# Whitney Stakes

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 1+1⁄8 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 1+1⁄4 miles from its inception in 1928 until 1955, when the distance was reduced to 1+1⁄8 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:
* 1+1⁄8 miles – 1:46.64 – Lawyer Ron (2007)
* 1+1⁄4 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 | Time |
| 2024 | Arthur's Ride | 4 | Junior Alvarado | William I. Mott | Glassman Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.54 |
| 2023 | White Abarrio | 4 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Richard E. Dutrow Jr. | C Two Racing Stable & Antonio Pagnano | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.45 |
| 2022 | Life Is Good | 4 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd A. Pletcher | WinStar Farm & China Horse Club | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.97 |
| 2021 | Knicks Go | 5 | Joel Rosario | Brad H. Cox | KRA Stud Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.70 |
| 2020 | Improbable | 4 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Bob Baffert | WinStar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing LLC | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.65 |
| 2019 | McKinzie | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram, Paul Weitman | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.10 |
| 2018 | Diversify | 5 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Richard Violette Jr. | Lauren & Ralph Evans | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.62 |
| 2017 | Gun Runner | 4 | Florent Geroux | Steven M. Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds & Three Chimneys Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.71 |
| 2016 | Frosted | 4 | Joel Rosario | Kiaran McLaughlin | Godolphin Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.77 |
| 2015 | Honor Code | 4 | Javier Castellano | Claude R. McGaughey III | Lane's End Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.82 |
| 2014 | Moreno | 4 | Junior Alvarado | Eric Guillot | Southern Equine Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.05 |
| 2013 | Cross Traffic | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | GoldMark Farm, LLC | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.89 |
| 2012 | Fort Larned | 4 | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Ian R. Wilkes | Janis R. Whitham | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.76 |
| 2011 | Tizway | 6 | Rajiv Maragh | H. James Bond | William L. Clifton Jr. | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.43 |
| 2010 | Blame | 4 | Garrett Gomez | Albert Stall Jr. | Adele B. Dilschneider | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.88 |
| 2009 | Bullsbay | 5 | Jeremy Rose | H. Graham Motion | Mitchell Ranch LLC | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.12 |
| 2008 | Commentator | 7 | John R. Velazquez | Nick Zito | Tracy Farmer | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.23 |
| 2007 | Lawyer Ron | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Hines Racing LLC | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.64 |
| 2006 | Invasor | 4 | Fernando Jara | Kiaran McLaughlin | Shadwell Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.06 |
| 2005 | Commentator | 4 | Gary Stevens | Nick Zito | Tracy Farmer | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.33 |
| 2004 | Roses in May | 4 | Edgar Prado | Dale L. Romans | Ken & Sarah Ramsey | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.54 |
| 2003 | Medaglia d'Oro | 4 | Jerry Bailey | Robert J. Frankel | Edmund A. Gann | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.69 |
| 2002 | Left Bank | 5 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Michael B. Tabor | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47:04 |
| 2001 | Lido Palace | 4 | Jerry Bailey | Robert J. Frankel | John Amerman | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.94 |
| 2000 | Lemon Drop Kid | 4 | Edgar Prado | Scotty Schulhofer | Jeanne G. Vance | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.30 |
| 1999 | Victory Gallop | 4 | Jerry Bailey | Elliott Walden | Prestonwood Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.66 |
| 1998 | Awesome Again | 4 | Pat Day | Patrick B. Byrne | Stronach Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.71 |
| 1997 | Will's Way | 4 | Jerry Bailey | H. James Bond | Rudlein Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.37 |
| 1996 | Mahogany Hall | 5 | José A. Santos | James Baker | Woodlyn Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.60 |
| 1995 | Unaccounted For | 4 | Pat Day | Scotty Schulhofer | Morven Stud | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.20 |
| 1994 | Colonial Affair | 4 | José A. Santos | Scotty Schulhofer | Centennial Farms | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.60 |
| 1993 | Brunswick | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Anthony Margotta | Jerry Denker | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.40 |
| 1992 | Sultry Song | 4 | Jerry Bailey | Patrick Kelly | Live Oak Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.20 |
| 1991 | In Excess | 4 | Gary Stevens | Bruce L. Jackson | Jack J. Munari | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.00 |
| 1990 | Criminal Type | 5 | Gary Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | Calumet Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.60 |
| 1989 | Easy Goer | 3 | Pat Day | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Phipps | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.40 |
| 1988 | Personal Ensign | 4 | Randy Romero | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Phipps | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.80 |
| 1987 | Java Gold | 3 | Pat Day | MacKenzie Miller | Rokeby Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.40 |
| 1986 | Lady's Secret | 4 | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas | Eugene V. Klein | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.80 |
| 1985 | Track Barron | 4 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | LeRoy Jolley | Peter M. Brant | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.60 |
| 1984 | Slew o' Gold | 4 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | John O. Hertler | Equusequity Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.20 |
| 1983 | Island Whirl | 5 | Ed Delahoussaye | Laz Barrera | Elcee-H Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.40 |
| 1982 | Silver Buck | 4 | Don MacBeth | J. Elliott Burch | C. V. Whitney | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.80 |
| 1981 | Fio Rito | 6 | Leslie Hulet | Michael Ferraro | Raymond LeCesse | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.00 |
| 1980 | State Dinner | 5 | Ruben Hernandez | J. Elliott Burch | C. V. Whitney | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.20 |
| 1979 | Star de Naskra | 4 | Jeffrey Fell | Richard D. Ferris | Caryle J. Lancaster | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.60 |
| 1978 | Alydar | 3 | Jorge Velásquez | John M. Veitch | Calumet Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.40 |
| 1977 | Nearly On Time | 3 | Steve Cauthen | LeRoy Jolley | Mrs. Moody Jolley | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.40 |
| 1976 | Dancing Gun | 4 | Roger Velez | Laz Barrera | Gedney Farms | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.00 |
| 1975 | Ancient Title | 5 | Sandy Hawley | Keith L. Stucki Sr. | Ethel Kirkland | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.20 |
| 1974 | Tri Jet | 5 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Charles R. Parke | Fred W. Hooper | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.00 |
| 1973 | Onion | 4 | Jacinto Vásquez | H. Allen Jerkens | Hobeau Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.20 |
| 1972 | Key To The Mint | 3 | Braulio Baeza | J. Elliott Burch | Rokeby Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.20 |
| 1971 | Protanto | 4 | Jorge Velásquez | MacKenzie Miller | Cragwood Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.40 |
| 1970 | Judgable | 3 | Robert Woodhouse | Herbert Nadler | Saul Nadler | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.40 |
| 1969 | Verbatim | 4 | Pete Anderson | James P. Conway | Elmendorf Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.00 |
| 1968 | Dr. Fager | 4 | Braulio Baeza | John A. Nerud | Tartan Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.80 |
| 1967 | Stupendous | 4 | Eddie Belmonte | Edward A. Neloy | Wheatley Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.20 |
| 1966 | Staunchness | 4 | Ernest Cardone | Victor J. Nickerson | Red Oak Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.20 |
| 1965 | Kelso | 8 | Ismael Valenzuela | Carl Hanford | Bohemia Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.80 |
| 1964 | Gun Bow | 4 | Walter Blum | Edward A. Neloy | Gedney Farms | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.20 |
| 1963 | Kelso | 6 | Ismael Valenzuela | Carl Hanford | Bohemia Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.40 |
| 1962 | Carry Back | 4 | Johnny Sellers | Jack A. Price | Katherine Price | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.00 |
| 1961 | Kelso | 4 | Eddie Arcaro | Carl Hanford | Bohemia Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.00 |
| 1960 | Warhead | 5 | Mike Sorrentino | Kay Erik Jensen | Mabel C. Scholtz | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.00 |
| 1959 | Plion | 4 | Manuel Ycaza | Tom Jolley | Edward M. Potter | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:53.00 |
| 1958 | Cohoes | 4 | John Ruane | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.60 |
| 1957 | Kingmaker | 4 | Bobby Ussery | Frank I. Wright | Happy Hill Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:52.80 |
| 1956 | Dedicate | 4 | William Boland | G. Carey Winfrey | Jan Burke | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.80 |
| 1955 | First Aid | 5 | Hedley Woodhouse | J. Elliott Burch | Brookmeade Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.60 |
| 1954 | Social Outcast | 4 | Eric Guerin | William C. Winfrey | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:04.40 |
| 1953 | Tom Fool | 4 | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:05.40 |
| 1952 | Counterpoint | 4 | Dave Gorman | Sylvester Veitch | Cornelius V. Whitney | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:05.60 |
| 1951 | One Hitter | 5 | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:05.00 |
| 1950 | Piet | 5 | Nick Combest | R. Emmett Potts | BoMar Stable | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:06.60 |
| 1949 | Round View | 6 | Sebastian Perez | Hollie Hughes | Sanford Stud Farms | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:06.60 |
| 1948 | Gallorette | 6 | Arnold Kirkland | Edward A. Christmas | William L. Brann | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:05.20 |
| 1947 | Rico Monte | 5 | Ruperto Donoso | Horatio Luro | W. Arnold Hanger | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.60 |
| 1946 | Stymie | 5 | Basil James | Hirsch Jacobs | Ethel D. Jacobs | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:07.40 |
| 1945 | Trymenow | 3 | Herb Lindberg | Oscar White | Walter M. Jeffords Sr. | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.20 |
| 1944 | Devil Diver | 5 | Eddie Arcaro | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.00 |
| 1943 | Bolingbroke | 6 | Herb Lindberg | Walter Burrows | Townsend B. Martin | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.00 |
| 1942 | Swing and Sway | 4 | Don Meade | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:05.40 |
| 1941 | Fenelon | 4 | James Stout | James Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:06.40 |
| 1940 | Challedon | 4 | George Woolf | Louis Schaefer | William L. Brann | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:03.20 |
| 1939 | Eight Thirty | 3 | Harry Richards | Bert Mulholland | George D. Widener Jr. | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:06.20 |
| 1938 | War Admiral | 4 | Wayne D. Wright | George Conway | Glen Riddle Farm | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:03.80 |
| 1937 | Esposa | 5 | Nick Wall | Matthew P. Brady | William Ziegler Jr. | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:05.20 |
| 1936 | Discovery | 5 | John Bejshak | Bud Stotler | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:06.80 |
| 1935 | Discovery | 4 | John Bejshak | Bud Stotler | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:04.80 |
| 1934 | Discovery | 3 | Don Meade | Bud Stotler | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:07.80 |
| 1933 | Caesar's Ghost | 3 | Dominick Bellizzi | Jack J. Connors | Brookmeade Stable | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:10.80 |
| 1932 | Equipoise | 4 | Raymond Workman | Thomas J. Healey | C. V. Whitney | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:05.60 |
| 1931 | St. Brideaux | 3 | Linus McAtee | James G. Rowe Jr. | Greentree Stable | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:05.00 |
| 1930 | Whichone | 3 | Raymond Workman | Thomas J. Healey | Harry Payne Whitney | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:04.00 |
| 1929 | Bateau | 4 | Eddie Ambrose | Scott P. Harlan | Walter M. Jeffords Sr. | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:09.40 |
| 1928 | Black Maria | 5 | Laverne Fator | William H. Karrick | William R. Coe | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:06.00 |