The Whitney Stakes (run as the Whitney Handicap through 2013 and still sometimes referred to as such) is an American Grade 1 stakes race for Thoroughbred racehorses four years of age and older run at a distance of miles. The current purse is $1,000,000.
Held annually in late July/early August at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, the race is named for the Whitney family, whose members were and remain prominent participants and supporters of the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing.
History The Whitney Stakes is administered by the New York Racing Association.
Named after the family that for generations has had so much to do with racing at Saratoga, the Whitney Handicap was first run in 1928. The Whitney family’s involvement with thoroughbreds began when William Collins Whitney, one of the founders of The Jockey Club, began campaigning racehorses in 1898, bearing the familiar Eton blue-and-brown silks. His legacy was carried on by his son, Harry Payne Whitney, and grandson, Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny” Whitney, who died in 1992, with other family members involved under various names including Greentree Stables. Whitney-owned horses have won every major race in the United States including multiple wins at the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.
The Whitney was raced at a distance of miles from its inception in 1928 until 1955, when the distance was reduced to miles. Until 1940 it was closed to geldings. The inaugural running was won by William R. Coe's two-time Champion Filly, Black Maria. During World War II, the race was run at Belmont Park from 1943 through 1945, and again once in 1961. Between 1957 and 1969 the race was restricted to horses four years and older. The race then was open to three-year-olds and older until 2019. In 2020 when Saratoga Race Course was closed to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, the race was restricted again to four-year-olds and up; the age restriction has remained ever since.
Some of the greatest horses in American racing history have won the Whitney, including Easy Goer, Tom Fool, Dr. Fager, Stymie, Invasor, Slew o' Gold, Alydar, Ancient Title, Key to the Mint, Devil Diver, Eight Thirty, War Admiral, Discovery, Equipoise and Kelso, who won it for the third time in 1965 at the age of eight. The race also saw one of the most dramatic upsets in racing history when Secretariat finished second in the 1973 Whitney to Allen Jerkens's colt, Onion. Six fillies have won the race: Black Maria (1928), Bateau (1929), Esposa (1937), Gallorette (1948), Lady's Secret (1986), and Personal Ensign (1988).
In 2007, the Breeders' Cup Ltd. introduced the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" qualification format, under which the winner of the Whitney Stakes automatically qualifies for the fall running of the Breeders' Cup Classic.
In the 2015 listing of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), the Whitney tied with the Kentucky Derby as the top Grade 1 race in the United States outside of the Breeders' Cup races.
Records Speed record: miles – 1:46.64 – Lawyer Ron (2007) miles – 2:02.00 – Devil Diver (1944) & Bolingbroke (1943)
Most wins: 3 – Kelso (1961, 1963, 1965) 3 – Discovery (1934, 1935, 1936)
Most wins by an owner: 6 – Greentree Stable (1931, 1942, 1944, 1951, 1953, 1958)
Most wins by a jockey: 5 – Pat Day (1986, 1987, 1989, 1995, 1998) 5 – Jerry Bailey (1992, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003)
Most wins by a trainer: 5 – John M. Gaver Sr. (1942, 1944, 1951, 1953, 1958)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time2026Sovereignty4Junior AlvaradoWilliam I. MottGodolphin Racing miles1:47.912025Sierra Leone4Flavien PratChad C. BrownPeter M. Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg & Brook T. Smith miles1:48.922024Arthur's Ride4Junior AlvaradoWilliam I. MottGlassman Racing miles1:48.542023White Abarrio4Irad Ortiz Jr.Richard E. Dutrow Jr.C Two Racing Stable & Antonio Pagnano miles1:48.452022Life Is Good4Irad Ortiz Jr.Todd A. PletcherWinStar Farm & China Horse Club miles1:48.972021Knicks Go 5Joel RosarioBrad H. CoxKRA Stud Farm miles1:47.702020Improbable4Irad Ortiz Jr.Bob Baffert WinStar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing LLC miles1:48.652019McKinzie4Mike E. SmithBob Baffert Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram, Paul Weitman miles1:47.102018Diversify5Irad Ortiz Jr. Richard Violette Jr. Lauren & Ralph Evans miles1:49.622017Gun Runner4Florent GerouxSteven M. AsmussenWinchell Thoroughbreds & Three Chimneys Farm miles1:47.712016 Frosted4 Joel Rosario Kiaran McLaughlin Godolphin Racing miles1:47.772015 Honor Code4 Javier Castellano Claude R. McGaughey III Lane's End Farm miles1:47.822014 Moreno4 Junior Alvarado Eric Guillot Southern Equine Stable miles1:48.052013 Cross Traffic4 John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher GoldMark Farm, LLC miles1:47.892012 Fort Larned4 Brian Hernandez Jr. Ian R. Wilkes Janis R. Whitham miles1:47.762011 Tizway6 Rajiv Maragh H. James Bond William L. Clifton Jr. miles1:52.432010 Blame4 Garrett Gomez Albert Stall Jr. Adele B. Dilschneider miles1:48.882009 Bullsbay5 Jeremy Rose H. Graham Motion Mitchell Ranch LLC miles1:48.122008 Commentator7 John R. Velazquez Nick Zito Tracy Farmer miles1:50.23 2007 Lawyer Ron4 John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Hines Racing LLC miles1:46.642006 Invasor4 Fernando Jara Kiaran McLaughlin Shadwell Racing miles1:49.062005 Commentator4 Gary Stevens Nick Zito Tracy Farmer miles1:48.332004 Roses in May4 Edgar Prado Dale L. Romans Ken & Sarah Ramsey miles1:48.542003 Medaglia d'Oro4 Jerry Bailey Robert J. Frankel Edmund A. Gann miles1:47.692002 Left Bank5 John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Michael B. Tabor miles1:47:042001 Lido Palace4 Jerry Bailey Robert J. Frankel John Amerman miles1:47.942000 Lemon Drop Kid4 Edgar Prado Scotty Schulhofer Jeanne G. Vance miles1:48.301999 Victory Gallop4 Jerry Bailey Elliott Walden Prestonwood Farm miles1:48.661998 Awesome Again4 Pat Day Patrick B. Byrne Stronach Stables miles1:49.711997 Will's Way4 Jerry Bailey H. James Bond Rudlein Stable miles1:48.371996 Mahogany Hall5 José A. Santos James Baker Woodlyn Farm miles1:48.601995 Unaccounted For4 Pat Day Scotty Schulhofer Morven Stud miles1:49.201994 Colonial Affair4 José A. Santos Scotty Schulhofer Centennial Farms miles1:48.601993 Brunswick4 Mike E. Smith Anthony Margotta Jerry Denker miles1:47.401992 Sultry Song4 Jerry Bailey Patrick Kelly Live Oak Racing miles1:47.201991 In Excess4 Gary Stevens Bruce L. Jackson Jack J. Munari miles1:48.001990 Criminal Type5 Gary Stevens D. Wayne Lukas Calumet Farm miles1:48.601989 Easy Goer3 Pat Day Claude R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps miles1:47.401988 Personal Ensign4 Randy Romero Claude R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps miles1:47.801987 Java Gold3 Pat Day MacKenzie Miller Rokeby Stable miles1:48.401986 Lady's Secret4 Pat Day D. Wayne Lukas Eugene V. Klein miles1:49.801985 Track Barron4 Ángel Cordero Jr. LeRoy Jolley Peter M. Brant miles1:47.601984 Slew o' Gold4 Ángel Cordero Jr. John O. Hertler Equusequity Stable miles1:48.201983 Island Whirl5 Ed Delahoussaye Laz Barrera Elcee-H Stable miles1:48.401982 Silver Buck4 Don MacBeth J. Elliott Burch C. V. Whitney miles1:47.801981 Fio Rito6 Leslie Hulet Michael Ferraro Raymond LeCesse miles1:48.001980 State Dinner5 Ruben Hernandez J. Elliott Burch C. V. Whitney miles1:48.201979 Star de Naskra4 Jeffrey Fell Richard D. Ferris Caryle J. Lancaster miles1:47.601978 Alydar3 Jorge Velásquez John M. Veitch Calumet Farm miles1:47.401977 Nearly On Time3 Steve Cauthen LeRoy Jolley Mrs. Moody Jolley miles1:49.401976 Dancing Gun4 Roger Velez Laz Barrera Gedney Farms miles1:50.001975 Ancient Title5 Sandy Hawley Keith L. Stucki Sr. Ethel Kirkland miles1:48.201974 Tri Jet5 Laffit Pincay Jr. Charles R. Parke Fred W. Hooper miles1:47.001973 Onion4 Jacinto Vásquez H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm miles1:49.201972 Key To The Mint3 Braulio Baeza J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stable miles1:49.201971 Protanto4 Jorge Velásquez MacKenzie Miller Cragwood Stables miles1:49.401970 Judgable3 Robert Woodhouse Herbert Nadler Saul Nadler miles1:48.401969 Verbatim4 Pete Anderson James P. Conway Elmendorf Farm miles1:50.001968 Dr. Fager4 Braulio Baeza John A. Nerud Tartan Stable miles1:48.801967 Stupendous4 Eddie Belmonte Edward A. Neloy Wheatley Stable miles1:48.201966 Staunchness4 Ernest Cardone Victor J. Nickerson Red Oak Stable miles1:50.201965 Kelso8 Ismael Valenzuela Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable miles1:49.801964 Gun Bow4 Walter Blum Edward A. Neloy Gedney Farms miles1:49.201963 Kelso6 Ismael Valenzuela Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable miles1:50.401962 Carry Back4 Johnny Sellers Jack A. Price Katherine Price miles1:50.001961 Kelso4 Eddie Arcaro Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable miles1:48.001960 Warhead5 Mike Sorrentino Kay Erik Jensen Mabel C. Scholtz miles1:51.001959 Plion4 Manuel Ycaza Tom Jolley Edward M. Potter miles1:53.001958 Cohoes4 John Ruane John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable miles1:51.601957 Kingmaker4 Bobby Ussery Frank I. Wright Happy Hill Farm miles1:52.801956 Dedicate4 William Boland G. Carey Winfrey Jan Burke miles1:49.801955 First Aid 5 Hedley Woodhouse J. Elliott Burch Brookmeade Stable miles1:51.601954 Social Outcast4 Eric Guerin William C. Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt II miles2:04.401953 Tom Fool4 Ted Atkinson John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable miles2:05.401952 Counterpoint4 Dave Gorman Sylvester Veitch Cornelius V. Whitney miles2:05.601951 One Hitter5 Ted Atkinson John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable miles2:05.001950 Piet5 Nick Combest R. Emmett Potts BoMar Stable miles2:06.601949 Round View6 Sebastian Perez Hollie Hughes Sanford Stud Farms miles2:06.601948 Gallorette6 Arnold Kirkland Edward A. Christmas William L. Brann miles2:05.201947 Rico Monte5 Ruperto Donoso Horatio Luro W. Arnold Hanger miles2:02.601946 Stymie5 Basil James Hirsch Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs miles2:07.401945 Trymenow 3 Herb Lindberg Oscar White Walter M. Jeffords Sr. miles2:02.201944 Devil Diver5 Eddie Arcaro John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable miles2:02.001943 Bolingbroke 6 Herb Lindberg Walter Burrows Townsend B. Martin miles2:02.001942 Swing and Sway4 Don Meade John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable miles2:05.401941 Fenelon4 James Stout James Fitzsimmons Belair Stud miles2:06.401940 Challedon4 George Woolf Louis Schaefer William L. Brann miles2:03.201939 Eight Thirty3 Harry Richards Bert Mulholland George D. Widener Jr. miles2:06.201938 War Admiral4 Wayne D. Wright George Conway Glen Riddle Farm miles2:03.801937 Esposa5 Nick Wall Matthew P. Brady William Ziegler Jr. miles2:05.201936 Discovery5 John Bejshak Bud Stotler Alfred G. Vanderbilt II miles2:06.801935 Discovery4 John Bejshak Bud Stotler Alfred G. Vanderbilt II miles2:04.801934 Discovery3 Don Meade Bud Stotler Alfred G. Vanderbilt II miles2:07.801933 Caesar's Ghost3 Dominick Bellizzi Jack J. Connors Brookmeade Stable miles2:10.801932 Equipoise4 Raymond Workman Thomas J. Healey C. V. Whitney miles2:05.601931 St. Brideaux3 Linus McAtee James G. Rowe Jr. Greentree Stable miles2:05.001930 Whichone3 Raymond Workman Thomas J. Healey Harry Payne Whitney miles2:04.001929 Bateau4 Eddie Ambrose Scott P. Harlan Walter M. Jeffords Sr. miles2:09.401928 Black Maria5 Laverne Fator William H. Karrick William R. Coe miles2:06.00
* 1961 – Our Hope won the race but was disqualified from 1st to 2nd.
References