The Hill Prince Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of one and one-eight miles (9 furlongs) on the turf annually in November at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The event currently carries a purse of $200,000.

History

The race is named for Christopher Chenery's Hall of Fame colt, Hill Prince.

The inaugural running took place as the Hill Prince Handicap on 26 October 1975 and was run at a distance of a mile and three-eights. It was won on a disqualification by Gustave Ring's homebred colt Don Jack.

The following year the event was scheduled in June at a distance of miles.

The Hill Prince Stakes was hosted by Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York in 1979, 1980, and again in 1982.

In 1981 was classified Grade III by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

The race was run in two divisions in 1982. The second division was won by Larida, the only filly to have won this event.

The event has been moved off the turf due to track conditions in 1998, 2003 and 2009 but has not had its classification downgraded.

Primarily the event had been scheduled in early spring but in 2014 NYRA moved the event to October and increased the stakes significantly to $500,000. In 2018 the event was upgraded to Grade II status.

The event was moved in the schedule to November in 2023 and is held at Aqueduct Racetrack.

In 2024 the American Graded Stakes Committee downgraded the event to Grade III status. Records Speed record: 1 mile: 1:33.45 – Marcavelly (2007) miles: 1:39.70 – Optic Nerve (1996) miles: 1:45.96 – Subordination (1997)

Margins: lengths – Street Game (2011)

Most wins by an owner: 4 – Klaravich Stables (1997, 2006, 2015, 2021)

Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Ángel Cordero Jr. (1978, 1981, 1988, 1991) 4 – Jerry Bailey (1983, 1992, 1994, 1995)

Most wins by a trainer: 4 – William I. Mott (1993, 1995, 2007, 2017) 4 – Christophe Clement (2008, 2012, 2018, 2024)

Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Aqueduct – Hill Prince Stakes2025Tiz Dashing Javier CastellanoBarclay Tagg Sackatoga Stable miles1:48.23$200,000III2024Deterministic Joel RosarioChristophe Clement St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven C. Duncker & Vicarage Stable miles1:46.58$250,000III2023Integration Kendrick CarmoucheClaude R. McGaughey IIIWest Point Thoroughbreds & Woodford Racing miles1:47.06$250,000II2022Celestial CityJose LezcanoStuart S. Janney III miles1:50.27$300,000IIAt Belmont Park 2021Public Sector (GB)Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownKlaravich Stables miles1:48.68$400,000II2020Get SmokinJavier CastellanoThomas M. BushMary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust1 mile1:36.95$150,000II2019Neptune's StormRichard BaltasJohn Rochfort, Saul Gevertz, Lynn Gitomer, Mike Goetz, Michael Nentwig, & Daniel Weiner miles1:49.74$401,200II2018Have At ItDavid Cohen Christophe Clement Robert S. Evans miles1:50.52$514,750II2017Yoshida (JPN)Manuel FrancoWilliam I. MottWinStar Farm, China Horse Club, SF Racing & Head of Plains Partners miles1:47.07$500,000III2016Camelot KittenIrad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownKen and Sarah Ramsey miles1:47.25$500,000III2015Takeover TargetJose L. OrtizChad C. BrownKlaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence miles1:51.42$500,000III2014Ring WeekendIrad Ortiz Jr.H. Graham MotionSt. Elias Stable & West Point Thoroughbreds miles1:55.56$500,000III2013NotacatbutallamaJohn R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherRepole Stable1 mile1:34.82$150,000III2012Summer FrontChristophe ClementWaterford Stable 1 mile1:33.74$150,000III2011Street GameRyan CuratoloPhilip M. SerpeFlying Zee Stables 1 mile1:36.38$100,000III2010KryptonRajiv MaraghKiaran P. McLaughlinHarvey A. Clarke & Ron Winchell1 mile1:34.97$98,000III2009Despite the OddsJeremy RoseMichael J. TrombettaLarry R. Johnson, TYB Stable & Gerry Dilger 1 mile1:35.68$109,000III2008Gio PontiGarrett K. GomezChristophe ClementCastleton Lyons1 mile1:35.03$111,000III2007MarcavellyEdgar S. PradoWilliam I. MottZayat Stables1 mile1:33.45$105,700III2006OutperformanceJavier CastellanoRichard A. Violette Jr.Klaravich Stables1 mile1:36.74$115,400III2005Rey de CafeJavier CastellanoGeorge R. Arnold IIG. Watts Humphrey Jr. miles1:49.25$114,700III2004Artie SchillerRichard MiglioreJames A. JerkensTimber Bay Farm & Mrs. Thomas J. Walsh miles1:50.06$110,000III2003Happy TrailsShaun BridgmohanSteve KlesarisSanford Goldfarb & Team Julep Stable miles1:50.13$113,100III2002Van MinisterMichael J. LuzziCarlos F. MartinOur Sugar Bear Stable miles1:54.42$109,300III2001Proud ManRene R. DouglasHarry Benson Double R Stable, Robert Kaufman & Stephen Weiss miles1:48.25$114,600III2000Promontory GoldEdgar S. PradoRobert J. FrankelRobert A. Witt miles1:49.15$110,900III1999Time OffJean-Luc SamynScott M. SchwartzHerbert T. and Carol A. Schwartz miles1:47.48$111,200III1998Jorge F. ChavezJames E. PicouFred W. Hooper miles1:49.28$113,000III1997SubordinationJohn R. VelazquezGary SciaccaKlaravich Stables miles1:45.96$112,000III1996Optic NerveJose A. SantosHoward M. TesherOak Cliff Stable miles1:39.70$112,028III1995Green Means GoJerry D. BaileyWilliam I. MottPin Oak Stable miles1:40.33$113,600III1994Pennine RidgeJerry D. BaileyDavid G. DonkDecember Hill Farm miles1:39.87$84,876III1993HalisseeJulie KroneWilliam I. MottJohn A. Nerud miles1:40.91$86,700III1992‡Free At LastJerry D. BaileyD. Wayne LukasTeam Valor Stable miles1:41.05$88,650III1991Young DanielAngel Cordero Jr.John M. VeitchDarby Dan Farm miles1:39.87$96,750III1990Solar SplendorEddie MaplePatrick J. KellyLive Oak Plantation miles1:41.20$96,450III1989Slew the KnightChris AntleyJohn O. HertlerPhilip DiLeo miles1:41.00$94,200III1988Sunshine ForeverAngel Cordero Jr.John M. VeitchDarby Dan Farm miles1:41.20$120,200III1987Forest FairJose A. SantosJohn J. Lenzini Jr.Gary Marano miles1:42.80$121,200III1986Double FeintJose A. SantosLeRoy JolleyPeter M. Brant miles1:41.40$88,640III1985§Danger's HourDonald MacBethMacKenzie MillerRokeby Stable miles1:40.60$98,850III1984A GiftDonald MacBethJoseph B. CanteyTaylor Asbury miles1:48.40$72,800III1983Domynsky (GB)Jerry D. BaileyWilliam Curtis Jr.Dogwood Stable miles1:48.80$61,100IIIAt Aqueduct 1982Majesty's PrinceRuben HernandezJoseph B. CanteyNewstead Farm miles1:43.40$55,300IIIƒLaridaEddie MapleJohn DeWitt Marsh1:42.60$55,300At Belmont Park 1981SummingAngel Cordero Jr.Luis Barrera Charles T. Wilson Jr. miles1:42.40$59,500IIIAt Aqueduct – Hill Prince Handicap 1980Ben FabJean CruguetJacques DumasRene Benoit miles1:43.40$58,000 1979Bends Me MindJorge VelasquezWoodford C. StephensMill House Stable miles1:46.00$57,450 At Belmont Park 1978Darby Creek RoadAngel Cordero Jr.Howard M. TesherH. Joseph Allen1 mile1:35.20$37,675 1977Forward ChargerJacinto VasquezLeRoy JolleyGerald Robins1 mile1:34.40$37,625 1976Fifth MarineRon TurcotteSidney Watters Jr. Pamela H. Firman miles1:41.20$45,675 1975†Don Jack George MartensVincent J. Cincotta Gustave Ring miles2:23.20$57,750

Legend:

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

ƒ Filly or Mare

† In the inaugural running of the event in 1975 Annie's Brat finished first, but was disqualified and set back to second.

‡ In the 1992 running of the event Casino Magistrate finished first but was disqualified and set back to second.

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References