National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes

The National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three year old horses run over a distance of one mile on the turf held annually in July at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.

History

The event was inaugurated as the Gallant Man Stakes in honor of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame horse, Gallant Man, on 17 August 1985 as the sixth event in the under-card for Travers Stakes Day and was won by Duluth who was ridden by Jean Cruguet easily by lengths in a time of 1:47.

The event was upgraded to Grade III in 1987.

In 1992 the event was renamed to the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes. National Museum of Racing opened in Saratoga Springs in 1951. In 1955, the Museum moved to its present site on Union Avenue, across the street from Saratoga Race Course. That year, 1992, the event was upgraded to Grade II and held that class since except for 2013 when the race was moved from the turf track to the dirt track due to the state of the track and subsequently was downgraded to Grade III.

The event has been run over several distances, including a mile and an eighth from 1985 to 1995, a mile and a sixteenth in 1996 and 1997 and in 1998, the distance was changed back to a mile and an eighth. In 2019 the event was held over a mile.

Several three-year-olds who won this event went on to prove themselves as champions. Of these include 1992 winner Paradise Creek who in 1994 became US Champion Male Turf Horse. The 2004 winner Artie Schiller won the 2005 Breeders' Cup Mile after failing in 2004. The 2011 winner Big Blue Kitten also became 2015 US Champion Male Turf Horse and 2017 winner Bricks and Mortar who was voted US Horse of the Year in 2019.

In 2020 the event was run over miles and the following year was reverted back to one mile.

In 2023 the purse for the event was increased to $500,000. Originally the event was scheduled for August 4 but due to a torrential rainstorm the race was postponed until August 11.

Records Speed record: 1 mile: 1:33.72 – Casa Creed (2019) miles: 1:39.47 – Bricks and Mortar (2017) miles: 1:45.90 – Courageous Cat (2009)

Margins: lengths – Duluth (1985)

Most wins by a jockey: 7 – Jerry D. Bailey (1986, 1988, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003)

Most wins by a trainer: 7 – Chad C. Brown (2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023)

Most wins by an owner: 3 – Klaravich Stables (2015, 2019, 2021)

Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefNational Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes2026Bottas Manuel FrancoMiguel ClementDahman1 mile1:34.67$400,000II 2025Luther (GB)Joel RosarioCharlie FellowesPaul Hickman and Nicholas Jones1 mile1:35.06$400,000II 2024NeatJunior AlvaradoRob AtrasRed White and Blue Racing1 mile1:36.38$500,000II 2023Carl Spackler (IRE) Tyler GaffalioneChad C. Browne Five Racing1 mile1:36.29$500,000II 2022Ready to PurrformJoel RosarioBrad H. CoxDonegal Racing1 mile1:33.99$200,000II 2021Public SectorFlavien PratChad C. BrownKlaravich Stables1 mile1:35.03$200,000II2020Decorated InvaderJoel RosarioChristophe ClementWest Point Thoroughbreds, William T Freeman Et Al miles1:49.29$150,000II2019Casa CreedJunior AlvaradoWilliam I. Mott LRE Racing & JEH Racing Stable1 mile1:33.72$200,000II2018Raging Bull (FR)Joel RosarioChad C. Brown Peter M. Brant miles1:43.69$200,000II2017Bricks and MortarJoel RosarioChad C. Brown William H. Lawrence & Klaravich Stables miles1:39.47$200,000II2016Camelot KittenIrad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. Brown Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey miles1:41.69$200,000II2015Takeover TargetIrad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. Brown William H. Lawrence & Klaravich Stables miles1:42.00$200,000II2014WallyannaIrad Ortiz Jr.Michael V. Pino Tim E. O'Donohue Racing Stable miles1:40.66$200,000II2013NotacatbutallamaJohn R. VelazquezTodd A. Pletcher Repole Stable miles1:52.29$196,000 III2012Quick WitRajiv MaraghDale L. Romans Michael J. Bruder miles1:51.95$200,000II2011Big Blue KittenJohn R. VelazquezChad C. Brown Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey miles1:42.91$150,000II2010InteractifJavier CastellanoTodd A. PletcherWertheimer et Frère miles1:48.34$150,000II2009Courageous CatWilliam I. Mott Pam & Martin Wygod miles1:45.90$160,000II2008WesleyJavier CastellanoMark A. Hennig Willmott Stables miles1:50.22$159,600II2007Cornelio VelásquezBarclay Tagg Elizabeth Jones Valando miles1:49.29$158,000II2006After MarketCornelio VelásquezWilliam I. Mott Pam & Martin Wygod miles1:48.45$146,700II2005T. D. VanceTodd KabelH. Graham Motion Donald A. Adam miles1:48.15$150,000IINational Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Handicap 2004Artie SchillerRichard MiglioreJames A. Jerkens Timber Bay Farm & Mrs. Thomas J. Walsh miles1:47.71$150,000II2003StrollJerry D. BaileyWilliam I. Mott Claiborne Farm miles1:49.34$150,000II2002Quest StarPat DayW. Elliott Walden Mansell Stables miles1:49.66$150,000II2001BaptizeJerry D. BaileyWilliam I. Mott Gary and Mary West Stables miles1:47.94$150,000II2000TurnofthecenturyAaron GryderMichael E. HushionBarry K. Schwartz & Eugene Hauman miles1:52.35$150,000II1999MarquetteJerry D. BaileyRichard A. Violette Jr. J. R. Cavanaugh miles1:49.33$150,000II1998Parade GroundShane SellersNeil J. Howard William S. Farish III miles1:47.82$150,000IINational Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes1997Rob 'n GinJerry D. BaileyRobert Barbara Sabine Stable miles1:42.09$110,000II1996Sir CatJerry D. BaileyWilliam I. Mott John R. Murrell miles1:40.46$113,900 II1995FlitchMike E. SmithWilliam Badgett Jr.Loblolly Stable miles1:48.08$139,500II1994IslefaxyouEddie MaplePatrick J. Kelly Fox Ridge Farm miles1:48.61$117,000II1993A in SociologyChris AntleyPhilip G. Johnson Frederick Ronca miles1:48.81$121,800II1992Paradise CreekMike E. SmithWilliam I. MottBertram R. Firestone miles1:46.65$121,000IIGallant Man Stakes1991LechÁngel Cordero Jr.David G. DonkHenryk de Kwiatkowski miles1:49.02$123,200III1990Social RetireeMike E. SmithBarclay TaggBarclay Tagg miles1:48.20$91,200III1989Orange SunshineJean CruguetJimmy Croll Blanche P. Levy miles1:49.00$93,300III1988PosenJerry D. BaileyHenryk de Kwiatkowski miles1:47.00$92,850III1987§ DrachmaRobbie DavisLarry A. Kelly Gail P. Beitz miles1:49.80$85,800III1986Dance of LifeJerry D. BaileyMacKenzie Miller Rokeby Stable miles1:52.20$83,100 1985DuluthJean CruguetFlint S. Schulhofer Frances A. Genter miles1:47.60$85,950

Legend:

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References