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
- 2023 Purse: $300,000
- 2023 Race Date: Saturday, March 4th
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 50-20-15-10-5 points respectively.
2023 Gotham Stakes Race Results
| POST | HORSE | JOCKEY / TRAINER | WIN / PLACE / SHOW |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Raise Cain | Jose Lezcano / Ben Colebrook | $49.00 / $14.60 / $9.10 |
| 11 | Slip Mahoney | Trevor McCarthy / Brad H. Cox | $6.70 / $4.70 |
| 6 | General Banker | Frankie Pennington / James W. Ferraro | $8.40 |
| 13 | Eyeing Clover | Florent Geroux / Brad H. Cox | |
| 1 | Clear the Air | Jack Gilligan / William Walden | |
| 3 | Mr. Swagger | Carlos Olivero / Juan Carlos Avila | |
| 10 | Lugan Knight | Dylan Davis / Michael W. McCarthy | |
| 5 | Carmel Road | Eric Cancel / Tim Yakteen | |
| 15 | Radio Red | Jose Antonio Gomez / Danny Gargan | |
| 7 | Transect | Joseph Talamo / Paulo H. Lobo | |
| 14 | Recruiter | Angel Cruz / Cathal A. Lynch | |
| 4 | Uncorrelated | Manuel Franco / Chad C. Brown | |
| 9 | Clubhouse | Kendrick Carmouche / Todd A. Pletcher | |
| 2 | Howgreatisnate | J. D. Acosta / Andrew L. Simoff |
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
| Year | Winner | Jockey / Trainer | Time / Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Raise Cain | Jose Lezcano / Ben Colebrook | 1:38.09 / 1 mile |
| 2022 | Morello | Jose Lezcano / Steven M. Asmussen | 1:39.28 / 1 mile |
| 2021 | Weyburn | Trevor McCarthy / Jimmy Jerkens | 1:38.70 / 1 mile |
| 2020 | Mischevious Alex | Kendrick Carmouche / John Servis | 1:38.80 / 1 mile |
| 2019 | Haikal | Rajiv Maragh / Kiaran McLaughlin | 1:35.63 / 1 mile |
| 2018 | Enticed | Junior Alvarado / Kiaran McLaughlin | 1:38.24 / 1 mile |
| 2017 | J Boys Echo | Robby Albarado / Dale L. Romans | 1:46.34 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 2016 | Shagaf | Irad Ortiz Jr. / Chad C. Brown | 1:45.90 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 2015 | El Kabeir | Charles C. Lopez / John P. Terranova II | 1:45.56 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 2014 | Samraat | José Ortiz / Richard Violette Jr. | 1:44.44 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 2013 | Vyjack | Joel Rosario / Rudy R. Rodriguez | 1:44.09 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 2012 | Hansen | Ramon Domínguez / Mike Maker | 1:43.84 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 2011 | Stay Thirsty | Ramon Domínguez / Todd Pletcher | 1:44.78 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 2010 | Awesome Act | Julien Leparoux / Jeremy Noseda | 1:43.85 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 2009 | I Want Revenge | Joseph Talamo / Jeff Mullins | 1:42.65 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 2008 | Visionaire | Jose Lezcano / Michael Matz | 1:44.60 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 2007 | Cowtown Cat | Ramon Domínguez / Todd A. Pletcher | 1:44.75 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 2006 | Like Now | Fernando Jara / Kiaran McLaughlin | 1:43.17 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 2005 | Survivalist | Richard Migliore / C. R. McGaughey III | 1:35.61 / 1 mile |
| 2004 | Saratoga County | Javier Castellano / George Weaver | 1:35.53 / 1 mile |
| 2003 | Alysweep | Richard Migliore / Patrick L. Reynolds | 1:40.60 / 1 mile, 70 yards |
| 2002 | Mayakovsky | Edgar Prado / Patrick Biancone | 1:34.90 / 1 mile |
| 2001 | Richly Blended | Rick Wilson / Ben Perkins Jr. | 1:35.14 / 1 mile |
| 2000 | Red Bullet | Alex Solis / Joseph Orseno | 1:34.27 / 1 mile |
| 1999 | Badge | Shaun Bridgmohan / Joseph Aquillino | 1:34.72 / 1 mile |
| 1998 | Wasatch | Jerry D. Bailey / Martin D. Wolfson | 1:36.56 / 1 mile |
| 1997 | Smokin Mel | John Velazquez / John DeStefano Jr. | 1:34.38 / 1 mile |
| 1996 | Romano Gucci | Julie Krone / Richard E. Dutrow | 1:34.40 / 1 mile |
| 1995 | Talkin Man | Mike E. Smith / Roger Attfield | 1:36.82 / 1 mile |
| 1994 | Irgun | Jerry D. Bailey / Steven W. Young | 1:36.27 / 1 mile |
| 1993 | As Indicated | Caesar Bisono / Richard Schosberg | 1:36.24 / 1 mile |
| 1992 | Lure † | Mike E. Smith / C. R. McGaughey III | 1:35.63 / 1 mile |
| 1992 | Devil His Due † | Herb McCauley / H. Allen Jerkens | 1:35.63 / 1 mile |
| 1991 | Kyle's Our Man | Ángel Cordero Jr. / John M. Veitch | 1:34.69 / 1 mile |
| 1990 | Thirty Six Red | Mike E. Smith / Nick Zito | 1:33.80 / 1 mile |
| 1989 | Easy Goer | Pat Day / C. R. McGaughey III | 1:32.40 / 1 mile |
| 1988 | Private Terms | Chris Antley / Charles Hadry | 1:34.80 / 1 mile |
| 1987 | Gone West | Robbie Davis / Woody Stephens | 1:34.60 / 1 mile |
| 1986 | Mogambo | Jacinto Vásquez / LeRoy Jolley | 1:34.60 / 1 mile |
| 1985 | Eternal Prince | Richard Migliore / John J. Lenzini Jr. | 1:35.80 / 1 mile |
| 1984 | Bear Hunt | Don MacBeth / Roger Laurin | 1:40.40 / 1 mile, 70 yards |
| 1983 (Division 1) | Assault Landing | Vince Bracciale Jr. / Charles Hadry | 1:35.80 / 1 mile |
| 1983 (Division 2) | Chas Conerly | Jeffrey Fell / Mervin Marks | 1:36.60 / 1 mile |
| 1982 | Air Forbes Won | Michael Venezia / Frank LaBoccetta | 1:35.60 / 1 mile |
| 1981 | Proud Appeal | Jeffrey Fell / Stanley M. Hough | 1:33.60 / 1 mile |
| 1980 | Colonel Moran | Jorge Velásquez / Thomas J. Kelly | 1:37.00 / 1 mile |
| 1979 | General Assembly | Jacinto Vásquez / LeRoy Jolley | 1:43.60 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 1978 | Slap Jack | Jorge Velásquez / Lou M. Goldfine | 1:38.60 / 1 mile |
| 1977 | Cormorant | Danny Wright / James P. Simpson | 1:43.60 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 1976 | Zen | Jacinto Vásquez / David A. Whiteley | 1:35.60 / 1 mile |
| 1975 (Division 1) | Laramie Trail | Mike Venezia / Jose A. Martin | 1:38.00 / 1 mile |
| 1975 (Division 2) | Singh | Ángel Cordero Jr. / John W. Russell | 1:37.00 / 1 mile |
| 1974 (Division 1) | Stonewalk | Miguel A. Rivera / Daniel Lopez | 1:36.00 / 1 mile |
| 1974 (Division 2) | Rube The Great | Miguel A. Rivera / Frank Martin | 1:35.20 / 1 mile |
| 1973 | Secretariat | Ron Turcotte / Lucien Laurin | 1:33.40 / 1 mile |
| 1972 | Freetex | Chuck Baltazar / William T. Raymond | 1:36.40 / 1 mile |
| 1971 | Good Behaving | Ron Turcotte / John P. Campo | 1:36.00 / 1 mile |
| 1970 | Native Royalty | Ángel Cordero Jr. / John T. Davis | 1:36.20 / 1 mile |
| 1969 | Dike | Jorge Velásquez / Lucien Laurin | 1:34.80 / 1 mile |
| 1968 | Verbatim | John L. Rotz / James P. Conway | 1:34.00 / 1 mile |
| 1967 | Dr. Fager | Manuel Ycaza / John A. Nerud | 1:35.20 / 1 mile |
| 1966 | Stupendous | Pete Anderson / Edward A. Neloy | 1:34.60 / 1 mile |
| 1965 | Flag Raiser | Bobby Ussery / Hirsch Jacobs | 1:36.60 / 1 mile |
| 1964 | Mr. Moonlight | Jimmy Combest / Nick Combest | 1:37.20 / 1 mile |
| 1963 | Debbysman | Larry Adams / Robert Dotter | 1:34.60 / 1 mile |
| 1962 | Jaipur | Bill Shoemaker / Bert Mulholland | 1:37.00 / 1 mile |
| 1961 | Ambiopoise | Bobby Ussery / Thomas M. Waller | 1:35.80 / 1 mile |
| 1960 | John William | Sam Boulmetis / G. Auerbach | 1:36.40 / 1 mile |
| 1959 | Atoll | Eddie Arcaro / Ray Metcalf | 1:43.00 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 1958 | Oh Johnny | William Boland / Norman R. McLeod | 1:43.60 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 1957 | Mister Jive | Hedley Woodhouse / George M. Carter | 1:45.60 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 1956 | Career Boy | Eric Guerin / Sylvester Veitch | 1:45.60 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 1955 | Go Lightly | Joe Culmone / James McGee | 1:46.60 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 1954 | Fisherman | Hedley Woodhouse / Sylvester Veitch | 1:46.20 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 1953 (Division 1) | Native Dancer | Eric Guerin / William C. Winfrey | 1:44.20 / 1 1⁄16 miles |
| 1953 (Division 2) | Laffango | Nick Shuk / Merritt A. Buxton | 1:44.00 / 1 1⁄16 miles |