1938Great Union 3Sam RenickLouis FeustelElizabeth Graham Lewis m1:52.00$6,550
1937Thorson 5E. RobertsThomas H. McCreery Buckley M. Byers m1:52.00$7,550
1936Thorson 4Eddie ArcaroThomas H. McCreery Buckley M. Byers m1:52.00$4,790
1935Good Harvest 3Sam RenickJoseph H. StotlerAlfred G. Vanderbilt II m1:51.80$4,550
1934King Saxon3Thomas MalleyC. H. "Pat" KnebelkampC. H. "Pat" Knebelkamp m1:54.40$1,985
1932– 1933align=center colspan=8Race not held
1931Dr. Freeland5Johnny BethalThomas J. HealeyWalter J. Salmon Sr. m1:53.60$2,880
19303Charles KurtsingerAndy SchuttingerJames Butler m1:53.60$4,650
1929Genie 4Willie KelsayHenry McDanielGifford A. Cochran m1:52.00$4,930
1928Arcturus 3George SchreinerA. Jack JoynerGeorge D. Widener Jr. m1:53.00$4,970
1927Light Carbine 4Charles ZoellerMichael J. DunleavyIra B. Humphreys m1:53.60$5,390
1926Cloudland 4Laverne FatorFrank E. BrownFrank E. Brown m1:53.80$4,970
1922– 1926align=center colspan=8Race not held
1921Yellow Hand 4C. H. MillerA. J. GoldsboroughCharles A. Stoneham m2:05.60$4,850
1920Mad Hatter4Earl SandeSam HildrethRancocas Stable m2:07.40$4,550
1919Star Master 5Clarence KummerWalter B. JenningsA. Kingsley Macomber m2:09.20$2,275
1918George Smith5Frank RobinsonPreston M. BurchJohn Sanford m1:51.60$2,150

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: North Sea Wins Aqueduct Mile. New York Times. 247. 1973-04-01. 2020-08-12.
  2. Web site: Westchester Handicap history at the NYRA.