# Poker Stakes

The Poker Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four years old and older held over a distance of one mile (8 furlongs) on the turf held annually in mid June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

## History

The event is named in honor of Poker who defeated champions Assagai and his stablemate Buckpasser in the 1967 Bowling Green Handicap at Belmont Park. More importantly Poker became a Champion Broodmare Sire. Poker was a son of the top-class sire and broodmare sire Round Table. Poker's daughters produced numerous champions including champion sire Seattle Slew. The latter twice topped the US broodmare sires list, and his daughters have produced a host of champions. Poker is also the maternal grandsire of US champion, Silver Charm, as well as the useful sire, Lomond (himself a champion sire in Italy).
The inaugural running of the Poker Stakes was on 25 September 1983 and was won by the Gasper S. Moshera trained Freon in a time of 2:031⁄5 over the distance of a mile and a quarter on the turf. The following year the event was not held but in 1985 it was run over the 1+1⁄16 miles distance.
The event was classified as Grade III in 1988 and has held this class since.
The event was not held in 2010.
Several fine horses have appeared in this event including Volponi who won the event in 2007 and later won the Breeders' Cup Classic in the same year. Also Kip Deville winner of the Breeders' Cup Mile in 2007 featured in this event 2008 winning easily as the short odds on favorite and giving up to eleven pounds to his competitors. Caress and the Australian bred mare Oleksandra are the only mares to have won this race. Oleksandra was having her last start in her career due to being in foal to the sire Into Mischief.
In 2024 the event was moved to Saratoga Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1:31.23 – Oscar Performance (2018)
This time is a course record for Belmont's Widener Turf Course, and ties the North American record for one mile on the turf.
Margins:
* 7 lengths – Scottish Monk (1990)
Most wins:
* 2 – Fourstardave (1989, 1993)
* 2 – Affirmed Success (2000, 2001)
* 2 – King Kreesa (2013, 2015)
Most wins by an owner:
* 3 – Juddmonte Farms (2003, 2007, 2022)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 3 – José L. Ortiz (2015, 2018, 2020)
* 3 – Jose Lezcano (2011, 2012, 2016)
* 3 – Jerry Bailey (1991, 1998, 2001)
* 3 – Jorge Chavez (1994, 1999, 2000)
* 3 – José A. Santos (1987, 1988, 1989)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 – William I. Mott (1998, 2011, 2012, 2017)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| At Saratoga – Poker Stakes |||||||||||
| 2024 | Ice Chocolat (BRZ) | 6 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Mark E. Casse | Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable & Peter Deutsch | 1 mile | 1:33.97 | $350,000 | III | |
| At Belmont Park |||||||||||
| 2023 | Emmanuel | 4 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd A. Pletcher | Siena Farm & WinStar Farm | 1 mile | 1:34.25 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2022 | Masen (GB) | 4 | Flavien Prat | Chad C. Brown | Juddmonte Farms | 1 mile | 1:34.16 | $242,500 | III | |
| 2021 | ƒ Oleksandra (AUS) | 7 | Joel Rosario | Neil D. Drysdale | Team Valor International | 1 mile | 1:32.11 | $250,000 | III | |
| 2020 | Social Paranoia | 4 | José L. Ortiz | Todd A. Pletcher | The Elkstone Group | 1 mile | 1:36.30 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2019 | Gucci Factor | 4 | Joel Rosario | Christophe Clement | Castleton Lyons | 1 mile | 1:32.54 | $300,000 | III | |
| 2018 | Oscar Performance | 4 | José L. Ortiz | Brian A. Lynch | Amerman Racing | 1 mile | 1:31.23 | $300,000 | III | |
| 2017 | Ballagh Rocks | 4 | Jose Lezcano | William I. Mott | Donegal Racing | 1 mile | 1:34.98 | $294,000 | III | |
| 2016 | Obviously (IRE) | 8 | Jose Lezcano | Philip D'Amato | Anthony Fanticola & Joseph Sardino | 1 mile | 1:31.65 | $300,000 | III | |
| 2015 | King Kreesa | 6 | José L. Ortiz | David G. Donk | Susan & Gerald Kresa | 1 mile | 1:33.48 | $300,000 | III | |
| 2014 | § Jack Milton | 4 | Javier Castellano | Todd A. Pletcher | Gary Barber | 1 mile | 1:33.09 | $300,000 | III | |
| 2013 | King Kreesa | 4 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Jeremiah C. Englehart | G & S Kresa | 1 mile | 1:33.65 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2012 | Clear Attempt | 4 | Jose Lezcano | William I. Mott | Pam & Martin Wygod | 1 mile | 1:34.01 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2011 | Courageous Cat | 5 | Jose Lezcano | William I. Mott | Pam & Martin Wygod | 1 mile | 1:36.69 | $98,000 | III | |
| 2010 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 2009 | Sailor's Cap | 4 | Alan Garcia | James J. Toner | Team Valor | 1 mile | 1:36.50 | $103,500 | III | |
| Poker Handicap |||||||||||
| 2008 | Kip Deville | 5 | Cornelio Velásquez | Richard E. Dutrow Jr. | IEAH Stables, Pegasus Holding Group Stables, J. Roberts & A. & S. Cohen | 1 mile | 1:32.94 | $106,300 | III | |
| 2007 | Art Master | 6 | Garrett K. Gomez | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 1 mile | 1:33.21 | $112,600 | III | |
| 2006 | Rebel Rebel (IRE) | 4 | Edgar S. Prado | Richard E. Dutrow Jr. | IEAH Stables & Resolute Group Stables | 1 mile | 1:33.34 | $110,900 | III | |
| 2005 | Mr. Light (ARG) | 6 | Cornelio Velásquez | Angel A. Penna Jr. | Earle I. Mack | 1 mile | 1:32.18 | $111,800 | III | |
| 2004 | Christine's Outlaw | 4 | Shaun Bridgmohan | George Weaver | R.C. Hill Stable | 1 mile | 1:32.46 | $112,600 | III | |
| 2003 | War Zone | 4 | Javier Castellano | Robert J. Frankel | Juddmonte Farms | 1 mile | 1:32.81 | $116,200 | III | |
| 2002 | Volponi | 4 | Shaun Bridgmohan | Philip G. Johnson | Amherst Stable & Spruce Pond Stable | 1 mile | 1:32.24 | $111,200 | III | |
| 2001 | Affirmed Success | 7 | Jerry D. Bailey | Richard E. Schosberg | Albert Fried Jr. | 1 mile | 1:34.60 | $110,400 | III | |
| 2000 | Affirmed Success | 6 | Jorge F. Chavez | Richard E. Schosberg | Albert Fried Jr. | 1 mile | 1:34.06 | $113,800 | III | |
| 1999 | Rob 'n Gin | 5 | Jorge F. Chavez | Robert Barbara | Sabine Stable | 1 mile | 1:32.81 | $115,200 | III | |
| 1998 | Elusive Quality | 5 | Jerry D. Bailey | William I. Mott | Mohammed al Maktoum | 1 mile | 1:31.63 | $85,400 | III | |
| 1997 | Draw Shot | 4 | Chris Antley | Angel A. Penna Jr. | Francis Santangelo | 1 mile | 1:33.08 | $85,575 | III | |
| 1996 | Smooth Runner | 5 | Julie Krone | Richard C. Mettee | Herbert Allen | 1 mile | 1:33.60 | $86,000 | III | |
| Poker Stakes |||||||||||
| 1995 | ƒ Caress | 4 | Robbie Davis | H. Allen Jerkens | Harbor View Farm | 1 mile | 1:34.35 | $85,050 | III | |
| 1994 | Dominant Prospect | 4 | Jorge F. Chavez | Gary Sciacca | Charles A. Coronia | 1 mile | 1:32.69 | $83,176 | III | |
| 1993 | Fourstardave | 8 | Richard Migliore | Leo O'Brien | Richard M. Bomze | 1 mile | 1:33.02 | $88,650 | III | |
| 1992 | Scott the Great | 6 | Jean-Luc Samyn | William Hebert | August F. Russo | 1 mile | 1:33.27 | $91,350 | III | |
| 1991 | Who's to Pay | 5 | Jerry D. Bailey | MacKenzie Miller | Rokeby Stable | 1 mile | 1:33.40 | $93,600 | III | |
| 1990 | Scottish Monk | 7 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Steven T. Jerkens | Cedar Valle Stable | 1 mile | 1:33.40 | $86,850 | III | |
| 1989 | Fourstardave | 4 | José A. Santos | Leo O'Brien | Richard M. Bomze | 1 mile | 1:33.20 | $94,350 | III | |
| 1988 | Wanderkin | 5 | José A. Santos | Richard O'Connell | Poma Stable | 1 mile | 1:35.60 | $91,200 | III | |
| 1987 | Double Feint | 4 | José A. Santos | LeRoy Jolley | Peter M. Brant | 1 mile | 1:35.20 | $57,200 | | |
| 1986 | Island Sun | 4 | Richard Migliore | Patrick J. Kelly | Live Oak Plantation Racing | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.40 | $55,500 | | |
| 1985 | Mr. Chromacopy | 4 | Jean Cruguet | Frank Martin Sr. | Harbor View Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.40 | $55,700 | | |
| 1984 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1983 | Freon | 6 | Robbie Davis | Gasper S. Moschera | Ann Territo | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:03.20 | $41,450 | | |
Legend:
 Turf
Notes:
§ Ran as part of an entry
ƒ Filly or Mare