The Wonder Again Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies aged three years old held over a distance of 1+18 miles on the inner turf scheduled annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.[1][2] The event currently carries a purse of $200,000.[1][2]

Wonder Again Stakes
Grade II race
LocationBelmont Park
Elmont, New York, United States
Inaugurated2014
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing – Inner Turf
Websitenyra.com
Race information
Distance1+18 miles
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-year-old fillies
Purse$200,000 (2023)

History edit

The race is named after the Grade I winner Wonder Again, full sister to Grass Wonder (Japanese-trained), who won the GI Garden City Breeders' Cup (2002) and GI Diana Handicap (2004).[2][3]

The race was inaugurated in 25 May 2014 with a stakes purse of $200,000.[1]

In 2017 the event was classified as Grade III, and promoted to Grade II in 2022.[1]

The event is considered a preparatory race for the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes which is held in July.

In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, NYRA scheduled the event in their updated and shortened spring-summer meeting with a shorter distance of one mile.[4]

In 2024 the event was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park.[5]

Records edit

Speed record:

  • 1+18 miles – 1:46.34 Camber Parc (2019)

Largest margin of victory:

  • 1+14 lengths – Camber Parc (2019)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

  • No owner has won this race more than once.

Winners edit

Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
At Aqueduct
2024 Segesta Irad Ortiz Jr. Chad C. Brown Juddmonte Farms 1+18 miles 1:48.24 $200,000 II [6]
At Belmont Park
2023 Prerequisite Flavien Prat Chad C. Brown First Row Partners & Team Hanley 1+18 miles 1:47.20 $200,000 II [7]
2022 Consumer Spending Manny Franco Chad C. Brown Klaravich Stables 1+18 miles 1:50.73 $194,000 III [8]
2021 Con Lima Flavien Prat Todd A. Pletcher Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph F. Graffeo, Del Toro, Eric Nikolaus & Troy Johnson 1+18 miles 1:50.84 $200,000 III [9]
2020 Sweet Melania José L. Ortiz Todd A. Pletcher Lawana L. & Robert Low 1 mile 1:34.24 $145,500 III [10]
2019 Cambier Parc José L. Ortiz Chad C. Brown OXO Equine 1+18 miles 1:46.34 $194,000 III [11]
2018 La Signare (FR) Joel Rosario Brian A. Lynch Madaket Stables, T&A Cambron, Bradley Thoroughbreds 1+18 miles 1:48.84 $200,000 III [12]
2017 New Money Honey Javier Castellano Chad C. Brown e Five Racing Thoroughbreds 1+18 miles 1:48.01 $200,000 III [13]
2016 Time and Motion John R. Velazquez James J. Toner Phillips Racing Partnership 1+18 miles 1:47.48 $200,000 Listed [14]
2015 Lady Eli Irad Ortiz Jr. Chad C. Brown Sheep Pond Partners 1+18 miles 1:49.94 $200,000 [15]
2014 Sea Queen Irad Ortiz Jr. Christophe Clement Stonetower Stables 1+18 miles 1:49.89 $200,000 [16]

Notes:
Fillies in bold have won the Wonder Again Stakes – Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes double

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Wonder Again Stakes (Gr. 2)". Equibase. 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Wonder Again". New York Racing Association. 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Horse Profile for Wonder Again (KY)". Equibase. 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  4. ^ McCalmont, Keith (19 May 2020). "NYRA announces stakes schedule for 25 day Belmont Park spring summer meet". New York Racing Association. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  5. ^ "NYRA sets 2024 calendar, with Belmont Stakes at Saratoga". nyra.com. New York Racing Association. January 24, 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  6. ^ "2024 Wonder Again Stakes Grade 2 – (race 2)". Equibase. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  7. ^ "2023 Wonder Again Stakes Grade 2 – (race 10)". Equibase. 11 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  8. ^ "2022 Wonder Again Stakes Grade 2 – (race 3)". Equibase. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  9. ^ "2021 Wonder Again Stakes Grade 3 – (race 8)". Equibase. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  10. ^ "2020 Wonder Again Stakes Grade 3 – (race 6)" (PDF). Equibase. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  11. ^ "2019 Wonder Again Stakes Grade 3 – (race 3)". Equibase. 6 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  12. ^ "2018 Wonder Again Stakes Grade 3 – (race 8)". Equibase. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  13. ^ "2017 Wonder Again Stakes Grade 3 – (race 3)". Equibase. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  14. ^ "2016 Wonder Again Stakes Listed – (race 8)". Equibase. 5 June 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  15. ^ "2015 Wonder Again Stakes Black Type – (race 6)". Equibase. 31 May 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  16. ^ "2014 Wonder Again Stakes Black Type – (race 8)". Equibase. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2020.