The Ballston Spa Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are four years old or older over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the turf course scheduled annually in late July or early August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The event currently carries a purse of $300,000.

History

The inaugural running of the Ballston Spa Stakes was 4 August 1983 and was restricted to New York State bred fillies and mares that were three years old or older and run at a distance of 7 furlongs on the dirt. The name of the event honors Ballston Spa, New York, a small town just south of Saratoga Springs. The Ballston Spa name was not used again until 1997.

NYRA created a race in 1989 with Breeders' Cup incentives that was the forerunner of today's event. The event with additional sponsorship from Budweiser was known as the Aqueduct Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap and it was run in late October over a distance of one mile. In 1994 the event was moved to Saratoga and was renamed as the Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap with an increase of distance to miles.

In 1995 the event was classified as Grade III and upgraded to Grade II in 2006.

In 1997 the event was renamed once more to the Ballston Spa Handicap.

The 2002 event was taken off the turf track due to consistent rain during the days before the event which resulted in seven scratchings leaving a small field of three to run. Surya won by the stakes largest distance of lengths with over 50 lengths separating second and third on the muddy track.

Several champions have won this event including the 2004–05 Australian Champion Three Year Old Filly Alinghi, the 2006 US Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Wait A While, who was a dual winner of the event, the 2012 US Champion Female Turf Horse French bred Zagora who later that year would also win the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and Lady Eli, US Champion Female Turf Horse in 2017.

Records Speed record: miles: 1:38.77 – Strike Charmer (2016) 1 mile: 1:33.80 – Wakonda (1989)

Margins: lengths – Surya (2002)

Most wins: 2 – Weekend Madness (1994, 1995) 2 – Wait A While (2007, 2008)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – New Phoenix Stable (1994, 1995) 2 – Arindel Farm (2007, 2008)

Most wins by a jockey: 5 – John Velazquez (1997, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008)

Most wins by a trainer: 8 – Chad C. Brown (2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Saratoga – Ballston Spa Stakes2026And One More Time4Javier CastellanoMark E. CasseLive Oak Plantation miles1:40.80$300,000II2025Ozara (IRE)4Dylan DavisMiguel ClementCheyenne Stable miles1:39.65$300,000II2024Beaute Cachee (FR) 5Frankie DettoriChad C. BrownLouis Lazzinnaro, Madaket Stables, Michael J. Caruso & Michael Dubb miles1:44.41$279,000II2023Evvie Jets5Manuel FrancoMertkan KantarmaciEstate of Robert J. Amendola1:43.06$300,000II2022Technical Analysis (IRE)4José L. OrtizChad C. BrownKlaravich Stables miles1:42.90$388,000II2021Viadera5Joel RosarioChad C. Brown Juddmonte miles1:41.82$400,000II2020Starship Jubilee7Javier Castellano Kevin Attard Blue Heaven Farm miles1:41.76$194,000II2019Significant Form4John R. VelazquezChad C. BrownStephanie Seymour Brant miles1:41.39$400,000II2018Quidura (GB)5José L. OrtizChad C. BrownPeter M. Brant miles1:39.67$392,000II2017Lady Eli5Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownSheep Pond Partners miles1:39.70$384,000II2016Strike Charmer6Junior AlvaradoMark A. HennigCourtland Farms miles1:38.77$400,000II2015Dacita (CHI)4Javier CastellanoChad C. BrownSheep Pond Partners & Bradley Thoroughbreds miles1:39.67$400,000II2014Abaco6José L. OrtizPhipps Stable miles1:42.64$250,000II2013Laughing (IRE)5Jose LezcanoAlan E. GoldbergRichard Santulli miles1:40.37$250,000II2012Zagora (FR)5Chad C. BrownMartin S. Schwartz miles1:39.07$250,000II2011Daveron (GER)6Eddie CastroH. Graham MotionTeam Valor International miles1:40.09$200,000II2010Dynaslew4Eibar CoaSeth Benzel Live Oak Plantation miles1:40.58$200,000IIBallston Spa Handicap 2009Salve Germania (IRE)4Javier CastellanoWaldemar HickstHellwig Manfred miles1:47.25$200,000II2008Wait A While5John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherArindel Farm miles1:39.70$196,000II2007Wait A While4Garrett K. GomezTodd A. PletcherArindel Farm miles1:40.00$200,000II2006My Typhoon (IRE)4Garrett K. GomezWilliam I. Mott Live Oak Plantation miles1:41.72$200,000II2005Alinghi (AUS)4Edgar S. PradoRobert J. FrankelJohn Messara, John Leaver & Alan Jones miles1:40.30$135,966 III2004Ocean Drive4John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherBonnie & Sy Baskin miles1:43.92$201,000III2003Stylish5John R. VelazquezWilliam I. MottEstate of Ahmed bin Salman miles1:41.03$213,400III2002Surya4Jerry D. BaileyRobert J. FrankelFlaxman Stable miles1:52.29$191,800 Listed 2001Penny's Gold4Jerry D. BaileyChristophe ClementOverbrook Farm miles1:40.69$190,200III2000License Fee5Pat DayW. Elliott WaldenWinstar Farm miles1:43.53$206,500III1999Pleasant Temper5Jerry D. BaileyW. Elliott WaldenMark H. Stanley miles1:41.84$207,800III1998Memories of Silver5Jerry D. BaileyJames J. TonerJoan G. Phillips miles1:40.93$211,000III1997Valor Lady5John R. VelazquezMark A. HennigJerome & John Amerman miles1:39.47$217,000IIISaratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap1996Danish (IRE)5José A. SantosChristophe ClementJayeff B Stables miles1:41.50$210,600III1995Weekend Madness (IRE)5Shane SellersBurk Kessinger Jr. New Phoenix Stable miles1:40.34$155,500III19944Shane SellersBurk Kessinger Jr. New Phoenix Stable miles1:43.77$155,850 Listed At Aqueduct – Aqueduct Breeders' Cup Handicap1993One Dreamer5Earlie FiresThomas F. ProctorGlen Hill Farm1 mile1:39.38$157,400 Listed 1992Aurora4Craig PerretFlint S. Schulhofer Helen K. Groves 1 mile1:36.94$156,450 Listed 1991Paris Opera5Gary L. StevensLawrence W. Jennings Jr.Earle I. Mack1 mile1:37.41$157,450 Listed 1990Fire the Groom3Lanfranco DettoriLuca M. Cumani Randall Dee Hubbard 1 mile1:35.20$159,7001989 Wakonda 5Ángel Cordero Jr. Spasoje Dimitrijevic John A. Nerud1 mile1:33.80$156,500 1984–1988Race not heldAt Saratoga – Ballston Spa Stakes1983§ Subversive Chick3Declan J. Murphy Michael C. SedlacekBadlands Stable7 furlongs1:24.20$37,500

Legend:

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

‡ The inaugural event was restricted to New York State bred fillies and mares that are three years old or older.

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References