Poker Stakes

Last updated
Poker Stakes
Grade III race
Location Belmont Park
Elmont, New York, United States
Inaugurated1983
Race type ThoroughbredFlat racing
Website NYRA
Race information
Distance1 mile (8 furlongs)
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFour-year-olds and older
Weight124lbs with allowances
PurseUS$200,000 (2023)

The Poker Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four years old and older held over a distance of one mile (8 furlongs) on the turf held annually in mid June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

Contents

History

The event is named in honor of Poker [1] who defeated champions Assagai and his stablemate Buckpasser in the 1967 Bowling Green Handicap at Belmont Park. More importantly Poker became a Champion Broodmare Sire. Poker was a son of the top-class sire and broodmare sire Round Table. Poker's daughters produced numerous champions including champion sire Seattle Slew. The latter twice topped the US broodmare sires list, and his daughters have produced a host of champions. Poker is also the maternal grandsire of US champion, Silver Charm, as well as the useful sire, Lomond (himself a champion sire in Italy). [2]

The inaugural running of the Poker Stakes was on 25 September 1983 and was won by the Gasper S. Moshera trained Freon in a time of 2:0315 over the distance of a mile and a quarter on the turf. [3] The following year the event was not held but in 1985 it was run over the 1+116 miles distance. [4]

The event was classified as Grade III in 1988 and has held this class since. [5]

The event was not held in 2010. [4]

Several fine horses have appeared in this event including Volponi who won the event in 2007 and later won the Breeders' Cup Classic in the same year. Also Kip Deville winner of the Breeders' Cup Mile in 2007 featured in this event 2008 winning easily as the short odds on favorite and giving up to eleven pounds to his competitors. [6] Caress and the Australian bred mare Oleksandra are the only mares to have won this race. [5] Oleksandra was having her last start in her career due to being in foal to the sire Into Mischief. [7]

In 2024 the event was moved to Saratoga Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park. [8]

Records

Speed record:

This time is a course record for Belmont's Widener Turf Course, and ties the North American record for one mile on the turf.

Margins:

Most wins:

Most wins by an owner:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners

YearWinnerAgeJockeyTrainerOwnerDistanceTimePurseGradeRef
At Saratoga – Poker Stakes
2024Ice Chocolat (BRZ)6 Irad Ortiz Jr. Mark E. Casse Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable & Peter Deutsch1 mile1:33.97$350,000III [9]
At Belmont Park
2023Emmanuel4 Irad Ortiz Jr. Todd A. Pletcher Siena Farm & WinStar Farm 1 mile1:34.25$200,000III [10]
2022Masen (GB)4 Flavien Prat Chad C. Brown Juddmonte Farms 1 mile1:34.16$242,500III [11]
2021ƒ Oleksandra (AUS) 7 Joel Rosario Neil D. Drysdale Team Valor International 1 mile1:32.11$250,000III [12]
2020Social Paranoia4 José L. Ortiz Todd A. Pletcher The Elkstone Group1 mile1:36.30$150,000III [13]
2019Gucci Factor4 Joel Rosario Christophe Clement Castleton Lyons1 mile1:32.54$300,000III [14]
2018Oscar Performance4 José L. Ortiz Brian A. LynchAmerman Racing1 mile1:31.23$300,000III [15]
2017Ballagh Rocks4 Jose Lezcano William I. Mott Donegal Racing1 mile1:34.98$294,000III [16]
2016Obviously (IRE) 8 Jose Lezcano Philip D'AmatoAnthony Fanticola & Joseph Sardino1 mile1:31.65$300,000III [17]
2015King Kreesa6 José L. Ortiz David G. DonkSusan & Gerald Kresa1 mile1:33.48$300,000III [18]
2014§ Jack Milton4 Javier Castellano Todd A. Pletcher Gary Barber1 mile1:33.09$300,000III [19]
2013King Kreesa4 Irad Ortiz Jr. Jeremiah C. EnglehartG & S Kresa1 mile1:33.65$150,000III [20]
2012Clear Attempt4 Jose Lezcano William I. Mott Pam & Martin Wygod1 mile1:34.01$150,000III [21]
2011Courageous Cat5 Jose Lezcano William I. Mott Pam & Martin Wygod1 mile1:36.69$98,000III [22]
2010Race not held
2009Sailor's Cap4 Alan Garcia James J. Toner Team Valor 1 mile1:36.50$103,500III [23]
Poker Handicap
2008 Kip Deville 5 Cornelio Velásquez Richard E. Dutrow Jr. IEAH Stables, Pegasus Holding Group Stables, J. Roberts & A. & S. Cohen1 mile1:32.94$106,300III [6]
2007Art Master6 Garrett K. Gomez Robert J. Frankel Juddmonte Farms 1 mile1:33.21$112,600III [24]
2006Rebel Rebel (IRE) 4 Edgar S. Prado Richard E. Dutrow Jr. IEAH Stables & Resolute Group Stables1 mile1:33.34$110,900III [25]
2005Mr. Light (ARG) 6 Cornelio Velásquez Angel A. Penna Jr. Earle I. Mack 1 mile1:32.18$111,800III [26]
2004Christine's Outlaw4 Shaun Bridgmohan George WeaverR.C. Hill Stable1 mile1:32.46$112,600III [27]
2003War Zone4 Javier Castellano Robert J. Frankel Juddmonte Farms 1 mile1:32.81$116,200III [28]
2002 Volponi 4 Shaun Bridgmohan Philip G. Johnson Amherst Stable & Spruce Pond Stable1 mile1:32.24$111,200III [29]
2001Affirmed Success7 Jerry D. Bailey Richard E. SchosbergAlbert Fried Jr.1 mile1:34.60$110,400III [30]
2000Affirmed Success6 Jorge F. Chavez Richard E. SchosbergAlbert Fried Jr.1 mile1:34.06$113,800III [31]
1999Rob 'n Gin5 Jorge F. Chavez Robert BarbaraSabine Stable1 mile1:32.81$115,200III [32]
1998Elusive Quality5 Jerry D. Bailey William I. Mott Mohammed al Maktoum 1 mile1:31.63$85,400III [33]
1997Draw Shot4 Chris Antley Angel A. Penna Jr.Francis Santangelo1 mile1:33.08$85,575III [34]
1996Smooth Runner5 Julie Krone Richard C. MetteeHerbert Allen1 mile1:33.60$86,000III [35]
Poker Stakes
1995ƒ Caress4 Robbie Davis H. Allen Jerkens Harbor View Farm 1 mile1:34.35$85,050III [36]
1994Dominant Prospect4 Jorge F. Chavez Gary Sciacca Charles A. Coronia1 mile1:32.69$83,176III [37]
1993 Fourstardave 8 Richard Migliore Leo O'BrienRichard M. Bomze1 mile1:33.02$88,650III [38]
1992Scott the Great6 Jean-Luc Samyn William HebertAugust F. Russo1 mile1:33.27$91,350III [39]
1991Who's to Pay5 Jerry D. Bailey MacKenzie Miller Rokeby Stable 1 mile1:33.40$93,600III [40]
1990Scottish Monk7 Ángel Cordero Jr. Steven T. JerkensCedar Valle Stable1 mile1:33.40$86,850III [41]
1989 Fourstardave 4 José A. Santos Leo O'BrienRichard M. Bomze1 mile1:33.20$94,350III [42]
1988Wanderkin5 José A. Santos Richard O'ConnellPoma Stable1 mile1:35.60$91,200III [43]
1987Double Feint4 José A. Santos LeRoy Jolley Peter M. Brant 1 mile1:35.20$57,200 [44]
1986Island Sun4 Richard Migliore Patrick J. KellyLive Oak Plantation Racing1+14 miles2:02.40$55,500 [45]
1985Mr. Chromacopy4 Jean Cruguet Frank Martin Sr. Harbor View Farm 1+116 miles1:42.40$55,700 [46]
1984Race not held
1983Freon6 Robbie Davis Gasper S. MoscheraAnn Territo1+14 miles2:03.20$41,450 [3]

Legend:
  Turf
Notes:
§ Ran as part of an entry
ƒ Filly or Mare

See also

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References

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