Excelsior Stakes

The Excelsior Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the first week of April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. A Listed event for three-year-olds and up, it is contested over a distance of one-and-one-eighth miles 9 furlong.[1]

Excelsior Stakes
Listed race
LocationAqueduct Racetrack
Queens, New York, United States
Inaugurated1903
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Race information
Distance1+18 miles
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationThree-years-old & up
WeightAssigned
PurseUS$150,000 (2018)

"Excelsior" is Latin for "Upward, ever upward", and is the motto of the state of New York.

In 1928, when Hall of Famer Grey Lag was ten years old, he came in third. He'd won this race as a five-year-old in 1923.

The race was run at the old Jamaica Race Course from 1903 to 1910, and then again from 1915 to 1959. In 1913, it was run at Belmont Park. It wasn't run at all in 1909, 1911, 1912, 1914, 1933, 1967, and 2020.

Since inception, the race has been contested at various distances and as initially a handicap as the race was known as the Excelsior Handicap:

  • 1+116 miles: 1903–1960
  • 1 mile: 1960
  • 1 mile, 1 furlong: 1961–1978
  • 1+18 miles: 1994–2014, 2018-2019, 2021
  • 1+14 miles: 1979–1993, 2015–2017

The event was downgraded from Grade III to Listed in 2022.

Records

Speed record: (at distance of 1+18 miles)

  • 1:48.10 – Classic Endeavor (2003)
  • 1:48.10 – Magna Graduate (2007)

Most wins:

  • 2 – King Saxon (1935, 1936)
  • 2 – Find (1954, 1956)
  • 2 – Lac Ouimet (1987, 1988)

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Dist.
(Miles)
Time
Win$
Gr.
2023 Law Professor 5 Manuel Franco Rob Atras Twin Creeks Racing Stables 118 m 1:50.34 $82,500 Listed
2022 Forewarned 7 Dexter Haddock Uriah St. Lewis Uriah St. Lewis 118 m 1:50.76 $82,500 Listed
2021 Modernist 4 Junior Alvarado William I. Mott Pam Wygod and Martin Wygod 118 m 1:54.38 $82,500 G3
2019 Life's a Parlay 4 John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable 118 m 1:51.54 $82,500 G3
2018 Discreet Lover 5 Manuel Franco Uriah St. Lewis Uriah St. Lewis 118 m 1:50.45 $90,000 G3
2017 Send it in 5 John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Paul P. Pompa Jr. 114 m 2:02.07 $90,000 G3
2016 Kid Cruz 5 José Ortiz Linda L. Rice Viña del Mar TBs & Black Swan Stable 114 m 2:04.52 $120,000 G3
2015 Effinex 4 Angel S. Arroyo James A. Jerkens Tri-Bone Stables (Bernice Cohen) 114 m 2:02.16 $120,000 G3
2014 Romansh 4 José Ortiz Thomas Albertrani Godolphin Racing 118 m 1:49.07 $90,000 G3
2013 Last Gunfighter 4 Rajiv Maragh Chad Brown John D. Gunther 118 m 1:50.78 $90,000 G3
2012 Marilyn's Guy 6 Chuck C. Lopez Tony Dutrow Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables, Gary Aisquith 118 m 1:52.54 $90,000 G3
2011 Inherit the Gold 5 Eddie Castro James Hooper Glas-Tipp Stable (Mary Murray) & Susanne Hooper 118 m 1:50.34 $60,000 G3
2010 Goldsville 5 Ramon A. Dominguez Michael E. Hushion Marc C. Ferrell 118 m 1:51.43 $120,000 G3
2009 Giant Moon 4 Edgar Prado Richard E. Schosberg Albert Fried Jr. 118 m 1:50.90 $120,000 G3
2008 Temporary Saint 5 Chuck C. Lopez Bruce N. Levine Maggi Moss 118 m 1:51.13 $66,720 G3
2007 Magna Graduate 5 John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Elisabeth Alexander 118 m 1:48.10 $125,460 G3
2006 West Virginia 5 Norberto Arroyo Jr. Todd A. Pletcher Donald & Roberta Zuckerman 118 m 1:48.28 $67,140 G3
2005 Offlee Wild 5 Rafael Bejarano Richard E. Dutrow Jr. AZ Azalea Stables LLC 118 m 1:50.41 $120,000 G3
2004 Funny Cide 4 José A. Santos Barclay Tagg Sackatoga Stable 118 m 1:49.57 $120,000 G3
2003 Classic Endeavor 5 Chuck C. Lopez Scott Schwartz Herbert T. Schwartz & Scott Schwartz 118 m 1:48.10 $90,000 G3
2002 John Little 4 Norberto Arroyo Jr. Deborah Bodner Deborah Bodner 118 m 1:49.25 $120,000 G3
2001 Cat's At Home 4 Filberto Leon Mark A. Hennig Edward P. Evans 118 m 1:48.92 $120,000 G3
2000 Lager 6 Heberto Castillo Jr. James A. Jerkens Susan & John Moore 118 m 1:49.76 $120,000 G3
1999 Smart Coupons 6 René Douglas Deborah Bodner Louis J. Porreco 118 m 1:49.71 $120,000 G3
1998 Sir Bear 5 Enrique Jurado Ralph Ziade Barbara Smollin 118 m 1:49.24 $120,000 G3
1997 Ormsby 5 Chuck C. Lopez Sue Alpers Woodside Stud 118 m 1:47.69 $120,000 G2
1996 May I Inquire 5 Joe Bravo Gasper Moschera Barbara J. Davis 118 m 1:50.67 $120,000 G2
1995 Iron Gavel 5 José Martínez Jr. Gasper Moschera Joques Farm 118 m 1:49.28 $90,000 G2
1994 Colonial Affair 4 José A. Santos Flint S. Schulhofer Centennial Farm (Donald Little) 118 m 1:49.82 $90,000 G2
1993 Devil His Due 4 Mike E. Smith H. Allen Jerkens Lion Crest Stable (Edith Libutti) 114 m 2:03.05 $72,120 G2
1992 Defensive Play 5 David Flores Robert J. Frankel Juddmonte Farm 118 m 2:01.95 $102,780 G2
1991 Chief Honcho 4 Mike E. Smith William I. Mott Bertram R. Firestone 118 m 2:02.60 $102,060 G2
1990 Lay Down 6 Chris Antley C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Mills Phipps 118 m 2:02.20 $100,980 G2
1989 Forever Silver 5 Julie Krone Stanley R. Shapoff Chevalier Stable 118 m 2:02.60 $99,720 G2
1988 Lac Ouimet 5 Jerry Bailey Richard J. Lundy Virginia Kraft Payson 118 m 2:00.20 $140,880 G2
1987 Lac Ouimet 4 Eddie Maple Richard J. Lundy Virginia Kraft Payson 118 m 2:02.00 $106,380 G2
1986 Garthorn 6 Rafael Meza Robert J. Frankel Jerome S. Moss 118 m 2:02.40 $101,340 G2
1985 Morning Bob 4 Jacinto Vásquez Nick Zito Mike Rich Stable 118 m 2:04.20 $87,750 G2
1984 Canadian Factor 4 Jorge Velásquez Melvin W. Gross Frank Stronach 118 m 2:03.00 $88,650 G2
1983 Fast Gold 4 Jean-Luc Samyn Sally A. Bailie Aisco Stable 118 m 2:04.00 $67,200 G2
1982 Globe 5 Michael Venezia Victor J. Nickerson Nelson Bunker Hunt 118 m 2:03.40 $66,480 G2
1981 Irish Tower 4 Jeffrey Fell Stanley M. Hough Malcolm H. Winfield 118 m 2:00.80 $66,680 G2
1980 Ring of Light 5 Cash Asmussen Pancho Martin Viola Sommer 118 m 2:01.40 $67,560 G2
1979 Special Tiger 4 George Martens William F. Schmitt Albert Fried Jr. 114 m 2:03.80 $63,600 G2
1978 Cox's Ridge 4 Eddie Maple Joseph B. Cantey Loblolly Stable 118 m 1:50.60 $49,005 G2
1977 Turn And Count 4 Steve Cauthen Pancho Martin Sigmund Sommer 118 m 1:51.00 $48,150 G2
1976 Double Edge Sword 6 Ángel Cordero Jr. Richard Dutrow Sr. Aisquith Stable 118 m 1:48.00 $51,120 G2
1975 Step Nicely 5 Ángel Cordero Jr. H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm 118 m 1:48.40 $33,990 G2
1974 Everton II 5 Marco Castaneda Laz Barrera Enrique Ubarri 118 m 1:49.00 $33,840 G2
1973 Key To The Mint 4 Ron Turcotte J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stable 118 m 1:47.80 $32,640 G2
1972 Autobiography 4 Ángel Cordero Jr. Pancho Martin Sigmund Sommer 118 m 1:49.00 $34,860
1971 Loud 4 Jacinto Vásquez James W. Maloney William Haggin Perry 118 m 1:50.80 $34,200
1970 Hydrologist 4 Chuck Baltazar Roger Laurin Meadow Stable 118 m 1:48.80 $37,570
1969 San Roque 4 Heliodoro Gustines Sherrill W. Ward Lazy F Ranch 118 m 1:49.60 $37,310
1968 Peter Piper 5 Jorge Velásquez not found Joseph R. Daly 118 m 1:48.00 $35,945
1966 Choker 6 Bobby Ussery H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm 118 m 1:49.20 $36,010
1965 Tenacle 5 William Mayorga Homer C. Pardue Joseph R. Straus 118 m 1:49.40 $35,750
1964 Uppercut 5 Johnny Sellers Willard C. Freeman William L. Harmonay 118 m 1:50.00 $17,875
1963 Greek Money 4 John L. Rotz Virgil W. Raines Brandywine Stable 118 m 1:48.60 $18,265
1962 Hitting Away 4 Bobby Ussery James E. Fitzsimmons Ogden Phipps 118 m 1:50.00 $18,558
1961 Mail Order 5 Larry Adams Larry Thompson Alamode Farm 118 m 1:49.20 $19,110
1960 Talent Show 5 Ray Broussard Clyde Troutt Ada L. Rice 1 m 1:34.80 $18,745
1959 Whitley 4 Sam Boulmetis Sr. Max Hirsch W. Arnold Hanger 1116 m 1:43.80 $18,485
1958 Kingmaker 5 Bobby Ussery Frank I. Wright Happy Hill Farm 1116 m 1:43.60 $18,615
1957 Midafternoon 5 Eddie Arcaro Thomas M. Waller Mrs. Edward E. Robbins 1116 m 1:43.60 $19,750
1956 Find 6 Eric Guerin William C. Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt II 1116 m 1:43.20 $19,800
1955 Fisherman 4 Hedley Woodhouse Sylvester Veitch Cornelius V. Whitney 1116 m 1:45.00 $20,450
1954 Find 4 Eric Guerin William C. Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt II 1116 m 1:44.00 $21,250
1953 First Glance 6 Eric Guerin William C. Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt II 1116 m 1:44.00 $20,500
1952 Spartan Valor 4 James Stout Frank Catrone William G. Helis Jr. 1116 m 1:44.60 $18,950
1951 Lotowhite 4 Eddie Arcaro Lydell T. Ruff Thomas G. Benson 1116 m 1:44.20 $20,750
1950 Arise 4 Douglas Dodson James C. Bentley Addison Stable 1116 m 1:43.80 $17,200
1949 My Request 4 Claude Erickson James P. Conway Florence Whitaker 1116 m 1:44.80 $16,700
1948 Knockdown 5 Ferril Zufelt James W. Smith Maine Chance Farm 1116 m 1:46.00 $20,750
1947 Coincidence 5 Ted Atkinson John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 1116 m 1:44.00 $15,900
1946 Fighting Step 4 Johnny Adams Charles C. Norman Murlogg Farm (Helen W. Kellogg) 1116 m 1:45.00 $12,750
1945 Saguaro 4 Mike Caffarella Woody Stephens Jule Fink 1116 m 1:44.60 $7,070
1944 Alex Barth 4 Nick Jemas James R. Hastie Milbrook Stable 1116 m 1:46.40 $7,375
1943 Riverland 5 Steve Brooks Moody Jolley Louisiana Farm 1116 m 1:44.40 $9,300
1942 Waller 4 Charles Wahler A. G. Robertson John C. Clark 1116 m 1:46.80 $8,775
1941 Robert Morris 3 Nick Wall Thomas H. McCreery J. Frederic Byers 1116 m 1:43.60 $8,275
1940 The Chief 5 Irving Anderson Earl Sande Maxwell Howard 1116 m 1:44.20 $6,200
1939 Thanksgiving 4 Raymond Workman Mary Hirsch Anne C. Corning 1116 m 1:44.20 $6,950
1938 Caballero II 6 Wayne D. Wright Hirsch Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs 1116 m 1:45.40 $6,650
1937 Thorson 5 William Ray Thomas H. McCreery Buckley M. Byers 1116 m 1:43.80 $6,950
1936 King Saxon 5 Charles Landolt Charles H. Knebelkamp Charles H. Knebelkamp 1116 m 1:45.20 $5,400
1935 King Saxon 4 Cal Rainey Charles H. Knebelkamp Charles H. Knebelkamp 1116 m 1:43.60 $5,430
1934 Watch Him 5 Earl Steffen Willie Knapp Fannie Hertz 1116 m 1:46.00 $2,450
1932 Pompeius 3 Joe Knapp J. P. "Sammy" Smith William R. Coe 1116 m 1:45.20 $4,850
1931 Mokatam 4 Willie Kelsay Frank M. Taylor Rancocas Stable 1116 m 1:46.00 $5,700
1930 Minotaur 4 Charles Kurtsinger Charles Graffagnini John R. Thompson Jr. 1116 m 1:45.80 $5,950
1929 Mowlee 4 Laverne Fator Sam Hildreth Rancocas Stable 1116 m 1:45.20 $7,200
1928 Brown Flash 4 Virgil Peterson Jack S. Middleton Frederick Johnson 1116 m 1:46.40 $6,200
1927 Amberjack 4 James McCoy James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 1116 m 1:44.00 $6,200
1926 Turf Idol 4 Sidney Hebert Jimmy Johnson James Butler 1116 m 1:45.60 $6,400
1925 Sting 4 Benjamin Breuning Jimmy Johnson James Butler 1116 m 1:42.60 $5,850
1924 Rialto 4 Johnny Corcoran James G. Rowe Sr. Greentree Stable 1116 m 1:46.00 $5,850
1923 Grey Lag 5 Laverne Fator Sam Hildreth Rancocas Stable 1116 m 1:45.00 $5,850
1922 Sennings Park 6 Charles Fairbrother A. Jack Joyner Westmont Stable 1116 m 1:44.80 $5,850
1921 Blazes 4 Ted Rice William M. Garth Joshua S. Cosden 1116 m 1:47.20 $8,550
1920 Boniface 5 Earl Sande H. Guy Bedwell J. K. L. Ross 1116 m 1:45.20 $4,850
1919 Naturalist 5 Charles Fairbrother Thomas Welsh Joseph E. Widener 1116 m 1:45.40 $3,850
1918 George Smith 5 Willie Kelsay Hollie Hughes John Sanford 1116 m 1:45.40 $3,850
1917 Roamer 6 Andy Schuttinger A. J. Goldsborough Andrew Miller 1116 m 1:45.40 $2,825
1916 Sand Marsh 4 James Butwell Richard O. Miller Fred E. Rose 1116 m 1:46.00 $2,425
1915 Addie M. 4 Joe McCahey George W. Langdon John W. Messervy 1116 m 1:45.80 $1,925
1913 Meridian 5 Buddy Glass Albert Ewing Richard F. Carman 1116 m 1:44.60
1906 Merry Lark 4 Walter Miller Thomas Welsh Newcastle Stable 1116 m 1:47.20 $7,350
1905 Santa Catalina † 3 Walter Miller R. Wyndham Walden Albermale Stable 1116 m 1:46.40 $6,450
1904 Rostand 4 Herman Phillips George Cornell F. R. Docter 1116 m 1:45.60 $6,600
1903 Blackstock 4 Grover Fuller John W. Rogers William C. Whitney 1116 m 1:46.60 $6,730
  • † In 1905 Preen finished first but was disqualified.

References

  1. "the Excelsior Stakes history at the NYRA". Archived from the original on 2013-07-23. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
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