The Athenia Stakes is a Listed American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age three-years-old and older run over at a distance of a mile and an eighth on the turf held annually in October at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The event offers a purse of US150,000.

History The Athenia Stakes is named in honor of Hal Price Headley's filly Athenia, who won in 1946 the Ladies Handicap over the distance of miles as well as the Misty Isle Handicap and Artful Handicap at Washington Park Race Track in Chicago. Athenia also was the granddam of Sir Ivor, the 1968 Horse of the Year in the United Kingdom and Leading broodmare sire in Britain & Ireland in 1983.

The inaugural running of the event was on 13 September 1978 as The Athenia Handicap for three-year-old fillies at miles in distance and was won by the Terpsichorist who was trained by the US Hall of Fame trainer Woody Stephens and ridden by Michael Venezia in a time of 2:03. The event continued to be restricted to three-year-old fillies until 1983.

In 1980 the event was classified as Grade III. In 2005 the event was moved to the main track due to the inclement weather and consequently was downgraded.

The race has been held at Aqueduct Racetrack several times with the last such running in 2004.

The event was raced in split divisions in 1982 and 2001.

The event has been contested at various distances over its history with the current distance of miles being reinstated in 2021.

The event in 2022 was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park.

In 2023 the event was downgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Listed status

Records Speed record: miles: 1:39.94 – Pianist (2013) miles: 1:47.11 – Rapid Selection (1997) miles: 2:00.40 – Love Sign (1980), De La Rosa (1981) miles: 2:13.20 – Capades (1989)

Margins: 20 lengths – Rose Crescent (1983)

Most wins: 2 – Babae (2001, 2002)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – Rokeby Stables (1983, 1988) 2 – Harbor View Farm (1994, 1995) 2 – Joseph Platt Jr. (2001, 2002) 2 – Juddmonte Farms (1991, 2021)

Most wins by a jockey: 6 – Jorge F. Chavez (1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005)

Most wins by a trainer: 10 – Chad C. Brown (2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Aqueduct – Athenia Stakes2025Whiskey Decision 4Flavien PratChad C. BrownFrederick Hertrich III & John D. Fielding miles1:48.60$150,000Listed2024Child of the Moon (FR)4Manuel FrancoChad C. BrownMadaket Stables, Michael Dubb, & Louis Lazzinnaro miles1:48.63$150,000Listed20235Jose L. OrtizChad C. BrownKlaravich Stables miles1:49.20$150,000Listed2022Love And Thunder (IRE)5Jose L. OrtizChad C. BrownJohn D. Gunther & Tanya Gunther miles1:50.07$169,750IIIAt Belmont Park 20214Jose L. OrtizChad C. Brown Juddmonte Farms miles1:51.19$194,000III2020Tapit Today 5Jose L. OrtizChad C. Brown William H. Lawrence & Bradley Thoroughbreds miles1:42.56$100,000III2019Xenobia (IRE)5John R. VelazquezJonathan ThomasAugustin Stable miles1:41.21$200,000III2018Rymska (FR)4Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownSheep Pond Partners, Alain Jathiere, Thomas Coleman & Elayne Stables miles1:41.59$200,000III2017Off Limits (IRE)5Joel RosarioChad C. BrownMartin S. Schwartz miles1:41.73$200,000III2016Roca Rojo (IRE)4Javier CastellanoChad C. BrownSheep Pond Partners, Newport Stables & Bradley Thoroughbreds miles1:43.20$200,000III2015Stellar Path (FR)4Joel RosarioChristophe ClementTrevor C. Stewart miles1:43.41$200,000III2014La Tia5Joel RosarioArmando De La CerdaSalvador Hernandez miles1:43.36$200,000III2013Pianist4Jose L. OrtizChad C. BrownHidden Brook Farm & Dan Zucker miles1:39.94$200,000III2012La Cloche5Junior AlvaradoJames J. TonerPhillips Racing Partnership miles1:45.15$150,000III2011Denomination5Joe BravoChristophe ClementGhislaine Head miles1:44.17$100,000III2010Eye of Taurus4Eddie CastroKiaran P. McLaughlinHarvey A. Clarke miles1:47.04$100,000III2009Belle Allure (IRE)4Christophe ClementRonchalon Stable miles1:43.30$106,500IIIAthenia Handicap2008Sunshine for Life4Channing HillRichard E. SchosbergJane M. Schosberg miles1:41.55$110,300III2007Criminologist4John R. VelazquezClaude R. McGaughey IIIStuart S. Janney III & Phipps Stable miles1:45.09$109,100III2006Pommes Frites4Jose A. SantosWilliam I. MottHaras Santa Maria de Araras miles1:42.95$112,300III2005Asti (IRE)4Jorge F. ChavezH. Allen JerkensH. Joseph Allen miles1:42.57$111,300Listed At Aqueduct2004Finery4Pablo FragosoWilliam H. Turner Jr.Althea D. Richards miles1:43.73$115,700III2003Caught in the Rain4Richard MiglioreGuadalupe Preciado Heiligbrodt Stable & Walter L. New miles1:47.00$113,000III2002Babae (CHI)6Jorge F. ChavezFrank A. AlexanderJoseph Platt Jr. miles1:44.90$116,700IIIAt Belmont Park2001Verruma (BRZ)5John R. VelazquezAngel A. Penna Jr. Earle I. Mack & Jael Barros miles1:40.40$137,875IIIBabae (CHI)5Jorge F. ChavezFrank A. AlexanderJoseph Platt Jr.1:42.09$137,875At Aqueduct2000Wild Heart Dancing4Jorge F. ChavezMy Jo Lee Stable miles1:43.40$112,500III1999Antoniette4Jorge F. ChavezJoseph P. SchlichCalumet Farm miles1:41.89$111,400III1998Tampico5Joe BravoBarclay TaggRonald G. Cullis miles1:42.90$85,350IIIAt Belmont Park1997Rapid Selection4Joe BravoLinda L. Rice Clyde D. Rice miles1:47.11$109,900III1996Sixieme Sens4Jerry D. BaileyRobert J. FrankelThree Plus U Stable1 mile1:37.80$111,100IIIAt Aqueduct1995Caress4Robbie DavisH. Allen JerkensHarbor View Farm miles1:54.18$113,900 III1994Lady Affirmed3Jorge F. ChavezH. Allen JerkensHarbor View Farm miles1:48.66$87,076IIIAt Belmont Park1993Trampoli4Mike E. SmithChristophe ClementPaul de Moussac miles2:17.16$90,000III1992Fairy Garden4Julie KroneRoger L. AttfieldMichael J. Ryan miles2:13.62$86,700III19914Pat ValenzuelaRobert J. FrankelJuddmonte Farms miles2:13.99$93,000III1990Buy the Firm4Jerry D. BaileyJose A. MartinThomas Mara miles2:18.20$87,750III1989Capades3Angel Cordero Jr.Richard O'ConnellPoma Stable miles2:13.20$90,800III1988High Browser3Pat DayMacKenzie MillerRokeby Stables miles2:18.60$96,300III1987Lead Kindly Light4Julio Molina PezuaAngel A. Penna Jr. Cynthia Phipps miles2:23.80$94,800III1986Dawn's Curtsey4Eddie MapleJohn M. VeitchDarby Dan Farm miles2:16.00$92,400III1985Videogenic3Jean CruguetGasper S. MoscheraAlbert Davis miles2:15.40$101,700III1984Key Dancer3Angel Cordero Jr.William J. Hirsch Jr.Oxford Stable miles2:14.80$94,500III1983Rose Crescent3Robbie DavisMacKenzie MillerRokeby Stables miles2:22.00$57,300III At Aqueduct – for 3YO fillies1982Mintage (FR)3Jean-Luc SamynPhilip G. JohnsonMeadowhill miles2:17.80$54,650IIIMiddle Stage3Jimmy J. MirandaJohn P. CampoBuckland Farm2:17.40$54,650At Belmont Park – for 3YO fillies1981De La Rose3Eddie MapleWoodford C. StephensHenryk de Kwiatkowski miles2:00.40$85,200III1980Love Sign3Ruben HernandezSidney J. Watters Jr.Stephen C. Clark Jr. miles2:00.40$84,150III 1979Poppycock3Jorge VelasquezWoodford C. StephensClaiborne Farm miles2:03.60$87,450 1978Terpsichorist3Michael VeneziaWoodford C. StephensHickory Tree Stable miles2:03.20$55,500

Legend:

:See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References