The Native Dancer Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. Raced in early January, it is open to horses age three and older and is contested on dirt over a distance of mile. Its current purse is $75,000.

From 1966 to 2002, the race was known as the Native Dancer Handicap. It has been run at four different distances; for the first eleven years (from 1966 to 1976), the race was run at 6 furlongs, from 1977 to 1984 and in 2005 it was raced at a distance of miles; in 1985 and from 2006 through 2010 the race was contested at its present distance of 1 mile; and from 1986 through 2003, it was run at a distance of miles. The race was originally run at Bowie Race Track from 1966 through 1984.2007 Maryland Jockey Club Media Guide, page 173 on March 3, 2007.

The race is named in honor of Alfred G. Vanderbilt's Native Dancer. Native Dancer was the huge gray son of two of thoroughbred's top racing horses of the decade in Polynesian and Geisha. He was named Horse of the Year as a two-year-old and then named a repeat winner as a four-year-old. He also won the titles of Champion 2-year-old, Champion 3-year-old and Champion older horse in three consecutive years. Native Dancer won 21 of 22 races and earned $785,240. His 18 stakes victories included the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes and the Travers Stakes. Native Dancer's only loss was in the Kentucky Derby. Following a trip in which he was bumped three times, he finished second, a head behind Dark Star.

Upon his retirement, Native Dancer entered into stud at Vanderbilt's Sagamore Farm in Glyndon, Maryland, where he remained until his death in 1967. He was buried at Sagamore and was the sire of 45 stakes winners including Raise a Native (grandsire to Mr. Prospector), Alydar, Natalma and Northern Dancer.

Records

Speed record: 6 furlongs - 1:09.00 - Tap The Tree (1974) 1 mile - 1:34.80 - Throng (2008) miles - 1:40.20 - Jims Third Bolero (2005) miles - 1:48.40 - Gulf Reckoning (1996)

Most wins by an owner: 2 - Jack Owens (1986, 1987)

Most wins by a jockey: 3 - Edgar Prado (1991, 1992, 1995) 3 - Vincent Bracciale Jr. (1974, 1981, 1983)

Most wins by a trainer: 3 - Michael Trombetta (2006, 2013 & 2014)

Winners of the Native Dancer Stakes since 1966 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer OwnerDistance (Miles) TimePurse2023Nimitz Class4Jevian ToledoBruce M. KravetsTom Coulter1:52.11$100,0002022Rough Sea8Denis AraujoBruno TessoreProud Stable Inc1:51.76$100,0002021No Race2020 Harpers First Ride4 Angel Cruz Claudio Gonzalez GMP Stables LLC1:48.56$100,0002019 Someday Jones6 Trevor McCarthy John Servis Main Line Racing Stable1:49.23$100,0002018 Afleet Willy5 Jomar Torres Claudio Gonzalez B. B. Horses1:43.78$100,0002017 Page McKenney 7 Horacio Karamanos Mary E. Eppler Staple/Jalin Stable1:45.01$100,0002016 Page McKenney 6 Horacio Karamanos Mary E. Eppler Staple/Jalin Stable1:44.70$75,0002015 Elnaawi 5 Sheldon Russell Kiaran McLaughlin Shadwell Stable1:45.20$100,0002014 Bold Curlin4 Victor R. Carrasco Michael Trombetta Harry & Tom Meyerhoff1:43.62$100,0002013 Private Tale 5 Sheldon Russell Michael Trombetta Three Diamonds Farm1:45.35$125,0002012 No Race2011 Laysh Laysh Laysh6 Erick Rodriguez Richard Dutrow Jr. Vincent S. Scuderi1-mile1:37.45$75,0002010Greenspring5Jeremy RoseChris GroveOur Chelsea Stable1-mile1:38.18$70,0002009Lord Snowdon6Jeremy RoseAnthony W. DutrowKaplan Racing1-mile1:38.11$75,0002008Throng5Carlos H. Marquez Jr.Todd A. PletcherStarlight Stable, LLC.1-mile1:34.80$80,0002007Judith's Wild Rush6Julian PimentelJulian CaletHarvey Tenenbaum 1-mile1:36.40$75,0002006Your Bluffing6Mario PinoMichael TrombettaR.D.M. Racing Stable1-mile1:40.20$75,0002005 Jim Thirds Bolero6Ryan FogelsongerAnnette M. EubanksRev. Mark L. Andrews1:40.20$75,0002004 No Race 2003P Day8Ryan FogelsongerCharles H. HadryAdam Russo 1:50.00$75,0002002Private Ryan5Harry VegaTimothy Tullock Jr.Edmund Gann1:49.00$50,0002001Do I Ever6Harry VegaBessie S. GruwellJohn Morella1:52.20$55,0002000Montana Dreamin'-Joe RoccoTimothy F. RitcheyRichard Reveley1:50.20$75,0001999Waited-Alberto DelgadoBarbara M. KeesSherry Rudolph 1:49.40$80,0001998Big Rut-Larry ReynoldsHamilton A. SmithJames W. Peters Jr.1:50.80$60,0001997Mary's Buckaroo-Mario VergeMary Joanne HughesJackson Bryer1:49.40$80,0001996Gulf Reckoning5Carlos H. Marquez Jr.Ben W. Perkins Jr.Dr. Charles Staats1:48.40$55,0001995Dixie Hero-Edgar PradoCharles PeoplesBayard Sharp1:51.40$90,0001994 No Race 1993Ameri Valay-Larry ReynoldsKing T. LeatherburyElaine & Nick Bassford1:49.80$60,0001992Valley Crossing4Edgar PradoRichard W. SmallRobert Meyerhoff1:48.60$60,0001991Jet Stream5Edgar PradoJohn C. MobberlyJohn C. Mobberly1:50.80$65,0001990Flaming Emperor-Clarence LadnerKenny CoxHideaway Farms1:48.60$75,0001989Learned Jake-Kent DesormeauxArt BenjaminDick Vermillion 1:48.60$60,0001988Due North-Michael HunterKaty VossPeter McGill1:49.60$60,0001987Little Bold John5Donnie Miller Jr.Jerry Robb Jack Owens1:51.60$80,0001986Little Bold John4Paul A. Nicol Jr.Jerry Robb Jack Owens1:53.20$80,0001985Kaye's Prince6Donnie Miller Jr.Kenneth SumidaJuiles C.1-mile1:36.60$65,0001984Island Champ-Alberto DelgadoHank AllenJames J. Devaney1:46.00$65,0001983Hail Emperor-Vincent Bracciale Jr. 1:46.00$65,0001982#Buc 'n Bronc-Mario Pino 1:44.60$50,0001982#Decent Davey-Leroy Moyers 1:43.60$50,0001981Skippers Friend -Vincent Bracciale Jr.Robert Beale1:44.60$65,0001980Pole Position-Gunnar LindbergGoody Goodman1:45.20$65,0001979Isella-Mark Drury 1:45.60$65,0001978#Ripon-Kelly Castaneda 1:45.60$45,5001978#Take the Pledge-Jack Kurtz 1:45.40$45,5001977Jolly Johu-Larry Moyers 1:44.20$58,9001976Christopher R.-William J. Passmore Beverly Hacker Art Rooney6 fur.1:10.60$30,0001975Christopher R.-William J. Passmore Beverly HackerArt Rooney6 fur.1:09.60$30,0001974Tap the Tree-Vincent Bracciale Jr. 6 fur.1:09.00$30,0001973Joys Fella-C. Jimenez 6 fur.1:10.60$31,0001972Pro Bidder-George Cusimano 6 fur.1:10.40$31,0001971Jaikyl-Paul Kallai 6 fur.1:10.40$30,0001970Gaelic Dancer-Robert Nono 6 fur.1:10.20$31,0001969Illustrious-Dennis Petrucelli 6 fur.1:09.20$30,0001968Understudy-Frank Lovato 6 fur.1:11.00$30,0001967Sandoval-Dave Gorman 6 fur.1:10.20$30,0001966Hoist Bar-Ismael Valenzuela 6 fur.1:10.40$30,650

A # designates that the race was run in two divisions in 1978 and 1982.

See also Native Dancer Stakes top three finishers Laurel Park Racecourse

References

Native Dancer Stakes at Pedigree Query