Jerome Stakes

Road to the Kentucky Derby > Jerome Stakes

Jerome Stakes Race Facts

• Location: Aqueduct Racetrack, New York City
• Inaugural Race: 1866
• Distance: One mile
• Track Type: Left-handed, Dirt
• Age Qualifications: Three-year-olds
• 2023 Purse: $150,000
• 2023 Race Date: Saturday, January 7^th

The Jerome Stakes is one of the early Road to the Kentucky prep-races in New York. Winners of the contest are awarded 10-4-3-2-1 points respectively.

2023 Jerome Stakes Race Race Results

Exotic Payoffs:

• $1 Exacta (4-6) Paid: $17.20
• $0.50 Trifecta (4-6-7) Paid: $33.75
• $0.10 Superfecta (4-6-7-1) Paid: $20.77

Watch the 2023 Jerome Stakes

History of the Jerome Stakes

The Jerome Stakes tends to land on January 1st every year at Aqueduct in New York. Even if the race doesn't start on Jan. 1, the Jerome is traditionally the first race of the new year on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

The race is run each January at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, NY and contested at 1 mile. The Jerome is open to 3-year-olds and currently carries a purse of $150,000. Contested in colder weather, the Jerome serves as the first of four New York ‘Road to the Kentucky Derby’ stepping stone preps, and the top five finishers received qualifying points towards the Kentucky Derby (10-4-3-2-1).

The race is the second oldest stakes race in the country and is Named after Leonard W. Jerome, the grandfather of Sir Winston Churchill. the Jerome Stakes first ran in 1966, and had was held for a period at Belmont Park between 1906 and 1959, then again from 1968 to 2009. The race had been previously contested from 1 ¼ to 2 miles for its initial 40 years. For the next nearly 90 years through 2012 and starting again in 2018 (after 6 years being run at 1 mile 70 yards), the Jerome is contested at 1 mile and the speed record was set by Noble Nashua in 1981 (1:33.20).

Jockey Eddie Acaro has won a record 6 races between 1946 and 1960.

Jerome Stakes winners who also went on to win Triple Crown races include Kentucky Derby winners Aristides (1875), Carry Back (1961), Fusaichi Pegasus (2000), and Belmont Stakes winner Crème Fraiche (1985). In 1963, winner Chateaugay went on to capture wins in both The Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes.

Forego finished 2nd in the Jerome in 1973, but went on to win 34 of 57 starts and was named Horse of the Year three times.

Other past Jerome champions of note include Richter Scale (1997), Carry Back (1961), Kelso (1960), Bold Ruler (1957 and sire of Secretariat), Tom Fool (1952), Fair Play (1908, and sire of Man ‘o War), Duke of Magenta (1878) and Aristides (1875), who was the winner of the inaugural Kentucky Derby.

Jerome Stakes Past Winners