Whitney Stakes

Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series > Whitney Stakes

Whitney Stakes Race Facts

  • Location: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, NY
  • Inaugural Race: 1928
  • Distance: 1 & 1/8th mile (9 furlongs)
  • Track Type: Left-handed, Dirt
  • Age Qualifications: Three Year Olds and up
  • 2022 Purse: $1,000,000
  • 2022 Race Date: Saturday, August 6th

2022 Whitney Stakes Race Results

POSTHORSEJOCKEY / TRAINERWIN / PLACE
6Life Is GoodIrad Ortiz, Jr. / Todd A. Pletcher$3.70 / $3.20
5Happy SaverJohn R. Velazquez / Todd A. Pletcher$6.40
2Hot Rod CharlieFlavien Prat / Doug F. O'Neill
4OlympiadJunior Alvarado / William I. Mott
3ZoomerJoel Rosario / Mark E. Casse

Exotic Payoffs:

  • $1.00 Exacta (6-5) Paid: $14.00
  • $0.50 Trifecta (6-5-2) Paid: $17.62
  • $0.10 Superfecta (6-5-2-4) Paid: $4.07

Watch the 2022 Whitney Stakes

Whitney Stakes Race History

Formerly known as the Whitney Handicap, the Whitney Stakes is a Grade 1 stakes horse race run each year at the Saratoga Race Course. It ranks alongside the Kentucky Derby as the top Grade 1 race in the US and has attracted some of the greatest horses in history. Notable winners include Equipoise (1932), Discovery (1934-36), War Admiral (1938), Eight Thirty (1939), Devil Diver (1944), Stymie (1946), Tom Fool (1953), Kelso (1961, 1963, 1965), Dr. Fager (1968), Key to the Mint (1972), Ancient Title (1975), Alydar (1978), Slew o’ Gold (1984), Easy Goer (1989), and Invasor (2006). In 1963, the race featured one of the most shocking upsets when Secretariat was defeated by Onion.

Since 2007, the winner has earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.

Whitney Stakes Past Winners

YearWinnerJockey / TrainerDistance / Time
2022Life Is GoodIrad Ortiz, Jr. / Todd A. Pletcher1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.97
2021Knicks GoJoel Rosario / Brad H. Cox1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.70
2020ImprobableIrad Ortiz Jr. / Bob Baffert1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.65
2019McKinzieMike E. Smith / Bob Baffert1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.10
2018DiversifyIrad Ortiz Jr. / Richard Violette Jr.1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.62
2017Gun RunnerFlorent Geroux / Steve Asmussen1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.71
2016FrostedJoel Rosario / Kiaran McLaughlin1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.77
2015Honor CodeJavier Castellano / Claude R. McGaughey III1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.82
2014MorenoJunior Alvarado / Eric Guillot1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.05
2013Cross TrafficJohn R. Velazquez / Todd A. Pletcher1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.89
2012Fort LarnedBrian Hernandez Jr. / Ian R. Wilkes1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.76
2011TizwayRajiv Maragh / H. James Bond1 1⁄8 M / 1:52.43
2010BlameGarrett Gomez / Albert Stall Jr.1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.88
2009BullsbayJeremy Rose / H. Graham Motion1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.12
2008CommentatorJohn R. Velazquez / Nick Zito1 1⁄8 M / 1:50.23
2007Lawyer RonJohn R. Velazquez / Todd A. Pletcher1 1⁄8 M / 1:46.64
2006InvasorFernando Jara / Kiaran McLaughlin1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.06
2005CommentatorGary Stevens / Nick Zito1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.33
2004Roses in MayEdgar Prado / Dale L. Romans1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.54
2003Medaglia d'OroJerry Bailey / Robert J. Frankel1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.69
2002Left BankJohn R. Velazquez / Todd A. Pletcher1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.04
2001Lido PalaceJerry Bailey / Robert J. Frankel1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.94
2000Lemon Drop KidEdgar Prado / Scotty Schulhofer1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.30
1999Victory GallopJerry Bailey / Elliott Walden1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.66
1998Awesome AgainPat Day / Patrick B. Byrne1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.71
1997Will's WayJerry Bailey / H. James Bond1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.37
1996Mahogany HallJosé A. Santos / James Baker1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.60
1995Unaccounted ForPat Day / Scotty Schulhofer1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.20
1994Colonial AffairJosé A. Santos / Scotty Schulhofer1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.60
1993BrunswickMike E. Smith / Anthony Margotta1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.40
1992Sultry SongJerry Bailey / Patrick Kelly1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.20
1991In ExcessGary Stevens / Bruce L. Jackson1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.00
1990Criminal TypeGary Stevens / D. Wayne Lukas1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.60
1989Easy GoerPat Day / C. R. McGaughey III1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.40
1988Personal EnsignRandy Romero / C. R. McGaughey III1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.80
1987Java GoldPat Day / MacKenzie Miller1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.40
1986Lady's SecretPat Day / D. Wayne Lukas1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.80
1985Track BarronÁngel Cordero Jr. / LeRoy Jolley1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.60
1984Slew o' GoldÁngel Cordero Jr. / John O. Hertler1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.20
1983Island WhirlEd Delahoussaye / Laz Barrera1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.40
1982Silver BuckDon MacBeth / J. Elliott Burch1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.80
1981Fio RitoLeslie Hulet / Michael Ferraro1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.00
1980State DinnerRuben Hernandez / J. Elliott Burch1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.20
1979Star de NaskraJeffrey Fell / Richard D. Ferris1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.60
1978AlydarJorge Velásquez / John M. Veitch1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.40
1977Nearly On TimeSteve Cauthen / LeRoy Jolley1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.40
1976Dancing GunRoger Velez / Laz Barrera1 1⁄8 M / 1:50.00
1975Ancient TitleSandy Hawley / Keith L. Stucki Sr.1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.20
1974Tri JetLaffit Pincay Jr. / Charles R. Parke1 1⁄8 M / 1:47.00
1973OnionJacinto Vásquez / H. Allen Jerkens1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.20
1972Key To The MintBraulio Baeza / J. Elliott Burch1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.20
1971ProtantoJorge Velásquez / MacKenzie Miller1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.40
1970JudgableRobert Woodhouse / Herbert Nadler1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.40
1969VerbatimPete Anderson / James P. Conway1 1⁄8 M / 1:50.00
1968Dr. FagerBraulio Baeza / John A. Nerud1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.80
1967StupendousEddie Belmonte / Edward A. Neloy1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.20
1966StaunchnessErnest Cardone / Victor J. Nickerson1 1⁄8 M / 1:50.20
1965KelsoIsmael Valenzuela / Carl Hanford1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.80
1964Gun BowWalter Blum / Edward A. Neloy1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.20
1963KelsoIsmael Valenzuela / Carl Hanford1 1⁄8 M / 1:50.40
1962Carry BackJohnny Sellers / Jack A. Price1 1⁄8 M / 1:50.00
1961KelsoEddie Arcaro / Carl Hanford1 1⁄8 M / 1:48.00
1960WarheadMike Sorrentino / Kay Erik Jensen1 1⁄8 M / 1:51.00
1959PlionManuel Ycaza / Tom Jolley1 1⁄8 M / 1:53.00
1958CohoesJohn Ruane / John M. Gaver Sr.1 1⁄8 M / 1:51.60
1957KingmakerBobby Ussery / Frank I. Wright1 1⁄8 M / 1:52.80
1956DedicateWilliam Boland / G. Carey Winfrey1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.80
1955First AidHedley Woodhouse / J. Elliott Burch1 1⁄8 M / 1:51.60
1954Social OutcastEric Guerin / William C. Winfrey1 1⁄4 M / 2:04.40
1953Tom FoolTed Atkinson / John M. Gaver Sr.1 1⁄4 M / 2:05.40
1952CounterpointDave Gorman / Sylvester Veitch1 1⁄4 M / 2:05.60
1951One HitterTed Atkinson / John M. Gaver Sr.1 1⁄4 M / 2:05.00
1950PietNick Combest / R. Emmett Potts1 1⁄4 M / 2:06.60
1949Round ViewSebastian Perez / Hollie Hughes1 1⁄4 M / 2:06.60
1948GalloretteArnold Kirkland / Edward A. Christmas1 1⁄4 M / 2:05.20
1947Rico MonteRuperto Donoso / Horatio Luro1 1⁄4 M / 2:02.60
1946StymieBasil James / Hirsch Jacobs1 1⁄4 M / 2:07.40
1945TrymenowHerb Lindberg / Oscar White1 1⁄4 M / 2:02.20
1944Devil DiverEddie Arcaro / John M. Gaver Sr.1 1⁄4 M / 2:02.00
1943BolingbrokeHerb Lindberg / Walter Burrows1 1⁄4 M / 2:02.00
1942Swing and SwayDon Meade / John M. Gaver Sr.1 1⁄4 M / 2:05.40
1941FenelonJames Stout / James Fitzsimmons1 1⁄4 M / 2:06.40
1940ChalledonGeorge Woolf / Louis Schaefer1 1⁄4 M / 2:03.20
1939Eight ThirtyHarry Richards / Bert Mulholland1 1⁄4 M / 2:06.20
1938War AdmiralWayne D. Wright / George Conway1 1⁄4 M / 2:03.80
1937EsposaNick Wall / Matthew P. Brady1 1⁄4 M / 2:05.20
1936DiscoveryJohn Bejshak / Bud Stotler1 1⁄4 M / 2:06.80
1935DiscoveryJohn Bejshak / Bud Stotler1 1⁄4 M / 2:04.80
1934DiscoveryDon Meade / Bud Stotler1 1⁄4 M / 2:07.80
1933Caesar's GhostDominick Bellizzi / Jack J. Connors1 1⁄4 M / 2:10.80
1932EquipoiseRaymond Workman / Thomas J. Healey1 1⁄4 M / 2:05.60
1931St. BrideauxLinus McAtee / James G. Rowe Jr.1 1⁄4 M / 2:05.00
1930WhichoneRaymond Workman / Thomas J. Healey1 1⁄4 M / 2:04.00
1929BateauEddie Ambrose / Scott P. Harlan1 1⁄4 M / 2:09.40
1928Black MariaLaverne Fator / William H. Karrick1 1⁄4 M / 2:06.00