Gotham Stakes

Road to the Kentucky Derby > Gotham Stakes

Gotham Stakes Race Facts

• Location: Aqueduct Racetrack, Jamaica, NY
• Inaugural Race: 1953
• Current Distance: 1 mile
• Track Type: Left-Handed Dirt
• Age Qualifications: Three-year-olds
• Status: Grade 3
• 2024 Purse: $300,000
• 2024 Race Date: Saturday, March 2nd

The Gotham Stakes is one of the prep races for the Wood Memorial and is also part of The Road to the Kentucky Derby. Winners of the contest are awarded 50-25-15-10-5 points respectively.

2023 Gotham Stakes Race Results

Exotic Payoffs:

• $1 Exacta (12-11) Paid: $81.25
• $0.50 Trifecta (12-11-6) Paid: $367.25
• $0.10 Superfecta (12-11-6-13) Paid: $611.60

Watch the 2023 Gotham Stakes

The History of the Gotham Stakes

Initially inaugurated at the Jamaica Racetrack located in Queens in 1953, the Gotham Stakes was eventually moved to Aqueduct Racetrack in 1960. It has remained there to this day and has become one of it's marquee races.

The original distance of the Gotham Stakes is 1 1/16th miles. However, when the race moved to Aqueduct in 1960, organizers reset the distance to 1 mile. The distance of the Gotham Stakes has been run at 1 mile during five different eras; from 1960-1976, in 1978, 1980-2002, 2004-2005 and finally from 2018 to today. It has also been run at 1 mile 70 yards in 1984 and 2003. Outside of those years the contest has covered a distance of 1 1/16th miles.

I Want Revenge established the speed record at 1 1/16th miles in 2009 when he was clocked at 1:42.65. The legendary Easy Goer set both the stakes and track record at 1 mile with a time of 1:32.40 in 1989.

Easy Goer would move on to finish second in the Kentucky Derby, after success in the Gotham Stakes. Similarly, horses to have won both include Dr. Fager (1967) and Secretariat (1973). Hall of Famer Native Dancer won the initial Gotham Stakes in 1953 and would go on to win the Preakness and Belmont Stakes later that year.

The Gotham Stakes was run in two divisions in 1953, 1974, 1975 and 1983 so the race has two winners from each of those years. The 1992 renewal also produced dual winners, but this was due to a dead heat between Lure and Devil His Due.

A total of six jockeys currently share the record for most wins in the Gotham Stakes with three apiece. This includes Mike Smith, Richard Migliore, Jacinto Vasquez, Angel Cordero Jr., Jorge Velasquez and Jose Lezcano. Trainers Claud McGuaghey III (1989, 1992 and 2005) and Kiaran McLaughlin (2006, 2018, 2019) are tied with the most wins in this race with three victories each.

The Gotham Stakes is worth a purse of $300,000 and is currently holds a rating of Grade-III.

Gotham Stakes Past Winners