# Nellie Morse Stakes

The Nellie Morse Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in January at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. The race is open to fillies and mares age four years old and up and is run at one mile (eight furlongs) on the dirt.
An ungraded Black type race, it currently offers a purse of $100,000. The race was previously called the Queen Isabella Stakes from 1941 through 1993.
The race was named in honor of Nellie Morse, the last filly to win the Preakness Stakes (prior to Rachel Alexandra in 2009) in 1924. Nellie Morse was a daughter of Luke McLuke and to date is the only horse ever to win both the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and the Preakness Stakes. She won those races three days apart and ended the year with $60,250, which was the most earned by any thoroughbred that year.
As a broodmare, Nellie Morse left a legacy. Her daughter Nellie Flag was named two-year-old champion in 1934 and was the morning line and post time favorite in the 1935 Kentucky Derby (she finished fourth). Nellie Flag also raced in the Preakness Stakes but finished seventh. Nellie Morse's descendants, through Nellie Flag, include horse of the Year Forego, Kentucky Derby winner and champion three-year-old Bold Forbes, and champion handicap mare Mar-Kell.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1 mile - 1:36.20 - Northern Station (2010)
* 1+1⁄8 miles - 1:49.00 - Stem the Tide (1992)
Most wins by a horse:
* No horse has ever won more than one Nellie Morse Stakes
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 - Calumet Farm (1944, 1945)
* 2 - Stephen E. Quick (2005, 2007)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 4 - Mario Pino (1997, 1999, 2002, 2008)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 2 - Christopher W. Grove (2005, 2007)
* 2 - James W. Murphy (1992, 1994)
* 2 - Ben A. Jones (1944, 1945)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Dist. (Miles) | Time | Purse$ |
| 2021 | Lucky Stride | 5 | Julian Pimentel | Michael Trombetta | Sonata Stable | 1+1⁄16 | 1:43.38 | $100,000 |
| 2020 | Arrifana | 4 | Julian Pimentel | Kelly Rubley | Gunpowder Farms | 1 mile | 1:35.95 | $100,000 |
| 2019 | Timeless Curls | 4 | Weston Hamilton | Dale Capuano | Sookdeen Pasram | 1+1⁄16 | 1:43.66 | $100,000 |
| 2018 | In the Navy Now | 4 | Julian Pimentel | Michael Trombetta | Larry R. Johnson | 1+1⁄16 | 1:45.61 | $100,000 |
| 2017 | Winter | 4 | Trevor McCarthy | Cal Lynch | Matthew Schera | 1+1⁄16 | 1:45.32 | $100,000 |
| 2016 | Love Came to Town | 4 | Mychel Sanchez | Kevin Sleeter | Gerald Sleeter | 1+1⁄16 | 1:45.50 | $75,000 |
| 2015 | Star Pearl | 5 | Sheldon Russell | H. Graham Motion | Pearl Bloodstock | 1+1⁄16 | 1:46.33 | $100,000 |
| 2014 | Firenze Feeling | 4 | Victor Carrasco | Rudy Rodriguez | Michael Dubb & Bethlehem Stables | 1+1⁄16 | 1:48.69 | $100,000 |
| 2013 | Moon Philly | 4 | Jeremy Rose | Michael Trombetta | Country Life Farm | 1+1⁄16 | 1:44.67 | $125,000 |
| 2012 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 2011 | Potosina | 3 | Sheldon Russell | Mark Shuman | Jose Cerrillo | 1 mile | 1:40.86 | $75,000 |
| 2010 | Northern Station | 5 | Clinton Potts | Todd Beattie | Tommy Town T-breds | 1 mile | 1:36.20 | $70,000 |
| 2009 | All Smiles | 6 | Dale Beckner | Fran Campitelli | Cynthia McGinnes | 1 mile | 1:37.83 | $60,000 |
| 2008 | Wild Hoots | 4 | Mario Pino | Kiaran McLaughlin | Dell Ridge Farm | 1 mile | 1:38.40 | $60,000 |
| 2007 | Lexi Star | 5 | Ryan Fogelsonger | Christopher Grove | Stephen E. Quick | 1 mile | 1:38.30 | $100,000 |
| 2006 | Promenade Girl | 4 | Erick D. Rodriguez | Lawrence E. Murray | Sondra D. Bender | 1 mile | 1:38.40 | $70,000 |
| 2005 | Silmaril | 4 | Ryan Fogelsonger | Christopher Grove | Stephen E. Quick | 1 mile | 1:39.20 | $85,000 |
| 2004 | City Fire | 4 | Abe Castellano, Jr. | Mark Shuman | Michael Gill | 1+1⁄16 | 1:43.60 | $75,000 |
| 2003 | Martha's Music | 4 | Stewart Elliott | John Servis | John C. Mabee | 1+1⁄16 | 1:45.40 | $50,000 |
| 2002 | Case of the Blues | 5 | Mario Pino | Anthony W. Dutrow | Acorn Hill Farm, Inc | 1+1⁄16 | 1:43.80 | $75,000 |
| 2001 | Too too Divine | 6 | Harry Vega | John J. Fee | Charles C. Lenz Jr. | 1+1⁄16 | 1:46.60 | $58,000 |
| 2012 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1999 | Pocho's Dream Girl | 5 | Mario Pino | Alan E. Goldberg | Farnsworth Farms | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.00 | $55,000 |
| 1998 | Merengue | 3 | Rick Wilson | Donald H. Barr | Gerald C. Dickens | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.80 | $55,000 |
| 1997 | See Your Point | 5 | Mario Pino | William M. Sire | William M. Sire | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.20 | $55,000 |
| 1996 | Churchbell Chimes | 5 | Edgar Prado | J. William Boniface | Susan Y. Granville | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.00 | $55,000 |
| 1995 | Valiant Jewel | 5 | Alberto Delgado | Roger Attfield | Huntington Stud Farm, Inc. | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.20 | $55,000 |
| 1994 | Open Toe | 4 | Larry Reynolds | James W. Murphy | John Pomerosa Farms | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.40 | $50,000 |
| 1993 | Starlight Surprise | 5 | Alberto Delgado | Roberta N. Riffle | B and D Stable | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.80 | $55,000 |
| 1992 | Stem the Tide | 4 | Charles C. Fenwick III | James W. Murphy | Christiana Stables | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.00 | $50,000 |
| 1991 | Dixie Accent | 4 | Santos Chavez | Charles Peoples | Bayard Sharp | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.60 | $50,000 |
| 1950 | - 1990 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1949 | Mother | 5 | Clarence Picou | Sylvester E. Veitch | C. V. Whitney | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.80 | $9,000 |
| 1948 | Honeymoon | 5 | Porter Roberts | Graceton Philpot | Louis B. Mayer | 1+1⁄8 | 1:52.00 | $12,000 |
| 1947 | Earshot | 5 | Ovie Scurlock | Willie Booth | William G. Helis Sr. | 1+1⁄8 | 1:52.80 | $13,000 |
| 1946 | Monsoon | 4 | Bobby Watson | Lydell T. Ruff | C. V. Whitney | 1+1⁄8 | 1:53.80 | $12,500 |
| 1945 | Good Blood | 3 | Douglas Dodson | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:53.80 | $40,500 |
| 1944 | Twilight Tear | 3 | Douglas Dodson | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:53.20 | $12,000 |
| 1943 | Silvestra | 5 | Nick Jemas | Ross Higdon | Woolford Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:55.80 | $10,000 |
| 1942 | Vagrancy | 3 | James Stout | Jim Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.00 | $7,500 |
| 1941 | Shine o' Night | 4 | Sterling Young | William F. Tucker | William C. Hobson | 1+1⁄8 | 1:52.40 | $7,500 |