# Monmouth Cup Stakes

The Monmouth Cup Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-years-old and older run over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles annually in early July at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey. The event currently offers a purse of $400,000 added.

## History

The event was inaugurated as the Meadowlands Cup and held at the Meadowlands Racetrack on 29 October 1977 and was won by Pay Tribute who was trained by the Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally and ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Ángel Cordero Jr. by 3⁄4 lengths in a time of 2:02+3⁄5 over the 1+1⁄4 miles distance.
The event was the signature event at the Meadowlands track with its high stakes attracting class horses. Within two years when champion three-year-old Spectacular Bid won the event in stakes record time it was classed as Grade II. The event was upgraded to Grade I in 1983.
The event was decreased to its present 1+1⁄8 miles distance in 1990. That year's running posed one of the largest upsets in North American racing history when Great Normand won at 181-1 odds.
There was no race held in 1997 or 2011. The race was downgraded from a Grade II to a Grade III in 2017, and the purse was reduced to $100,000 from the previous $200,000.
The event was moved to Monmouth Park in 2010 and was renamed to the Monmouth Cup Stakes.
Sharp Azteca's win in 2017 set a track record at Monmouth for the distance of 1+1⁄16 miles, beating Formal Gold's 1:40.20 that was set in August 1997.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1+1⁄8 miles: 1:45.93 – Etched (2009)
* 1+1⁄16 miles: 1:40.19 – Sharp Azteca (2017)
* 1+1⁄4 miles: 1:58.80 – Alysheba (1988)

### Margins

* 8 lengths – Marquetry (1993)
* 7+1⁄2 lengths – Sharp Azteca (2017)
Most wins:
* 2 – Etched (2009, 2010)
* 2 – Bradester (2015, 2016)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 4 – Ángel Cordero Jr. (1977, 1978, 1983, 1986)
* 4 – John R. Velazquez (1998, 2001, 2004, 2006)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 – Todd A. Pletcher (2004, 2006, 2012, 2021)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – Darley Stable (2009, 2010)
* 2 – Joseph W. Sutton (2015, 2016)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| At Monmouth Park – Monmouth Cup Stakes |||||||||||
| 2023 | Proxy | 5 | Joel Rosario | Michael Stidham | Godolphin Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.99 | $400,000 | III | |
| 2022 | Highly Motivated | 4 | Flavien Prat | Chad C. Brown | Klaravich Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.53 | $400,000 | III | |
| 2021 | Dr Post | 4 | Joel Rosario | Todd A. Pletcher | St. Elias Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.53 | $300,000 | III | |
| 2020 | Global Campaign | 4 | Jorge Vargas Jr. | Stanley M. Hough | Winstar Farm & Sagamore Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.47 | $315,000 | III | |
| 2019 | War Story | 4 | Luis Saez | Jorge Navarro | Imaginary Stables & Glenn Ellis | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.65 | $199,000 | III | |
| 2018 | Name Changer | 4 | José L. Ortiz | Alan E. Goldberg | Colts Neck Stables | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.56 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2017 | Sharp Azteca | 4 | Paco Lopez | Jorge Navarro | Gelfenstein Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:40.19 | $95,000 | III | |
| 2016 | Bradester | 6 | Joe Bravo | Eddie Kenneally | Joseph W. Sutton | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.21 | $199,000 | II | |
| 2015 | Bradester | 5 | Corey J. Lanerie | Eddie Kenneally | Joseph W. Sutton | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.43 | $199,000 | II | |
| 2014 | Valid | 4 | Orlando Bocachica | Marcus J. Vitali | Crossed Sabres Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.43 | $211,000 | II | |
| 2013 | Pants on Fire | 5 | Paco Lopez | Kelly J. Breen | Lori & George Hall | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.86 | $195,000 | II | |
| 2012 | Rule | 5 | Joe Bravo | Todd A. Pletcher | WinStar Farm | 1 mile | 1:37.71 | $200,000 | II | |
| 2011 | 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 |
| 2010 | Etched | 5 | Eddie Castro | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Darley Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.31 | $297,500 | II | |
| At The Meadowlands – Meadowlands Cup |||||||||||
| 2009 | Etched | 4 | Alan Garcia | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Darley Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:45.93 | $300,000 | II | |
| 2008 | Arson Squad | 5 | Edgar S. Prado | Richard E. Dutrow Jr. | Jay Em Ess Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.81 | $350,000 | II | |
| 2007 | Diamond Stripes | 4 | Cornelio Velásquez | Richard E. Dutrow Jr. | Four Roses Thoroughbreds | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.36 | $499,000 | II | |
| 2006 | Master Command | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Aaron & Marie Jones | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.21 | $499,000 | II | |
| 2005 | Tap Day | 4 | Eibar Coa | Mark A. Hennig | Edward P. Evans | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.80 | $500,000 | II | |
| 2004 | Balto Star | 6 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Anstu Stables, Inc. | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.60 | $500,000 | II | |
| 2003 | Bowman's Band | 5 | Ramon A. Dominguez | H. Allen Jerkens | Martin S. Schwartz | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.80 | $400,000 | II | |
| 2002 | Burning Roma | 4 | Eibar Coa | Heather A. Giglio | Harold Queen | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.80 | $400,000 | II | |
| 2001 | Gander | 5 | John R. Velazquez | John P. Terranova II | Gatsas Thoroughbreds | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.00 | $500,000 | II | |
| 2000 | North East Bound | 4 | José A. Vélez Jr. | William W. Perry | Julian Demarco & Richard J. Disano | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.80 | $400,000 | II | |
| 1999 | Pleasant Breeze | 4 | Jorge F. Chavez | H. James Bond | William L. Clifton Jr. | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.00 | $500,000 | II | |
| 1998 | K. J.'s Appeal | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Frank A. Alexander | Releib Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.00 | $500,000 | I | |
| 1997 | 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 |
| 1996 | Dramatic Gold | 5 | Kent J. Desormeaux | David E. Hofmans | Golden Eagle Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.00 | $750,000 | I | |
| 1995 | Peaks and Valleys | 3 | Julie Krone | James E. Day | Pin Oak Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.00 | $500,000 | I | |
| 1994 | Conveyor | 6 | Mike E. Smith | Ben W. Perkins Sr. | New Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.80 | $500,000 | I | |
| 1993 | Marquetry | 6 | Kent J. Desormeaux | Robert J. Frankel | Morley Engelson & Robert J. Frankel | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.20 | $500,000 | I | |
| 1992 | § Sea Cadet | 4 | Alex O. Solis | Ron McAnally | VHW Farms | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.00 | $500,000 | I | |
| 1991 | Twilight Agenda | 5 | Chris McCarron | D. Wayne Lukas | Moyglare Stud | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:46.60 | $500,000 | I | |
| 1990 | Great Normand | 5 | Carlos E. Lopez Sr. | Jorge E. Romero | Victor Resk | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.20 | $500,000 | I | |
| 1989 | Mi Selecto | 4 | José A. Santos | Gil H. Rowntree | Frank Stronach | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.20 | $500,000 | I | |
| 1988 | Alysheba | 4 | Chris McCarron | Jack Van Berg | Dorothy & Pamela Scharbauer | 1+1⁄4 miles | 1:58.80 | $600,000 | I | |
| 1987 | Creme Fraiche | 5 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Woodford C. Stephens | Brushwood Stable | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01.80 | $500,000 | I | |
| 1986 | Broad Brush | 3 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Richard W. Small | Robert E. Meyerhoff | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01.60 | $500,000 | I | |
| 1985 | Bounding Basque | 5 | Robbie Davis | Woodrow M. Sedlacek | Jacques D. Wimpfheimer | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.40 | $500,000 | I | |
| 1984 | Wild Again | 4 | Richard Migliore | Vincent Timphony | Black Chip Stables | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.60 | $500,000 | I | |
| 1983 | Slewpy | 3 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Sidney J. Watters Jr. | Equusequity Stable | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.40 | $400,000 | I | |
| 1982 | Mehmet | 4 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Robert J. Frankel | Dr. & Mrs. A. J. Chlad, Sam Mevorach & Elizabeth Vallone | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01.40 | $400,000 | II | |
| 1981 | Princelet | 3 | William Nemeti | John P. Campo | John P. Campo | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.80 | $336,600 | II | |
| 1980 | Tunerup | 4 | Jacinto Vásquez | Floreano Fernandez | Daybreak Farm | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:00.40 | $327,500 | II | |
| 1979 | Spectacular Bid | 3 | Bill Shoemaker | Bud Delp | Hawksworth Farm | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01.20 | $361,000 | II | |
| 1978 | Dr. Patches | 4 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | John A. Nerud | Tartan Stable | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:01.60 | $161,350 | Listed | |
| 1977 | Pay Tribute | 5 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Ron McAnally | Elmendorf Farm | 1+1⁄4 miles | 2:02.60 | $176,800 | | |
Notes:
§ Ran as an entry