The Stymie Stakes is an American race for Thoroughbred horses at Aqueduct Racetrack. Usually raced in late February or early March, it is open to horses age four and older. It is run on dirt over a distance of one mile and offers a purse of $150,000.[1]

Stymie Stakes
Listed stakes race
LocationAqueduct Racetrack
Queens, New York
Inaugurated1956
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Websitewww.nyra.com/aqueduct/
Race information
Distance1 mile (eight furlongs)
TrackDirt, left-handed
QualificationFour-years-old & older
PurseUS$150,000

The race was named in honor of Stymie, the handicap champion of 1945. A $1,500 claimer, he was inducted into the United States Racing Hall of Fame in 1975. Making 131 career starts, Stymie won 35, placed in 33, and came in third 28 times. At the time, his earnings of $918,485 set a record. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century Stymie is listed as #41.

Originally a handicap race for horses age three and older, the Stymie was a Grade 3 event from 1973 through 2002 after which it became a Listed race. It was hosted by Belmont Park from inception in 1956 to 1961, and again between 1968 and 1975.

Historic notes

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The great Kelso won the Stymie Handicap in 1962 then in 1965 won it again in what would be the final win of his brilliant career, capped off with his fifth American Horse of the Year title.[2]

The 1972 edition of the Stymie Handicap was won by the Venezuelan longshot Canonero II who had won the 1971 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. In capturing the Stymie, Canonero II won by five lengths while equaling the North American record for a mile and an eighth.[3]

Records

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Speed record:

  • 1:46.20 @ 1/1/8 miles: Canonero II (1972) & Key To The Kingdom (1974)
  • 2:00.40 @ 1/14 miles: Grace Born (1968)

Most wins:

  • 2 – Kelso (1962, 1965)
  • 2 – It's Academic (1989, 1990)
  • 2 – More to Tell (1995, 1996)
  • 2 – Ground Storm (2002, 2004)
  • 2 – Turco Bravo (2015, 2016)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

  • 3 – Winning Move Stable (Sigler family) (2008, 2015, 2016)

Winners

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Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Dist.
(Miles)
Time
Win
US$
Gr
2023 Repo Rocks 5 Dexter Haddock Jamie Ness Double B Racing Stakes 1 M 1:36.75 $125,000 L
2022 Green Light Go 5 Dylan Davis Jimmy Jerkens Stronach Stables 1 M 1:35.43 $125,000 L
2021 Mr. Buff 7 Manuel Franco John C. Kimmel Chester Broman Sr. & Mary Broman 1 M 1:36.97 $85,000 L
2020 Diamond King 5 Kendrick Carmouche John C. Servis Cash Is King LLC & LC Racing 1 M 1:38.04 $68,750 L
2019 Vino Rosso 3 John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable 1 M 1:35.27 $86,625 L
2018 Harlan Punch 5 Dylan Davis David Jacobson David Jacobson 1 M 1:38.03 $90,000 L
2017 Sunny Ridge 4 Manuel Franco Jason Servis Dennis A. Drazin 1⅛ M 1:50.19 $75,000 L
2016 Turco Bravo Ŧ 6 Manuel Franco Gary Contessa Winning Move Stable (Sigler family) 1⅛ M 1:50.96 $75,000 L
2015 Turco Bravo Ŧ 5 José Ortiz Gary Contessa Winning Move Stable (Sigler family) 1⅛ M 1:51.80 $60,000 L
2014 Farhaan 5 Irad Ortiz Jr. Kiaran McLaughlin Shadwell Stable 1⅛ M 1:53.52 $60,000 L
2012 – 2013 Race not held
2011 Goombada Guska 4 Jose Valdivia Jr. Scott J. Volk Navesink Breeders 1⅛ M 1:51.53 $39,000 L
2010 Understatement 5 David Cohen Todd A. Pletcher Paul P. Pompa Jr. 1⅛ M 1:50.63 $39,000 L
2009 Barrier Reef 4 Ramon A. Dominguez Thomas Albertrani Darley Stable 1⅛ M 1:50.57 $42,783 L
2008 Malibu Moonshine 6 Mario Pino Gary Contessa Winning Move Stable (Sigler family) 1⅛ M 1:50.19 $41,925 L
2007 Evening Attire 9 Jose Espinoza Patrick J. Kelly T. J. Kelly / J. & M. Grant 1⅛ M 1:49.57 $43,563 L
2006 Manchurian 6 Mike Luzzi Todd A. Pletcher Allen E. Paulson Living Trust 1⅛ M 1:50.87 $41,925 L
2005 Hydrogen 6 Richard Migliore Bruce Levine Earle I. Mack 1⅛ M 1:50.82 $48,570 L
2004 Ground Storm 8 Javier Castellano William Mott Centennial Farms 1⅛ M 1:50.92 $48,975 L
2003 Snake Mountain 5 Michael Luzzi Jimmy Jerkens Berkshire Stud et al. 1⅛ M 1:49.70 $48,585 L
2002 Ground Storm 6 Javier Castellano William Mott Centennial Farms 1⅛ M 1:48.89 $65,520 3
2001 Windrush 4 Joe Bravo John Kimmel Gainesway Stable 1⅛ M 1:48.43 $65,880 3
2000 Not So Fast 6 Octavio Vergara Bruce Levine Double T Stable 1⅛ M 1:49.00 $49,920 3
1999 Brushing Up 6 Shaun Bridgmohan Victor Simone Victor & Phyllis Simone 1⅛ M 1:49.20 $49,005 3
1998 Unreal Turn 6 Chuck C. Lopez Frank A. Generazio Jr. Patricia Generazio 1⅛ M 1:48.68 $49,215 3
1997 Iron Gavel 7 Julio Pezua Gasper S. Moschera Joques Farm 1⅛ M 1:49.83 $48,180 3
1996 More to Tell 5 Jorge F. Chavez Gasper S. Moschera Barbara J. Davis 1⅛ M 1:51.40 $59,490 3
1995 More to Tell 4 Frank Alvarado Gasper S. Moschera Barbara J. Davis 1⅛ M 1:51.60 $65,220 3
1994 Koluctoo Jimmy Al 4 Jorge F. Chavez Bruce Levine Basil J. Plasteras 1⅛ M 1:50.99 $67,800 3
1993 Two the Twist 6 Richard Migliore Michael Hushion Eugene E. Hauman 1⅛ M 1:48.30 $69840 3
1992 Crackedbell 7 Aaron Gryder Pancho Martin Viola Sommer 1⅛ M 1:48.80 $67,680 3
1991 I'm Sky High 5 Mike E. Smith Michael J. Kelly John R. Murrell 1⅛ M 1:50.47 $68,280 3
1990 It's Academic 6 Jorge Velásquez Luis Sosa Barrera Marcus Vogel 1⅛ M 1:50.60 $68040 3
1989 It's Academic 5 Diane Nelson Luis Sosa Barrera Marcus Vogel 1⅛ M 1:51.20 $69,000 3
1988 King's Swan 8 Jose Santos Richard E. Dutrow Sr. Alvin Akman 1⅛ M 1:51.40 $101,520 3
1987 Lover's Cross 4 Ruben Hernandez Roger Attfield Kinghaven Farm 1⅛ M 1:50.00 $65,610 3
1986 Proof 4 Eddie Maple Robert J. Frankel Jerome S. Moss 1⅛ M 1:50.00 $66,600 3
1985 Imp Society 4 Jorge Velásquez D. Wayne Lukas Heslop Stable 1⅛ M 1:53.00 $64,350 3
1984 Gen'l Practitioner 4 Larry Saumell John Parisella Theodore M. Sabarese 1⅛ M 1:48.40 $57,510 3
1983 Sing Sing 5 Rolando Alvarado Jr. H. Allen Jerkens Sugartown Stable 1⅛ M 1:51.00 $32,820 3
1982 Castle Knight 4 George Martens Nick Zito Andrea Jablow 1⅛ M 1:50.20 $34,380 3
1981 Irish Tower 4 Jeffrey Fell Stanley Hough Malcolm H. Winfield 1⅛ M 1:50.40 $33,480 3
1980 Identical 5 Cash Asmussen Frank "Pancho" Martin Viola Sommer 1⅛ M 1:52.20 $33,720 3
1979 Pumpkin Moonshine 5 Dave Borden Howard Tesher H. Joseph Allen 1⅛ M 1:51.80 $32,550 3
1978 Wise Philip 5 Jacinto Vásquez William Boland Domino Stable 1⅛ M 1:50.00 $32,460 3
1977 Patriot's Dream 4 Ron Turcotte Albert Schwizer DeCap Stable 1⅛ M 1:51.60 $33,060 3
1976 Right Mind 5 Ron Turcotte Joseph Kronovich Deronjo Stable 1⅛ M 1:49.60 $33,960 3
1975 Group Plan 5 Jorge Velásquez H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm 1⅛ M 1:47.40 $31,890 3
1974 Key To The Kingdom 4 Daryl Montoya J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stables 1⅛ M 1:46.20 $22,860 3
1973 Forage 4 Laffit Pincay Jr. James W. Maloney William Haggin Perry 1⅛ M 1:46.40 $16,875 3
1972 Canonero II 4 Gustavo Ávila Buddy Hirsch King Ranch 1⅛ M 1:46.20 $16,830
1971 Protanto 4 Jorge Velásquez MacKenzie Miller Cragwood Stables 1¼ M 2:02.40 $20,370
1970 Hydrologist 4 Jacinto Vásquez Roger Laurin Meadow Stable 1¼ M 2:00.80 $17,777
1969 Chompion 4 Heliodoro Gustines Ivor G. Balding C. V. Whitney 1¼ M 2:02.40 $18,427
1968 Grace Born 4 Eddie Belmonte Angel Penna Sr. Gustave Ring 1¼ M 2:00.40 $19,012
1967 Ring Twice 4 William Boland Bert Mulholland George D. Widener Jr. 1¼ M 2:02.00 $18,817
1966 Malicious 5 Robert Ussery John Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 1¼ M 2:03.40 $18,395
1965 Kelso 8 Milo Valenzuela Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable 1¼ M 2:02.80 $17,842
1964 The Ibex 4 Bill Shoemaker James E. Fitzsimmons Ogden Phipps 1¼ M 2:01.00 $18,753
1963 Endymion 4 Braulio Baeza Bert Mulholland George D. Widener Jr. 1¼ M 2:05.20 $17,582
1962 Kelso 5 Ismael Valenzuela Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable 1¼ M 2:00.80 $19,045
1961 Black Thumper 4 John Ruane Herb Fisher Ledgemont Stable 1¼ M 2:01.60 $18,557
1960 Manassa Mauler 4 William Boland Frank "Pancho" Martin Emil Dolce 1⅛ M 1:48.60 $18,258
1959 Village Idiot 4 Eric Guerin Bill Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt II 1⅛ M 1:49.60 $17,575
1958 Bold Ruler 4 Eddie Arcaro James E. Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable 1⅛ M 1:48.40 $17,900
1957 Argent 4 John Choquette James C. Bentley Benjamin R. Steen 1½ M 2:30.40 $18,750
1956 Thinking Cap 4 Paul J. Bailey Henry Clark Christiana Stables 1½ M 2:29.60 $19,100

References

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  1. ^ "Stymie Stakes history". NYRA. 2018-12-18. Retrieved 2018-12-18.
  2. ^ "A hero who deserves to be remembered". Daily Racing Form. 2001-09-27. Retrieved 2018-12-18.
  3. ^ "Canonero II Brought Out The Underdog In All Of Us". New York Times. 1981-12-06. Retrieved 2018-12-18.