# Gotham Stakes

The Gotham Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run in early March at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. A Grade III event with a current purse of US$300,000, it is set at a distance of 1 mile on the dirt. It is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

## History

The race is named for New York City, which has been nicknamed Gotham since an 1807 article by Washington Irving. The event was inaugurated in 1953 at Jamaica Racetrack but following the facility's closure was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack for the 1960 season. In 1958, the race was restricted to horses four years of age and older.
The Gotham Stakes is the final local prep to the Wood Memorial Stakes and an official prep race for the Kentucky Derby. The only Derby winner who competed in the Gotham was American Triple Crown champion Secretariat, who tied the track record when winning the race in 1973. Easy Goer improved on this in 1989, setting a track record of 1:32.40 – one of the fastest times ever run in North America on the dirt.
Since its inception, the Gotham has been competed at various distances:
* 1 mile : 1960–1976, 1978, 1980–2002, 2004–2005, 2018–present
* 1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs) : 1953–1959, 1977, 1979, 2006–2017
* 1 mile, 70 yards : 1984, 2003
The race was run in two divisions in 1953, 1974, 1975, and 1983.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1:32.40 – Easy Goer (1989) (Stakes and track record at 1 mile)
* 1:42.65 – I Want Revenge (2009) (at former distance of 1+1⁄16 miles)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 3 – Jorge Velásquez (1969, 1978, 1980)
* 3 – Ángel Cordero Jr. (1970, 1975, 1991)
* 3 – Jacinto Vásquez (1976, 1979, 1986)
* 3 – Richard Migliore (1985, 2003, 2005)
* 3 – Mike E. Smith (1990, 1992, 1995)
* 3 – Jose Lezcano (2008, 2022, 2023)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 3 – Claude R. McGaughey III (1989, 1992, 2005)
* 3 – Kiaran McLaughlin (2006, 2018, 2019)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney (1954, 1956)
* 2 – Claiborne Farm (1969, 1992)
* 2 – Locust Hill Farm (1983, 1988)
* 2 – Shadwell Stable (2016, 2019)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time |
| 2025 | Flood Zone | Reylu Gutierrez | Brad H. Cox | Wathnan Racing | 1:39.62 |
| 2024 | Deterministic | Joel Rosario | Christophe Clement | St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven C. Duncker & Vicarage Stable | 1:36.37 |
| 2023 | Raise Cain | Jose Lezcano | Ben Colebrook | Andrew Warren & Rania Warren | 1:38.09 |
| 2022 | Morello | Jose Lezcano | Steven M. Asmussen | Blue Lion Thoroughbreds | 1:39.28 |
| 2021 | Weyburn | Trevor McCarthy | Jimmy Jerkens | Chiefswood Stables Limited | 1:38.70 |
| 2020 | Mischevious Alex | Kendrick Carmouche | John Servis | Cash Is King LLC & LC Racing LLC | 1:38.80 |
| 2019 | Haikal | Rajiv Maragh | Kiaran McLaughlin | Shadwell Stable | 1:35.63 |
| 2018 | Enticed | Junior Alvarado | Kiaran McLaughlin | Godolphin Racing, LLC | 1:38.24 |
| 2017 | J Boys Echo | Robby Albarado | Dale L. Romans | Albaugh Family Stables LLC | 1:46.34 |
| 2016 | Shagaf | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Chad C. Brown | Shadwell Stable | 1:45.90 |
| 2015 | El Kabeir | Charles C. Lopez | John P. Terranova II | Zayat Stables | 1:45.56 |
| 2014 | Samraat | José Ortiz | Richard Violette Jr. | My Meadowview Farm | 1:44.44 |
| 2013 | Vyjack | Joel Rosario | Rudy R. Rodriguez | Pick Six Racing | 1:44.09 |
| 2012 | Hansen | Ramon Domínguez | Mike Maker | Dr. Kendall Hansen | 1:43.84 |
| 2011 | Stay Thirsty | Ramon Domínguez | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable | 1:44.78 |
| 2010 | Awesome Act | Julien Leparoux | Jeremy Noseda | Susan Roy & Vinery Stables | 1:43.85 |
| 2009 | I Want Revenge | Joseph Talamo | Jeff Mullins | David J. Lanzman | 1:42.65 |
| 2008 | Visionaire | Jose Lezcano | Michael Matz | Team Valor International & Vision Racing | 1:44.60 |
| 2007 | Cowtown Cat | Ramon Domínguez | Todd A. Pletcher | Gulf Coast Farms & WinStar Farm | 1:44.75 |
| 2006 | Like Now | Fernando Jara | Kiaran McLaughlin | John J. Dillon | 1:43.17 |
| 2005 | Survivalist | Richard Migliore | Claude R. McGaughey III | Phipps Stable | 1:35.61 |
| 2004 | Saratoga County | Javier Castellano | George Weaver | Evelyn M. Pollard | 1:35.53 |
| 2003 | Alysweep | Richard Migliore | Patrick L. Reynolds | Michael Dubb & Mark Doneson | 1:40.60 |
| 2002 | Mayakovsky | Edgar Prado | Patrick Biancone | Michael Tabor | 1:34.90 |
| 2001 | Richly Blended | Rick Wilson | Ben Perkins Jr. | Raymond Dweck | 1:35.14 |
| 2000 | Red Bullet | Alex Solis | Joseph Orseno | Stronach Stables | 1:34.27 |
| 1999 | Badge | Shaun Bridgmohan | Joseph Aquillino | Southbelle Stable | 1:34.72 |
| 1998 | Wasatch | Jerry D. Bailey | Martin D. Wolfson | Frank Calabrese | 1:36.56 |
| 1997 | Smokin Mel | John Velazquez | John DeStefano Jr. | Sidney L. Port | 1:34.38 |
| 1996 | Romano Gucci | Julie Krone | Richard E. Dutrow | Herbert Kushner | 1:34.40 |
| 1995 | Talkin Man | Mike E. Smith | Roger Attfield | Helen G. Stollery & Kinghaven Farms | 1:36.82 |
| 1994 | Irgun | Jerry D. Bailey | Steven W. Young | Marianne Chase | 1:36.27 |
| 1993 | As Indicated | Caesar Bisono | Richard Schosberg | Heatherwood Farm | 1:36.24 |
| 1992 | Lure † | Mike E. Smith | Claude R. McGaughey III | Claiborne Farm | 1:35.63 |
| 1992 | Devil His Due † | Herb McCauley | H. Allen Jerkens | Lion Crest Stable | 1:35.63 |
| 1991 | Kyle's Our Man | Ángel Cordero Jr. | John M. Veitch | Darby Dan Farm | 1:34.69 |
| 1990 | Thirty Six Red | Mike E. Smith | Nick Zito | B. Giles Brophy | 1:33.80 |
| 1989 | Easy Goer | Pat Day | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Phipps | 1:32.40 |
| 1988 | Private Terms | Chris Antley | Charles Hadry | Locust Hill Farm | 1:34.80 |
| 1987 | Gone West | Robbie Davis | Woody Stephens | Hickory Tree Stable | 1:34.60 |
| 1986 | Mogambo | Jacinto Vásquez | LeRoy Jolley | Peter M. Brant | 1:34.60 |
| 1985 | Eternal Prince | Richard Migliore | John J. Lenzini Jr. | Brian J. Hurst Jr. | 1:35.80 |
| 1984 | Bear Hunt | Don MacBeth | Roger Laurin | Taylor Purchase Farm | 1:40.40 |
| 1983 | Assault Landing | Vince Bracciale Jr. | Charles Hadry | Locust Hill Farm | 1:35.80 |
| 1983 | Chas Conerly | Jeffrey Fell | Mervin Marks | Daniel Lavezzo Jr. | 1:36.60 |
| 1982 | Air Forbes Won | Michael Venezia | Frank LaBoccetta | Edward Anchel | 1:35.60 |
| 1981 | Proud Appeal | Jeffrey Fell | Stanley M. Hough | Malcolm H. Winfield | 1:33.60 |
| 1980 | Colonel Moran | Jorge Velásquez | Thomas J. Kelly | Townsend B. Martin | 1:37.00 |
| 1979 | General Assembly | Jacinto Vásquez | LeRoy Jolley | Bertram R. Firestone | 1:43.60 |
| 1978 | Slap Jack | Jorge Velásquez | Lou M. Goldfine | Jerry Frankel | 1:38.60 |
| 1977 | Cormorant | Danny Wright | James P. Simpson | Charles Berry Jr. | 1:43.60 |
| 1976 | Zen | Jacinto Vásquez | David A. Whiteley | Pen-Y-Bryn Farm | 1:35.60 |
| 1975 | Laramie Trail | Mike Venezia | Jose A. Martin | Joseph M. Roebling | 1:38.00 |
| 1975 | Singh | Ángel Cordero Jr. | John W. Russell | Cynthia Phipps | 1:37.00 |
| 1974 | Stonewalk | Miguel A. Rivera | Daniel Lopez | Timberland Stable | 1:36.00 |
| 1974 | Rube The Great | Miguel A. Rivera | Frank Martin | Sigmund Sommer | 1:35.20 |
| 1973 | Secretariat | Ron Turcotte | Lucien Laurin | Meadow Stable | 1:33.40 |
| 1972 | Freetex | Chuck Baltazar | William T. Raymond | Middletown Stable | 1:36.40 |
| 1971 | Good Behaving | Ron Turcotte | John P. Campo | Neil Hellman | 1:36.00 |
| 1970 | Native Royalty | Ángel Cordero Jr. | John T. Davis | Happy Valley Farm | 1:36.20 |
| 1969 | Dike | Jorge Velásquez | Lucien Laurin | Claiborne Farm | 1:34.80 |
| 1968 | Verbatim | John L. Rotz | James P. Conway | Elmendorf Farm | 1:34.00 |
| 1967 | Dr. Fager | Manuel Ycaza | John A. Nerud | Tartan Stable | 1:35.20 |
| 1966 | Stupendous | Pete Anderson | Edward A. Neloy | Wheatley Stable | 1:34.60 |
| 1965 | Flag Raiser | Bobby Ussery | Hirsch Jacobs | Isidor Bieber | 1:36.60 |
| 1964 | Mr. Moonlight | Jimmy Combest | Nick Combest | Edith Baily Dent | 1:37.20 |
| 1963 | Debbysman | Larry Adams | Robert Dotter | Gustave Ring | 1:34.60 |
| 1962 | Jaipur | Bill Shoemaker | Bert Mulholland | George D. Widener Jr. | 1:37.00 |
| 1961 | Ambiopoise | Bobby Ussery | Thomas M. Waller | Robert Lehman | 1:35.80 |
| 1960 | John William | Sam Boulmetis | G. Auerbach | Merrick Stable | 1:36.40 |
| 1959 | Atoll | Eddie Arcaro | Ray Metcalf | Elkcam Stable | 1:43.00 |
| 1958 | Oh Johnny | William Boland | Norman R. McLeod | Mrs. Wallace Gilroy | 1:43.60 |
| 1957 | Mister Jive | Hedley Woodhouse | George M. Carter | J. L. Appelbaum | 1:45.60 |
| 1956 | Career Boy | Eric Guerin | Sylvester Veitch | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney | 1:45.60 |
| 1955 | Go Lightly | Joe Culmone | James McGee | Roslyn Farm | 1:46.60 |
| 1954 | Fisherman | Hedley Woodhouse | Sylvester Veitch | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney | 1:46.20 |
| 1953 Div 2 | Native Dancer | Eric Guerin | William C. Winfrey | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II | 1:44.20 |
| 1953 Div 1 | Laffango | Nick Shuk | Merritt A. Buxton | Trio Stable | 1:44.00 |