Damon Runyon Stakes

The Damon Runyon Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race operated by the New York Racing Association (NYRA) at its Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens. First run in 1979, the annual event is currently contested on dirt over a distance of 7 furlongs. Restricted to horses bred in New York State, it was usually run in the late fall or early winter and open for two-year-olds only until 2020. With no race in 2019, those two-year-olds who turned three in 2020 competed when it was run on March 15.

Damon Runyon Stakes
Restricted stakes race
LocationAqueduct Racetrack
South Ozone Park,
Queens, New York
Inaugurated1979
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Race information
Distance7 Furlongs
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
Qualificationbred in New York State
Purse$100,000

One of a series of NYRA races for New York-bred horses, it is an important part of maintaining the significant breeding industry in that state.

The race is named for Damon Runyon, a famous sports reporter and short story writer who created a Broadway all his own during the Twenties and Thirties. From these stories came the musical Guys and Dolls. Runyon loved horse racing and campaigned a small string of his own horses.

Historical notes

The Damon Runyon Stakes was raced on the turf course in 1990, 1991 and 1993. It was hosted by the NYRA's Belmont Park in 1979 and again in 1983-84.[1]

The Inaugural running of the Damon Runyon took place at Belmont Park on October 15, 1979. The feature race of the day, it was won by the Assunta Louis Farm's colt Restrainor under jockey Ruben Hernandez.[2]

Leo O'Brien won this race three times but his 1990 win would come with the best horse he would ever train, Fourstars Allstar. The following year the horse made history when owner Richard Bomze and his Irish-born trainer took the colt to Ireland where he won the May 18, 1991 Irish 2000 Guineas. Although a number of horses bred in the United States and owned by Americans had won top level races in Europe, no horse trained in the United States had ever won a European classic race.[3]

Records

Speed record:

  • 1:22.40 @ 7 furlongs: Notebook (1987)
  • 1:42.78 @ 1 mile, 70 yards: Ibboye (2009)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

  • 3 - Leo O'Brien (1990, 1993, 1994)
  • 3 - Gary Contessa (1997, 2002, 2015)
  • 3 - Rudy R. Rodriguez (2014, 2018, 2020)

Most wins by an owner:

Winners
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
 Dist.
(Miles)
(Furlongs)		 Time
 Win
$
2023 Looms Boldly 3 Manuel Franco Brad H. Cox Ten Strike Racing 6 f 1:13.75 $100,000
2022 Rotknee 3 Manuel Franco Michael J. Maker William J. Butler 7 f 1:27.06 $100,000
2021 Excellent Timing 3 Manuel Franco Chad C. Brown Michael Dubb, Wonder Stables, & Madaket Stables 7 f 1:28.02 $55,000
2020 Dream Bigger 3 Junior Alvarado Rudy R. Rodriguez Repole Stable 7 f 1:25.89 $55,000
2019 Race not held
2018 Not That Brady 2 Reylu Gutierrez Rudy R. Rodriguez Michael Imperio, Rudy R. Rodriguez, Lianna Stables, Inc. 1 m 1:40.68 $55,000
2017 Empire Line 2 Eric Cancel George Weaver West Point Thoroughbreds & RAP Racing 1 m 1:38.75 $60,000
2016 Haul Anchor 2 Cornelio Velásquez Kiaran P. McLaughlin Chester Broman Sr. & Mary Broman 1 m 1:45.69 $60,000
2015 Extinct Charm 2 Aaron Gryder Gary Contessa John L. Moirano, William Achenbaum, Monty Foss, Steven Wecker 1 m, 70 yds. 1:44.73 $60,000
2014 Good Luck Gus 2 Ruben Silvera Rudy R. Rodriguez Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables & The Elkstone Group 1 m, 70 yds. 1:45.80 $60,000
2013 Samraat 2 José Santos Richard Violette Jr. My Meadowview Farm 1 m, 70 yds. 1:44.09 $60,000
2012 Smooth Bert 2 Mike Luzzi Leah Gyarmati Bona Venture Stables 1 m 1:39.70 $48,000
2011 Swag Daddy 2 Junior Alvarado Richard E. Dutrow Jr. Eric Fein 1 m, 70 yds. 1:43.90 $39,000
2010 Beau de Beaupre 2 Alan Garcia James A. Jerkens Nassau CC Stables 1 m, 70 yds. 1:45.33 $39,000
2009 Ibboyee 2 Ramon Dominguez Todd A. Pletcher Anstu Stables, Inc. 1 m, 70 yds. 1:42.78 $41,910
2008 Haynesfield 2 Ramon Dominguez Steven M. Asmussen Turtle Bird Stable 1 m, 70 yds. 1:42.95 $50,265
2007 Giant Moon 2 Ramon Dominguez Richard Schosberg Albert Fried Jr. 1 m, 70 yds. 1:46.07 $48,270
2006 Lawrence the Roman 2 Mike E. Smith Richard E. Dutrow Jr. Lawrence P. Roman 1 m, 70 yds. 1:44.48 $43,236
2005 Platinum Couple 2 Jose Espinoza Joseph A. Lostritto Team TriStar Stable 1 m, 70 yds. 1:46.60 $51,150
2004 Naughty New Yorker 2 Jean-Luc Samyn Patrick J. Kelly Fox Ridge Farm, Inc. 1 m, 70 yds. 1:44.40 $51,435
2003 West Virginia 2 Richard Migliore Todd A. Pletcher Donald Zuckerman & Roberta Mary Zuckerman 1 m, 70 yds. 1:47.80 $50,205
2002 Grey Comet 2 Aaron Gryder Gary C. Contessa Star Track Farms 1 m, 70 yds. 1:44.20 $49,575
2001 Eye Of The Comet 2 Robert Messina Sal Iorio Jr. Cecil H. Fiske 1 m, 70 yds. 1:46.40 $48,945
2000 Bluesbreaker 2 Aaron Gryder H. Allen Jerkens Southbelle Stable 1 m, 70 yds. 1:44.20 $49,560
1999 Kirtons 2 Mike Luzzi Michael Hushion Eugene Melnyk 1 m, 70 yds. 1:44.80 $31,950
1998 Ewer All Wet 2 Aaron Gryder Mary E. Eppler Alfred G. Vanderbilt Jr. 1 m, 70 yds. 1:46.40 $32,310
1997 Undaunted Mettle 2 Jorge Chavez Gary C. Contessa Monty Foss & John Moirano 1 m, 70 yds. 1:46.00 $33,900
1996 Regal Chant 2 Clovis Crane Richard J. Lugovich Richard J. Lugovich 1 m, 70 yds. 1:45.80 $32,220
1995 Shoppers Gold 2 José Santos Kenneth A. Nesky New River Stable 1 m, 70 yds. 1:45.40 $33,030
1994 Ave's Flag 2 John Velazquez Leo O'Brien David McNulty, Josef Omland 1 m, 70 yds. 1:46.80 $33,330
1993 Seminole Spirt 2 Mike E. Smith Leo O'Brien Diane K. Bomze 1 m (t) 1:41.80 $44,400
1992 Over the Brink 2 Mike E. Smith Mary E. Eppler Alfred G. Vanderbilt Jr. 1 m 1:36.60 $57,330
1991 Montreal Marty 2 Julie Krone Flint S. Schulhofer Vendome Stable 1 m ( t) 1:37.60 $56,340
1990 Fourstars Allstar 2 Mike E. Smith Leo O'Brien Richard Bomze 1 m ( t) 1:37.20 $56,700
1989 Champagneforashley 2 Jacinto Vasquez Howard M. Tesher Lion's Head Farm 1 m 1:35.00 $54,000
1988 Scarlet Ibis 2 Jacinto Vasquez Richard T. DeStasio Michael T. Martin 7 f 1:24.00 $54,000
1987 Notebook 2 José Santos D. Wayne Lukas Eugene V. Klein 7 f 1:22.40 $42,480
1986 Sweet Envoy 2 Jacinto Vasquez Richard Violette Jr. Camgi Stable 1 m 1:36.20 $41,880
1985 Bullet Blade 2 Robbie Davis Murray M. Garren Murray M. Garren 1 m 1:37.20 $39,960
1984 Hot Debate 2 Don MacBeth Del W. Carroll II William S. Farish III 1 m 1:38.40 $42,180
1983 Donna's World 2 Angel Cordero Jr. Bruce N. Levine Betty G. Marcus 1 m 1:39.40 $34,380
1982 Aloha Hawaii 2 Gregg McCarron Paulino Ortiz Seven Zee Stable 7 f 1:25.80 $33,840
1981 Guilford Lad 2 Eddie Maple William H. Turner Jr. Welcome Farm 7 f 1:24.60 $49,320
1980 Adirondack Holme 2 Ruben Hernandez Ramon M. Hernandez Assunta Louis Farm 7 f 1:23.60 $49,770
1979 Restrainor 2 Ruben Hernandez Ramon M. Hernandez Assunta Louis Farm 7 f 1:27.60 $47,970

References
  1. "Damon Runyon Stakes (full history)". NYRA. 2020-03-15. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  2. "Belmont Ends Meet; Pincay Is Top Jockey". New York Times, Section Sports, page 14. 1979-10-16. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  3. David Veitch (18 March 2005). "Fourstars Allstar was one of state's greats". Daily Racing Form.
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