Champagne Stakes (United States)

Last updated
Champagne Stakes
Grade I race
Location Belmont Park
Elmont, New York, United States
Inaugurated1867
Race type ThoroughbredFlat racing
Website www.nyra.com
Race information
Distance1 mile (8 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationTwo-year-olds
Weight122 pounds
Purse$500,000 (since 2013) [1]

The Champagne Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old horses. The race is run at a distance of one mile on the dirt at Belmont Park in October each year. Although the race is open to both colts and fillies, in practice it is New York's premier race for two-year-old colts and fillies enter the Frizette Stakes instead.

Contents

The race is a Road to the Kentucky Derby Prep Season qualifying race. The winner receives 10 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. [2]

The race is also a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series. The winner automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

The race was first run in 1867, and it is the oldest race of its kind in the United States. It was given the same name as the British Champagne Stakes which has been run annually since 1823 at the Doncaster Racecourse in South Yorkshire, England.

There was no Champagne Stakes run from 1910 through 1913, due to a legislated ban by the State of New York on parimutuel wagering, and no race was held in 1956.

Notable past winners who have gone on to success as three-year-olds or older include U.S. Triple Crown champions Seattle Slew, Count Fleet, and Secretariat however; Secretariat was disqualified from the race because of a questionable interference call which is still debatable today. Others such as Ben Brush, Colin, Sarazen, Alsab, Grey Lag, Buckpasser, Riva Ridge, Foolish Pleasure, Alydar, Spectacular Bid, and Easy Goer, all of whom are now in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Easy Goer ran the best Beyer Speed Figure performance (in the 1988 Champagne Stakes) by any 2-year-old since Beyer racing figures were first published. [3]

The 1880 winner was Lady Rosebery, a horse owned by August Belmont, Sr. and named to honor England's Hannah Primrose, Countess of Rosebery whose family was prominent in British racing. Similarly, the 1950 winner was Uncle Miltie, a horse given the nickname of the famous comedian and New York City native, Milton Berle.

The inaugural running of the Champagne Stakes took place in 1867 at Jerome Park Racetrack prior where it remained through 1889. Shifted to the Morris Park Racecourse facility, it was held there through 1904. Moved to its present home at Belmont Park for the 1905 racing season, it was run at the Aqueduct Racetrack in 1959, from 1963 to 1967, and again in 1984.

Over the years, the Champagne Stakes has been raced over a variety of distances:

Records

Speed record:

Most wins by an owner:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners of the Champagne Stakes since 1946

YearWinnerJockeyTrainerOwnerTime
2023 Timberlake Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox WinStar Farm & Siena Farm1:35.90
2022Blazing Sevens Flavien Prat Chad C. Brown Rodeo Creek Racing LLC1:37.07
2021 Jack Christopher José Ortiz Chad C. Brown Jim Bakke, Gerry Isbister, Coolmore Stud & White Birch Farm 1:37.31
2020 Jackie's Warrior Joel Rosario Steven M. Asmussen Kirk And Judy Robison1:35.42
2019 Tiz the Law Manny Franco Barclay Tagg Sackatoga Stable 1:35.41
2018Complexity José L. Ortiz Chad C. Brown Klaravich Stables, Inc. 1:34.63
2017Firenze Fire Irad Ortiz Jr. Jason Servis Mr. Amore Stable (Ron Lombardi)1:35.91
2016Practical Joke Joel Rosario Chad C. Brown Klaravich Stables, Inc. & William Lawrence1:34.68
2015 Greenpointcrusader Joe Bravo Dominick Schettino St. Elias Stable, MeB Racing Stables, Brooklyn Boyz Stables1:36.25
2014 Daredevil Javier Castellano Todd A. Pletcher Let's Go Stable (managing partners Kevin Scatuorchio & Bryan Sullivan)1:36.62
2013 Havana Irad Ortiz Jr. Todd A. Pletcher Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith1:35.81
2012 Shanghai Bobby Rosie Napravnik Todd A. Pletcher Starlight Racing (Jack & Laurie Wolf)1:35.55
2011 Union Rags Javier Castellano Michael Matz Chadds Ford Stable1:35.55
2010 Uncle Mo John Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Mike Repole1:34.51
2009 Homeboykris Edgar Prado Richard E. Dutrow Jr. Louis Lazzinnaro, Joseph Bulger, Jack Mandato, et al.1:35.12
2008 Vineyard Haven Edgar Prado Robert J. Frankel Robert J. Frankel 1:36.06
2007 War Pass Cornelio Velásquez Nicholas P. Zito Robert V. LaPenta 1:36.12
2006 Scat Daddy John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher James T. Scaturochio & Michael Tabor 1:36.97
2005 First Samurai Jerry D. Bailey Frank L. Brothers Bruce Lunsford & Lansdon B. Robbins III1:36.29
2004 Proud Accolade John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Padua Stables 1:42.30
2003 Birdstone Jerry D. Bailey Nicholas P. Zito Marylou Whitney 1:44.05
2002 Toccet Jorge Chavez John F. Scanlan Dan Borislow 1:44.45
2001 Officer Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert The Thoroughbred Corp. 1:43.39
2000 A P Valentine Jorge Chavez Nicholas P. Zito Celtic Pride Stable 1:41.45
1999 Greenwood Lake Jean-Luc Samyn Nicholas P. Zito Dee Conway & Fred Dematteis1:43.70
1998 The Groom Is Red Corey Nakatani Nicholas P. Zito Celtic Pride Stable 1:42.91
1997 Grand Slam Gary Stevens D. Wayne Lukas Robert & Christina Baker, et al.1:40.59
1996 Ordway John R. Velazquez David G. Donk Philip F. DiLeo & William Punk1:42.09
1995 Maria's Mon Robbie Davis Richard Schosberg Mrs. Morton Rosenthal1:42.39
1994 Timber Country Pat Day D. Wayne Lukas Gainesway Farm et al.1:44.01
1993 Dehere Chris McCarron Reynaldo H. Nobles Due Process Stable 1:35.91
1992 Sea Hero Jerry D. Bailey MacKenzie Miller Rokeby Stables 1:34.80
1991 Tri To Watch Ángel Cordero Jr. Carl Domino Fred W. Hooper 1:36.60
1990 Fly So Free José A. Santos Flint S. Schulhofer Thomas Valando 1:35.60
1989 Adjudicating Jacinto Vásquez Claude R. McGaughey III Ogden Mills Phipps 1:37.60
1988 Easy Goer Pat Day Claude R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps 1:34.80
1987 Forty Niner Eddie Maple Woody Stephens Claiborne Farm 1:36.80
1986 Polish Navy Randy Romero Claude R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps 1:35.20
1985 Mogambo Ángel Cordero Jr. LeRoy Jolley Peter M. Brant 1:37.20
1984 For Certain Doc Marcel Zuniga Thomas DeBonis Philip C. Chuck1:49.20
1983 Devil's Bag Eddie Maple Woody Stephens Hickory Tree Stable 1:34.20
1982 Copelan Jerry D. Bailey Mitchell Griffin Fred W. Hooper 1:37.80
1981 Timely Writer Jeffrey Fell Dominic Imprescia Peter Martin1:36.40
1980 Lord Avie Jorge Velásquez Daniel Perlsweig David Simon1:37.20
1979 Joanie's Chief Ruben Hernandez Eugene Jacobs Peter Barberino1:38.20
1978 Spectacular Bid Jorge Velásquez Grover G. Delp Hawksworth Farm (Harry & Teresa Meyerhoff)1:34.80
1977 Alydar Jorge Velásquez John M. Veitch Calumet Farm 1:36.80
1976 Seattle Slew Jean Cruguet William H. Turner Jr. Karen L. Taylor1:34.40
1975 Honest Pleasure Braulio Baeza LeRoy Jolley Bertram R. Firestone 1:36.40
1974 Foolish Pleasure Jacinto Vásquez LeRoy Jolley John L. Greer 1:36.00
1973 Protagonist Angel Santiago John P. Campo Elmendorf Farm 1:36.00
1973 Holding Pattern Michael Miceli Jerome Sarner Sr. John Gerbas Jr.1:36.00
1972 Stop The Music * John L. Rotz John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 1:35.00
1971 Riva Ridge Ron Turcotte Lucien Laurin Meadow Stable 1:36.40
1970 Limit To Reason * Jorge Velásquez Thomas J. Kelly Brookmeade Stable 1:35.40
1969 Silent Screen John L. Rotz J. Bowes Bond Elberon Farm 1:37.20
1968 Top Knight Manuel Ycaza Raymond Metcalf Steven B. Wilson1:35.20
1967 Vitriolic Braulio Baeza Edward A. Neloy Ogden Phipps 1:34.60
1966 Successor Braulio Baeza Edward A. Neloy Wheatley Stable 1:35.00
1965 Buckpasser Braulio Baeza William C. Winfrey Ogden Phipps 1:36.40
1964 Bold Lad Braulio Baeza William C. Winfrey Wheatley Stable 1:36.40
1963 Roman Brother John L. Rotz Burley Parke Harbor View Farm 1:38.00
1962 Never Bend Manuel Ycaza Woody Stephens Cain Hoy Stable 1:35.80
1961 Donut Queen Manuel Ycaza Ron McAnally Verne Winchell 1:36.00
1960 Roving Minstrel Henry Moreno Burley Parke Harbor View Farm 1:35.60
1959 Warfare Ismael Valenzuela Hack Ross Bellehurst Stable (Clifton Jones Jr.)1:35.20
1958 First Landing Eddie Arcaro Casey Hayes Christopher Chenery 1:39.40
1957 Jewel's Reward Bill Shoemaker Ivan H. Parke Maine Chance Farm 1:37.40
1955 Beau Fond Eddie Arcaro Daverne Emery Mrs. Henry H. Hecht1:36.40
1954 Flying Fury Henry Moreno Loyd Gentry Jr. Cain Hoy Stable 1:37.80
1953 Fisherman Hedley Woodhouse Sylvester Veitch C. V. Whitney 1:38.60
1952 Laffango Nick Shuk Merritt A. Buxton Trio Stable (Jack Liberman & Abe Giddins)1:38.00
1951 Armageddon Bill Shoemaker Moody Jolley Cain Hoy Stable 1:38.20
1950 Uncle Miltie Hedley Woodhouse Andrew C. Colando Joseph J. Colando1:36.60
1949 Theory Steve Brooks Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm 1:37.00
1948 Capot Ted Atkinson John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 1:37.20
1947 Vulcan's Forge Arnold Kirkland Sylvester Veitch C. V. Whitney 1:36.60
1946 Donor Job Dean Jessop Preston M. Burch W. Deering Howe 1:37.40

Earlier winners

See also

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References

  1. "Champagne Stakes Profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  2. "Road to the Kentucky Derby". kentuckyderbyinfographic.com. Churchill Downs Inc. Archived from the original on 2018-08-06. Retrieved 2019-11-03.
  3. Beyer, Andrew (February 9, 2008). "With a Combination of Speed and Class, War Pass Is Reminiscent of Seattle Slew". The Washington Post.