# Violet Stakes

The Violet Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. Inaugurated in 1977, the current Listed race is open to fillies and mares age three and older and is raced on turf over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs). First run at Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey, it had its final running there in 2009. Not run in 2010, it was picked up by the Monmouth Park track in 2011 and as such was able to maintain its Grade 3 status.

## Historical notes

The event was run as the Violet Handicap until 2004. The inaugural running took place on September 4, 1977 at Meadowlands Racetrack on a rainy day that resulted in a sloppy track. The race was won by Lady Singer who was ridden by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. for owner Walter Haefner and trainer Victor Nickerson. Haefner and Nickerson would get their second Violet Handicap win in 1985 with Vers La Caisse.
The Violet Stakes was raced on dirt in 1977, 1993, 1999, 2006 and was run in two divisions in 1980, 1982 through 1985, 1987 and 1988. It was due to safety concerns as a result of wet weather conditions that the 2006 race was switched from the turf course to the dirt track. On this occasion, the Violet Stakes was not given a grade.
The Very One, winner of the 1980 Violet Handicap, had The Very One Stakes at Pimlico and The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream Park named in her honor.
Gather The Clan's winning time in the 1989 race was just one-fifth of a second off the Meadowlands course record set on September 30, 1988 by Wanderkin.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1:39.60 – Gather The Clan (1989)
Most wins:
* 2 – Humoristic (2005, 2007)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 5 – Jean-Luc Samyn (1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 3 – Philip G. Johnson (1983, 1985, 1987)
* 3 – Barclay Tagg (1990, 1992, 2004)
* 3 – Christophe Clement (1998, 2011, 2012)
* 3 – Chad Brown (2016, 2018, 2020)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – Walter Haefner (1977, 1985)
* 2 – Edward P. Evans (1985, 1987)
* 2 – Bonner Farm (1990, 1992)
* 2 – Erdenheim Farm (1996, 1997)
* 2 – Mrs. Arturo Peralta-Ramos (2005, 2007)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Dist. (Miles) | Time | Gr. |
| 2022 | Vigilantes Way | 5 | Paco Lopez | Claude McGaughey III | Phipps Stable | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.78 | L |
| 2021 | Tamahere | 4 | Jose Ferrer | Chad Brown | Swift Thoroughbreds Inc, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:45.74 | L |
| 2020 | She's Got You | 4 | Joe Bravo | Chad Brown | John Gunther & Tanya Gunther | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.50 | L |
| 2019 | Andina Del Sur | 4 | Hector Diaz Jr. | Thomas Albertrani | Don Alberto Stable | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:44.91 | L |
| 2018 | Elysea's World | 5 | Joe Bravo | Chad Brown | Sheep Pond Partners & All Pro Racing | 1+1⁄8 m | 1:48.06 | G3 |
| 2017 | Tricky Escape | 4 | Chris DeCarlo | Lynn A. Ashby | Jon Marshall | 1+1⁄8 m | 1:49.91 | G3 |
| 2016 | Tammy the Torpedo | 4 | Antonio Gallardo | Chad Brown | Long Lake Stable & Beacon Hill Thoroughbreds | 1+1⁄8 m | 1:49.60 | G3 |
| 2015 | Photo Call | 4 | Trevor McCarthy | H. Graham Motion | Juliet Cooper | 1+1⁄8 m | 1:47.94 | G3 |
| 2014 | Rusty Slipper | 4 | Alex Cintron | H. Graham Motion | Zanim R. Meahjohn | 1+1⁄8 m | 1:49.07 | G3 |
| 2013 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 2012 | Ruthenia | 4 | Kendrick Carmouche | Christophe Clement | Virginia Kraft Payson LLC | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:40.68 | G3 |
| 2011 | Denomination | 5 | Joe Bravo | Christophe Clement | Ghislaine Head | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.92 | G3 |
| 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 |
| 2009 | Quiet Harbor | 4 | Eddie Castro | C. R. McGaughey III | McGaughey Stable | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.30 | G3 |
| 2008 | American Border | 4 | Jose Lezcano | Jason Servis | Mr. Amore Stables (Ron Lombardi) | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.74 | G3 |
| 2007 | Humoristic | 6 | Rajiv Maragh | Hamilton A. Smith | Jacqueline Blanchard Peralta-Ramos | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.23 | G3 |
| 2006 | No Sleep | 4 | Mike Luzzi | Bruce N. Levine | Glencrest Farm LLC (Greathouse family) | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.48 | † |
| 2005 | Humoristic | 4 | Harry Vega | Hamilton A. Smith | Jacqueline Blanchard Peralta-Ramos | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.23 | G3 |
| 2004 | Changing World | 4 | Pablo Fragoso | Barclay Tagg | Carolyn Horton Rogers | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.53 | G3 |
| 2003 | Dancal | 5 | Javier Castellano | Todd A. Pletcher | Marlon Aronstam | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:43.69 | G3 |
| 2002 | Babae | 6 | Richard Migliore | Frank A. Alexander | Joseph Platt Jr. | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.17 | G3 |
| 2001 | Clearly A Queen | 4 | Jorge Chavez | Bobby C. Barnett | John A. Franks | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:43.56 | G3 |
| 2000 | Follow The Money | 4 | Chris McCarron | David Hofmans | Christopher & Patricia Elia | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.65 | G3 |
| 1999 | Tookin Down | 4 | Edgar Prado | Richard W. Small | Richard W. Small | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.39 | G3 |
| 1998 | Heaven's Command | 4 | Richard Migliore | Christophe Clement | Skymarc Farm, Inc. | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:40.71 | G3 |
| 1997 | Sangria | 4 | Rick Wilson | John R. S. Fisher | Erdenheim Farm | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.02 | G3 |
| 1996 | Plenty Of Sugar | 5 | Robert Colton | John R. S. Fisher | Erdenheim Farm | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:48.62 | G3 |
| 1995 | Symphony Lady | 5 | Joe Bravo | Flint S. Schulhofer | Julian Cohen | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:45.48 | G3 |
| 1994 | It's Personal | 4 | John Velazquez | Michael W. Dickinson | Prestonwood Farm | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.61 | G3 |
| 1993 | Mz. Zill Bear | 4 | Edgar Prado | Ronald Cartwright | Mea Culpa Stable (Bill & Phyllis Dixon) | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:44.55 | G3 |
| 1992 | Highland Crystal | 4 | Edgar Prado | Barclay Tagg | Bonner Farm (George Rowand) | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.26 | G3 |
| 1991 | Southern Tradition | 4 | José Santos | Henry L. Carroll | Delehanty Farm (Frank Stella) | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:43.60 | G3 |
| 1990 | Miss Josh | 4 | Mario Pino | Barclay Tagg | Bonner Farm (George Rowand) | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:40.00 | G3 |
| 1989 | Gather The Clan | 4 | Craig Perret | William I. Mott | Bertram R. Firestone | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:39.60 | G3 |
| 1988-1 | Just Class | 4 | Chris Antley | Alan E. Goldberg | Robert Masterson | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:40.20 | G3 |
| 1988-2 | Graceful Darby | 4 | Randy Romero | John M. Veitch | James W. Phillips | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.00 | G3 |
| 1987-1 | Videogenic | 5 | Jean Cruguet | Gasper Moschera | Albert & Barbara Davis | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.00 | G3 |
| 1987-2 | Dismasted | 5 | Jean-Luc Samyn | Philip G. Johnson | Edward P. Evans | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.60 | G3 |
| 1986 | Lake Country | 5 | Vince Bracciale Jr. | Donnie Walker | Don Prowse & Donald McIntosh | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.20 | G3 |
| 1985-1 | Possible Mate | 4 | Jean-Luc Samyn | Philip G. Johnson | Edward P. Evans | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.20 | G3 |
| 1985-2 | Vers La Caisse | 4 | Richard Migliore | Victor J. Nickerson | Walter Haefner | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:43.00 | G3 |
| 1984-1 | Rash But Royal | 4 | Jack Kaenel | Richard A. DeStasio | Michael Berry | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.20 | G3 |
| 1984-2 | Aspen Rose | 4 | Jorge Velásquez | John M. Veitch | Daniel M. Galbreath | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.00 | G3 |
| 1983-1 | Twosome | 4 | Jerry Bailey | Laz Barrera | Charles T. Wilson Jr. | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.20 | G3 |
| 1983-2 | Geraldine's Store | 4 | Jean-Luc Samyn | Philip G. Johnson | Thomas P. Whitney | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:40.60 | G3 |
| 1982-1 | Pat's Joy | 4 | Jerry Bailey | Mitch Griffin | Fred W. Hooper | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.20 |
| 1982-2 | Dearly Too | 3 | Jean-Luc Samyn | Stephen A. DiMauro | Richard E. Bailey | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.20 |
| 1981 | Honey Fox | 4 | Jean-Luc Samyn | Flint S. Schulhofer | Jerome M. Torsney | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.40 |
| 1980-1 | Producer | 4 | Jeffrey Fell | Claude Beniada | Roy Gottlieb | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:41.60 |
| 1980-2 | The Very One | 5 | Jorge Velásquez | Stephen A. DiMauro | Helen Pollinger | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:42.40 |
| 1979 | Terpsichorist | 4 | Mike Venezia | Woody Stephens | Hickory Tree Stable | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:43.20 |
| 1978 | Navajo Princess | 4 | Craig Perret | Douglas Dodson | Victor N. Green | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:44.00 |
| 1977 | Lady Singer | 4 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Victor J. Nickerson | Walter Haefner | 1+1⁄6 m | 1:48.40 |
* † switched from turf to dirt, no grade allocated.