The Monmouth Cup Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-years-old and older run over a distance of miles annually in early July at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey. The event currently offers a purse of $400,000 added.

History

The event was inaugurated as the Meadowlands Cup and held at the Meadowlands Racetrack on 29 October 1977 and was won by Pay Tribute who was trained by the Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally and ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Ángel Cordero Jr. by lengths in a time of over the miles distance.

The event was the signature event at the Meadowlands track with its high stakes attracting class horses. Within two years when champion three-year-old Spectacular Bid won the event in stakes record time it was classed as Grade II. The event was upgraded to Grade I in 1983.

The event was decreased to its present miles distance in 1990. That year's running posed one of the largest upsets in North American racing history when Great Normand won at 181-1 odds.

There was no race held in 1997 or 2011. The race was downgraded from a Grade II to a Grade III in 2017, and the purse was reduced to $100,000 from the previous $200,000.

The event was moved to Monmouth Park in 2010 and was renamed to the Monmouth Cup Stakes.

Sharp Azteca's win in 2017 set a track record at Monmouth for the distance of miles, beating Formal Gold's 1:40.20 that was set in August 1997.

Records Speed record: miles: 1:45.93 – Etched (2009) miles: 1:40.19 – Sharp Azteca (2017) miles: 1:58.80 – Alysheba (1988)

Margins lengths - Knightsbridge (2026)

Most wins: 2 – Etched (2009, 2010) 2 – Bradester (2015, 2016)

Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Ángel Cordero Jr. (1977, 1978, 1983, 1986) 4 – John R. Velazquez (1998, 2001, 2004, 2006)

Most wins by a trainer: 5 – Todd A. Pletcher (2004, 2006, 2012, 2021, 2024)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – Darley Stable (2009, 2010) 2 – Joseph W. Sutton (2015, 2016) 2 - Winstar Farm (2012, 2020) 2 - Godolphin (2023, 2026)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Monmouth Park – Monmouth Cup Stakes2026Knightsbridge5Flavien PratWilliam I. MottGodolphin miles1:47.51$350,000III2025Surface to Air 5Samuel Marin Panagiotis SynnefiasPremier Stable miles1:49.29$396,000III2024Tapit Trice 4Irad Ortiz Jr.Todd A. Pletcher Whisper Hill Farm & Gainesway Stable miles1:50.46$404,000III2023Proxy5Joel RosarioMichael StidhamGodolphin Racing miles1:49.99$400,000III2022Highly Motivated4Flavien PratChad C. BrownKlaravich Stables miles1:46.53$400,000III2021Dr Post 4Joel RosarioTodd A. PletcherSt. Elias Stable miles1:47.53$300,000III2020Global Campaign4Jorge Vargas Jr.Stanley M. HoughWinstar Farm & Sagamore Farm miles1:50.47$315,000III2019War Story4Luis SaezJorge NavarroImaginary Stables & Glenn Ellis miles1:47.65$199,000III2018Name Changer4José L. OrtizAlan E. GoldbergColts Neck Stables miles1:49.56$150,000III2017Sharp Azteca4Paco LopezJorge NavarroGelfenstein Farm miles1:40.19$95,000III2016Bradester6Joe BravoEddie KenneallyJoseph W. Sutton miles1:42.21$199,000II2015Bradester5Corey J. LanerieEddie KenneallyJoseph W. Sutton miles1:42.43$199,000II2014Valid4Orlando BocachicaMarcus J. VitaliCrossed Sabres Farm miles1:41.43$211,000II2013Pants on Fire5Paco LopezKelly J. BreenLori & George Hall miles1:45.86$195,000II2012Rule5Joe BravoTodd A. PletcherWinStar Farm1 mile1:37.71$200,000II2011Race not held2010Etched5Eddie CastroKiaran P. McLaughlinDarley Stable miles1:50.31$297,500IIAt The Meadowlands – Meadowlands Cup2009Etched4Alan GarciaKiaran P. McLaughlinDarley Stable miles1:45.93$300,000II2008Arson Squad5Edgar S. PradoRichard E. Dutrow Jr.Jay Em Ess Stable miles1:48.81$350,000II2007Diamond Stripes4Cornelio VelásquezRichard E. Dutrow Jr.Four Roses Thoroughbreds miles1:48.36$499,000II2006Master Command4John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherAaron & Marie Jones miles1:46.21$499,000II2005Tap Day4Eibar CoaMark A. HennigEdward P. Evans miles1:48.80$500,000II2004Balto Star6John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherAnstu Stables, Inc. miles1:48.60$500,000II2003Bowman's Band5H. Allen JerkensMartin S. Schwartz miles1:46.80$400,000II2002Burning Roma4Eibar CoaHeather A. GiglioHarold Queen miles1:48.80$400,000II2001Gander5John R. VelazquezJohn P. Terranova IIGatsas Thoroughbreds miles1:47.00$500,000II2000North East Bound4José A. Vélez Jr.William W. PerryJulian Demarco & Richard J. Disano miles1:48.80$400,000II1999Pleasant Breeze4Jorge F. ChavezH. James BondWilliam L. Clifton Jr. miles1:47.00$500,000II1998K. J.'s Appeal4John R. VelazquezFrank A. AlexanderReleib Stable miles1:46.00$500,000I1997Race not held1996Dramatic Gold5Kent J. DesormeauxDavid E. HofmansGolden Eagle Farm miles1:48.00$750,000I19953Julie KroneJames E. DayPin Oak Stable miles1:48.00$500,000I1994Conveyor6Mike E. SmithBen W. Perkins Sr.New Farm miles1:47.80$500,000I1993Marquetry6Kent J. DesormeauxRobert J. FrankelMorley Engelson & Robert J. Frankel miles1:47.20$500,000I1992§ Sea Cadet4Alex O. SolisRon McAnallyVHW Farms miles1:48.00$500,000I1991Twilight Agenda5Chris McCarronD. Wayne LukasMoyglare Stud miles1:46.60$500,000I1990Great Normand5Carlos E. Lopez Sr.Jorge E. RomeroVictor Resk miles1:47.20$500,000I1989Mi Selecto4José A. SantosGil H. RowntreeFrank Stronach miles2:00.20$500,000I 1988Alysheba4Chris McCarronJack Van BergDorothy & Pamela Scharbauer miles1:58.80$600,000I 1987Creme Fraiche5Laffit Pincay Jr. Brushwood Stable miles2:01.80$500,000I 1986Broad Brush3Ángel Cordero Jr.Richard W. Small Robert E. Meyerhoff miles2:01.60$500,000I1985Bounding Basque5Robbie DavisWoodrow M. SedlacekJacques D. Wimpfheimer miles2:00.40$500,000I1984Wild Again4Richard MiglioreVincent TimphonyBlack Chip Stables miles2:00.60$500,000I1983Slewpy3Ángel Cordero Jr.Sidney J. Watters Jr.Equusequity Stable miles2:02.40$400,000 I 1982Mehmet4Robert J. Frankel Dr. & Mrs. A. J. Chlad, Sam Mevorach & Elizabeth Vallone miles2:01.40$400,000II 1981Princelet3William NemetiJohn P. CampoJohn P. Campo miles2:02.80$336,600II1980Tunerup4Jacinto VásquezFloreano FernandezDaybreak Farm miles2:00.40$327,500II1979Spectacular Bid3Bill ShoemakerBud DelpHawksworth Farm miles2:01.20$361,000II1978Dr. Patches4Ángel Cordero Jr.John A. NerudTartan Stable miles2:01.60$161,350 Listed1977Pay Tribute5Ángel Cordero Jr.Ron McAnallyElmendorf Farm miles2:02.60$176,800

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References