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.
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 $918,485 set a record. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century Stymie is listed as #41.
Originally a handicap race for horses age three and older, the Stymie was a Grade 3 event from 1973 through 2002 after which it became a Listed race. It was hosted by Belmont Park from inception in 1956 to 1961, and again between 1968 and 1975.
Historic notes The Kelso won the Stymie Handicap in 1962 then in 1965 won it again in what would be the final win of his career, capped off with his fifth American Horse of the Year title.
The 1972 edition of the Stymie Handicap was won by the Venezuelan longshot Canonero II who had won the 1971 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. In capturing the Stymie, Canonero II won by five lengths while equaling the North American record for a mile and an eighth.
Records Speed record: 1:46.20 @ : Canonero II (1972) & Key To The Kingdom (1974) 2:00.40 @ : Grace Born (1968)
Most wins: 2 – Kelso (1962, 1965) 2 – It's Academic (1989, 1990) 2 – More to Tell (1995, 1996) 2 – Ground Storm (2002, 2004) 2 – Turco Bravo (2015, 2016)
Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Jorge Velásquez (1971, 1975, 1985, 1990) 4 – Manuel Franco (2016, 2017, 2021, 2025)
Most wins by a trainer: 3 – Bruce Levine (1994, 2000, 2005) 3 – Gasper S. Moschera (1995, 1996, 1997) 3 – Gary Contessa (2008, 2015, 2016) 3 – Todd A. Pletcher (2006, 2010, 2019)
Most wins by an owner: 3 – Winning Move Stable (Sigler family) (2008, 2015, 2016)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Dist. Time WinUS$ Gr2025Bank Frenzy5Manuel FrancoRudy R. Rodriguez LSU Stables1:40.29$150,000L2024Kinetic Sky6Jose LezcanoRichard E. Dutrow Jr.Sanford J. Goldfarb, Alan Khan, David Tanzman & Steven Speranza1:37.08$82,500L2023Repo Rocks5Dexter HaddockJamie Ness Double B Racing Stakes1:36.75$125,000L2022Green Light Go5Dylan DavisJimmy JerkensStronach Stables1:35.43$125,000L2021Mr. Buff7Manuel FrancoJohn C. KimmelChester Broman Sr. & Mary Broman1:36.97$85,000L2020Diamond King5Kendrick CarmoucheJohn C. ServisCash Is King LLC & LC Racing1:38.04$68,750L2019Vino Rosso3John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherRepole Stable & St. Elias Stable1:35.27$86,625L2018Harlan Punch5Dylan DavisDavid JacobsonDavid Jacobson1:38.03$90,000L2017Sunny Ridge 4Manuel FrancoJason ServisDennis A. Drazin1:50.19$75,000L2016Turco Bravo Ŧ6Manuel FrancoGary ContessaWinning Move Stable (Sigler family)1:50.96$75,000L2015Turco Bravo Ŧ5José OrtizGary ContessaWinning Move Stable (Sigler family)1:51.80$60,000L2014Farhaan5Irad Ortiz Jr.Kiaran McLaughlinShadwell Stable1:53.52$60,000L2012 – 2013 Race not held2011Goombada Guska4Jose Valdivia Jr.Scott J. VolkNavesink Breeders1:51.53$39,000L2010Understatement5David CohenTodd A. PletcherPaul P. Pompa Jr.1:50.63$39,000L2009Barrier Reef4Ramon A. DominguezThomas AlbertraniDarley Stable1:50.57$42,783L2008Malibu Moonshine6Mario PinoGary ContessaWinning Move Stable (Sigler family)1:50.19$41,925L2007Evening Attire9Jose EspinozaPatrick J. KellyT. J. Kelly / J. & M. Grant1:49.57$43,563L2006Manchurian6Mike LuzziTodd A. PletcherAllen E. Paulson Living Trust1:50.87$41,925L2005Hydrogen6Richard MiglioreBruce LevineEarle I. Mack1:50.82$48,570L2004Ground Storm8Javier CastellanoWilliam MottCentennial Farms1:50.92$48,975L2003Snake Mountain5Michael LuzziJimmy JerkensBerkshire Stud et al.1:49.70$48,585L2002Ground Storm6Javier CastellanoWilliam MottCentennial Farms1:48.89$65,52032001Windrush4Joe BravoJohn KimmelGainesway Stable1:48.43$65,88032000Not So Fast6Octavio VergaraBruce LevineDouble T Stable1:49.00$49,92031999Brushing Up6Shaun BridgmohanVictor SimoneVictor & Phyllis Simone1:49.20$49,00531998Unreal Turn6Chuck C. LopezFrank A. Generazio Jr.Patricia Generazio1:48.68$49,21531997Iron Gavel7Julio PezuaGasper S. MoscheraJoques Farm1:49.83$48,18031996More to Tell5Jorge F. ChavezGasper S. MoscheraBarbara J. Davis1:51.40$59,49031995More to Tell4Frank AlvaradoGasper S. MoscheraBarbara J. Davis1:51.60$65,22031994Koluctoo Jimmy Al4Jorge F. ChavezBruce LevineBasil J. Plasteras1:50.99$67,80031993Two the Twist6Richard MiglioreMichael HushionEugene E. Hauman1:48.30$6984031992Crackedbell7Aaron GryderPancho MartinViola Sommer1:48.80$67,68031991I'm Sky High5Mike E. SmithMichael J. KellyJohn R. Murrell1:50.47$68,28031990It's Academic6Jorge VelásquezLuis Sosa BarreraMarcus Vogel1:50.60$6804031989It's Academic5Diane NelsonLuis Sosa BarreraMarcus Vogel1:51.20$69,00031988King's Swan8Jose SantosRichard E. Dutrow Sr.Alvin Akman1:51.40$101,52031987Lover's Cross4Ruben HernandezRoger AttfieldKinghaven Farm1:50.00$65,61031986Proof4Eddie MapleRobert J. FrankelJerome S. Moss1:50.00$66,60031985Imp Society4Jorge VelásquezD. Wayne LukasHeslop Stable1:53.00$64,35031984Gen'l Practitioner4Larry SaumellJohn ParisellaTheodore M. Sabarese1:48.40$57,51031983Sing Sing5Rolando Alvarado Jr.H. Allen JerkensSugartown Stable1:51.00$32,82031982Castle Knight4George MartensNick ZitoAndrea Jablow1:50.20$34,38031981Irish Tower4Jeffrey FellStanley HoughMalcolm H. Winfield1:50.40$33,48031980Identical5Cash AsmussenFrank "Pancho" MartinViola Sommer1:52.20$33,72031979Pumpkin Moonshine5Dave BordenHoward TesherH. Joseph Allen1:51.80$32,55031978Wise Philip5Jacinto VásquezWilliam BolandDomino Stable1:50.00$32,46031977Patriot's Dream4Ron TurcotteAlbert SchwizerDeCap Stable1:51.60$33,06031976Right Mind5Ron TurcotteJoseph KronovichDeronjo Stable1:49.60$33,96031975Group Plan5Jorge VelásquezH. Allen JerkensHobeau Farm1:47.40$31,89031974Key To The Kingdom4Daryl MontoyaJ. Elliott BurchRokeby Stables1:46.20$22,86031973Forage4Laffit Pincay Jr.James W. MaloneyWilliam Haggin Perry1:46.40$16,87531972Canonero II4Gustavo ÁvilaBuddy HirschKing Ranch1:46.20$16,8301971Protanto4Jorge VelásquezMacKenzie MillerCragwood Stables2:02.40$20,3701970Hydrologist4Jacinto VásquezRoger LaurinMeadow Stable2:00.80$17,7771969Chompion4Heliodoro GustinesIvor G. BaldingC. V. Whitney2:02.40$18,4271968Grace Born4Eddie BelmonteAngel Penna Sr.Gustave Ring2:00.40$19,0121967Ring Twice4William BolandBert MulhollandGeorge D. Widener Jr.2:02.00$18,8171966Malicious5Robert UsseryJohn Gaver Sr.Greentree Stable2:03.40$18,3951965Kelso8Milo ValenzuelaCarl HanfordBohemia Stable2:02.80$17,8421964The Ibex4Bill ShoemakerJames E. FitzsimmonsOgden Phipps2:01.00$18,7531963Endymion4Braulio BaezaBert MulhollandGeorge D. Widener Jr.2:05.20$17,5821962Kelso5Ismael ValenzuelaCarl HanfordBohemia Stable2:00.80$19,0451961Black Thumper4John RuaneHerb FisherLedgemont Stable2:01.60$18,5571960Manassa Mauler4William BolandFrank "Pancho" MartinEmil Dolce1:48.60$18,2581959Village Idiot4Eric GuerinBill WinfreyAlfred G. Vanderbilt II1:49.60$17,5751958Bold Ruler4Eddie ArcaroJames E. FitzsimmonsWheatley Stable1:48.40$17,9001957Argent4John ChoquetteJames C. BentleyBenjamin R. Steen2:30.40$18,7501956Thinking Cap4Paul J. BaileyHenry ClarkChristiana Stables2:29.60$19,100 Ŧ – Turco Bravo, Southern Hemisphere foal of October 13, 2009.
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