The Gallant Bloom Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are three years old and older run over a distance of furlongs on the dirt held annually in late September at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It has been run at nearby Aqueduct Racetrack since 2022 due to construction at Belmont.

History The event is named in honor of Gallant Bloom who won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Two-Year-Old Filly champion of 1968, the 1969 American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and the 1969 American Champion Older Female Horse. In The Blood-Horse ranking of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, Gallant Bloom is ranked #79.

The event was inaugurated on 30 August 1992 at Saratoga Race Course as a race for three-year-old fillies over six furlongs and was won by the Canadian bred filly Apelia, who defeated the Grade I Frizette Stakes winner Preach by lengths. Later, in 2014 Apelia would be honored into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

After a one-year break, the Gallant Bloom resumed in 1994 at Belmont Park with handicap conditions for fillies and mares. In 1995 the distance of the event was increased to furlongs.

In 1997 the event was classified as Grade III and was upgraded to Grade II in 2001.

The quality of the entrants for the event has justified its high status. The 2007 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Indian Blessing won this event twice and is the only dual winner to date. In 2008 Indian Blessing went onto be crowned American Champion Female Sprint Horse.

In 2022 the event was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park. The race also changed from handicap to weight-for-age conditions with allowances.

Records Speed record: furlongs: 1:14.71 – Dust and Diamonds (2012)

Margins: lengths – Frank's Rockette (2020)

Most wins: 2 – Indian Blessing (2008, 2009) 2 - R Disaster (2025, 2026)

Most wins by a jockey: 5 – John Velazquez (1997, 2001, 2004, 2009, 2016)

Most wins by a trainer: 4 – Steven M. Asmussen (2004, 2012, 2013, 2018)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – Patti & Hal Earnhardt III (2008, 2009) 2 – Mary & Chester Broman Sr. (2014, 2017) 2 - Averill Racing & Anthony Mattera (2025, 2026)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Belmont - Gallant Bloom Stakes2026R Disaster5Jose L. OrtizSaffie A. Joseph Jr.Averill Racing and Anthony Mattera furlongs1:16.17$250,000IIAt Aqueduct2025R Disaster 4José OrtizSaffie A. Joseph Jr.Averill Racing LLC, Two Eight Racing & Anthony Mattera furlongs1:14.78$250,000II 2024Ways and Means 3Flavien PratChad C. BrownKlaravich Stables furlongs1:15.46$242,500II2023 Caramel Swirl †5Junior AlvaradoWilliam I. MottGodolphin furlongs1:16.18$250,000II2022 Kimari 5 Joel Rosario Wesley A. WardJonathan Poulin, Westerberg, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor furlongs1:16.58$242,500IIAt Belmont Park – Gallant Bloom Handicap2021Bella Sofia3Luis SaezRudy RodriguezMichael Imperio, Medallion Racing, Sofia Soares, Vincent S. Scuderi & Parkland Thoroughbreds furlongs1:15.69$232,500II2020Frank's Rockette3Junior AlvaradoWilliam I. MottFrank Fletcher Racing Operations furlongs1:16.12$145,500II2019Come Dancing5Javier CastellanoCarlos F. MartinBlue Devil Racing Stable furlongs1:14.96$300,750II2018Union Strike4José L. OrtizSteven M. AsmussenMick & Wendy Ruis furlongs1:15.24$300,600II2017Highway Star4Luis SaezRodrigo A. UbilloMary & Chester Broman Sr. furlongs1:16.91$300,000II2016Paulassilverlining4Michelle NevinVincent S. Scuderi furlongs1:15.92$300,000II2015La Verdad5José L. OrtizLinda L. RiceLady Sheila Stable furlongs1:15.16$300,000II2014Artemis Agrotera3Rajiv MaraghMichael E. HushionMary & Chester Broman Sr. furlongs1:15.49$300,000II2013Cluster of Stars4Javier CastellanoSteven M. AsmussenTurtle Bird Stable furlongs1:15.75$300,000II20124Julien R. LeparouxSteven M. AsmussenPadua Stables furlongs1:14.71$200,000II2011Pomeroys Pistol3Javier CastellanoAmy TarrantAmy Tarrant furlongs1:16.60$150,000II2010My Jen3Julien R. LeparouxEddie KenneallyWindmill Manor Farm furlongs1:17.13$150,000II2009Indian Blessing4John R. VelazquezBob BaffertPatti & Hal Earnhardt III furlongs1:15.29$156,500II2008Indian Blessing3Corey NakataniBob BaffertPatti & Hal Earnhardt III furlongs1:16.24$142,500II2007Jazzy (ARG)5Garrett K. GomezMark A. HennigTeam Valor Stable, Des Scott & Robert Muir furlongs1:16.71$147,000II2006Great Intentions6Javier CastellanoMichael E. HushionBarry K. Schwartz furlongs1:16.13$150,000II2005Umpateedle6Aaron GryderMark ShumanMichael Gill furlongs1:16.35$147,000II2004Lady Tak4John R. VelazquezSteven M. AsmussenHeiligbrodt Racing Stable furlongs1:16.04$150,000II2003Harmony Lodge5Richard MiglioreTodd A. PletcherLaura & Eugene Melnyk furlongs1:16.20$150,000II2002Nasty Storm4José A. SantosDallas StewartDenny Crum, Daryl Elser, Riley McDonald, Joseph Riccelli, Dallas Stewart furlongs1:17.89$150,000II2001Finder's Fee4John R. VelazquezOgden Phipps furlongs1:17.60$129,225II2000Dream Supreme3Pat DayWilliam I. MottKinsman Stable furlongs1:15.96$107,300III1999Positive Gal3Jerry D. BaileyD. Wayne LukasRobert B. & Beverly J. Lewis furlongs1:16.86$109,700III1998Catinca3Richard MiglioreJohn C. KimmelRobert K. Waxman furlongs1:15.60$84,325III1997Top Secret4John R. VelazquezGeorge R. Arnold IIJohn H. Peace furlongs1:16.00$82,100III19964Richard MiglioreJohn C. KimmelCaesar P. Kimmel furlongs1:16.26$83,400 Listed 1995Classy Mirage5Jerry D. BaileyH. Allen JerkensMiddletown Stables furlongs1:17.34$80,625Listed1994Vivano5Herb McCauleyHoward M. TesherSidney L. Port 6 furlongs1:10.93$80,426 Listed1993Race not heldAt Saratoga – Gallant Bloom Stakes1992Apelia (CAN)3Larry AttardPhillip EnglandSteve A. Stavro6 furlongs1:08.97$54,000Listed

Notes:

† In 2023, Caramel Swirl originally finished third but was placed first when the top two finishers, Sterling Silver and Headland, were both disqualified for interference.

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References