The Bowling Green Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for horses age four years old and older over a distance of 1+38 miles on the turf held annually in late July at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Quick Facts Location, Inaugurated ...
Bowling Green Stakes
Grade II race
LocationSaratoga Race Course
Saratoga Springs, New York, United States
Inaugurated1958 (at Belmont Park)
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
WebsiteNYRA
Race information
Distance1+38 miles (11 furlongs)
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFour-year-olds & up
Weight124 lbs with allowances
Purse$250,000 (2015)
Close

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 11 June 1958 at Belmont Park as the sixth event on the card that day and was won by the French bred horse, Rafty trained by the US Hall of Fame trainer Hollie Hughes in a time of 2:1715.[1]

The event is named for the area on the lower tip of Manhattan Island, known as Bowling Green.

In 1963 the event was moved to Aqueduct Racecourse and the distance was increased to 13 furlongs (1+58 miles).[2] The last running of the event at Aqueduct in 1967 is one of the more notable when Poker defeated champions Assagai and his own stablemate, the 1966 US Horse of the Year, Buckpasser who was entering the race with a fifteen race winning streak.[3]

The 1970 winner Fort Marcy would later that year be crowned US Horse of the Year and the 1972 winner Run the Gantlet was the 1971 US Champion Male Turf Horse.

In 1973 the event was classified as Grade II and for several years in the late 1980s the event held Grade I status.[4]

In winning the Bowling Green Handicap on 17 June 1990 at Belmont Park, the 1989 Canadian champion With Approval set a new World Record of 2:1015 for 1+38 miles on turf. As of today, the record remains unmatched.[5]

The 2008 edition was replaced in its summer spot by the Man o' War Stakes. The Man o' War was moved from a fall schedule to improve turf scheduling competition. In 2015 the New York Racing Association moved the Bowling Green to Saratoga.[6]

Two mares have won this race, Drumtop in 1971 setting a new course record for the 1+12 miles distance[7] and Summer Guest in 1973. Drumtop also finished second to Fort Marcy in 1970.[8]

In 2024 the British-bred Silver Knott set a new track record at Saratoga Racetrack for the 1+38 miles distance winning in 2:11.40 on the inner turf course.[9]

Records

Speed record:

  • 1+38 miles: 2:10.20 – With Approval (1990) (new World Record)

Margins:

  • 4 lengths Open Call (1982)

Most wins:

  • 2 – Whitmore's Conn (2002, 2003)
  • 2 – Channel Maker (2018, 2023)
  • 2 – Cross Border (2020, 2021)

Most wins by an owner:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners

More information Year, Winner ...
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
At Saratoga Bowling Green Stakes
2024 Silver Knott (GB) 4 Flavien Prat Charlie Appleby Godolphin Racing 1+38 miles 2:11.03 $242,500 II [10]
2023 Channel Maker 9 Manuel Franco William I. Mott Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R. A. Hill Stable & Reeves Thoroughbred Racing 1+38 miles 2:15.21 $250,000 II [11]
2022 Rockemperor 6 Flavien Prat Chad C. Brown Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Wonder Stables, & Michael E. & Carus Kisber 1+38 miles 2:15.81 $242,500 II [12]
2021 Cross Border 7 Luis Saez Michael J. Maker Three Diamonds Farm 1+38 miles 2:16.36 $250,000 II [13]
2020 ‡ Cross Border 6 José Ortiz Michael J. Maker Three Diamonds Farm 1+38 miles 2:14.77 $250,000 II [14]
2019 Channel Cat 4 Luis Saez Todd A. Pletcher Calumet Farm 1+38 miles 2:14.43 $250,000 II [15]
2018 Channel Maker 4 Joel Rosario William I. Mott Matthew Schera 1+38 miles 2:19.41 $250,000 II Dead heat[16]
Glorious Empire (IRE) 7 Julien R. Leparoux James Lawrence II Gary Barber & Wachtel Stable
2017 Hunter O'Riley 4 Florent Geroux James J. Toner Sean Shay & Michael J. Ryan 1+38 miles 2:12.94 $250,000 II [17]
2016 Flintshire (GB) 6 Javier Castellano Chad C. Brown Juddmonte Farms 1+38 miles 2:18.24 $237,500 II [18]
At Saratoga Bowling Green Handicap
2015 Red Rifle 5 Javier Castellano Todd A. Pletcher Twin Creeks Racing 1+38 miles 2:13.69 $250,000 II [19]
At Belmont Park Bowling Green Handicap
2014 Hangover Kid 6 Jose Lezcano Jason Servis Four Tags Stable 1+12 miles 2:28.18 $200,000 II [20]
2013 Hyper 6 Javier Castellano Chad C. Brown Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey 1+14 miles 2:01.37 $250,000 II [21]
2012 Air Support 4 John R. Velazquez Claude R. McGaughey III Stuart S. Janney III 1+14 miles 2:06.12 $196,000 II [22]
2011 Grassy 5 Garrett K. Gomez Christophe Clement Claiborne Farm & Adele Dilschneider 1+38 miles 2:19.69 $150,000 II [23]
2010 Al Khali 4 Alan Garcia William I. Mott Brous Stable & Wachtel Stale 1+38 miles 2:15.23 $150,000 II [24]
2009 Grand Couturier (GB) 6 Alan Garcia Robert Ribaudo Marc Keller 1+38 miles 2:15.86 $158,500 II [25]
2008 Race not held
2007 Sunriver 4 Garrett K. Gomez Todd A. Pletcher Aaron U. & Marie Jones 1+38 miles 2:12.68 $150,000 II [26]
2006 Go Deputy 6 Fernando Jara Todd A. Pletcher Wertheimer et Frère 1+38 miles 2:17.49 $147,000 II [27]
2005 Cacht Wells (ARG) 5 Eibar Coa Stanley M. Hough Castletop Stable 1+38 miles 2:15.49 $150,000 II [28]
2004 Kicken Kris 4 Edgar S. Prado Michael R. Matz Brushwood Stable 1+38 miles 2:12.19 $150,000 II [29]
2003 Whitmore's Conn 5 Jean-Luc Samyn Randy Schulhofer Michael & Lynn Shanley 1+38 miles 2:15.92 $150,000 II [30]
2002 Whitmore's Conn 4 Shaun Bridgmohan Randy Schulhofer Michael & Lynn Shanley 1+38 miles 2:13.43 $150,000 II [31]
2001 King Cugat 4 Jerry D. Bailey William I. Mott Centennial Farms 1+38 miles 2:10.62 $150,000 II [32]
2000 Elhayq (IRE) 5 Shaun Bridgmohan Kiaran P. McLaughlin Shadwell Racing 1+38 miles 2:13.81 $150,000 II [33]
1999 Honor Glide 5 José A. Santos Christophe Clement Robert Schaedle III 1+38 miles 2:11.07 $150,000 II [34]
1998 Cetewayo 4 John R. Velazquez Michael W. Dickinson John A. Chandler 1+38 miles 2:13.45 $150,000 II [35]
1997 Influent 6 Jean-Luc Samyn Howard M. Tesher Turfnpaddock Farm 1+38 miles 2:11.06 $150,000 II [36]
1996 Flag Down 6 José A. Santos Christophe Clement Allen E. Paulson 1+38 miles 2:13.29 $150,000 II [37]
1995 Sentimental Moi 5 Ramon B. Perez William Badgett Jr. Landon Knight 1+38 miles 2:15.48 $150,000 II [38]
1994 Turk Passer 4 John R. Velazquez Anthony R. Margotta Jr. Michael Shanley 1+38 miles 2:13.25 $150,000 II [39]
1993 Dr. Kiernan 4 Chris Antley Gary Sciacca Howard T. Whitbred 1+38 miles 2:17.70 $150,000 II [40]
1992 Wall Street Dancer 4 Pat Day Niall M. O'Callaghan John D. Gunther 1+38 miles 2:12.92 $200,000 II [41]
1991 Three Coins Up 3 Jerry D. Bailey John P. Campo Ol' Pippingrock Farm 1+38 miles 2:10.86 $200,000 II [42]
1990 With Approval 4 Craig Perret Roger L. Attfield Kinghaven Farms 1+38 miles 2:10.20 $188,800 II [43]
1989 El Senor 5 Herb McCauley William W. Wright Frances W. Luro 1+38 miles 2:18.60 $241,600 I [44]
1988 Coeur de Lion (FR) 4 Craig Perret William B. Cox Evergreen Farms 1+38 miles 2:13.40 $252,800 I [45]
1987 Theatrical (IRE) 5 Pat Day William I. Mott Bertram R. Firestone 1+38 miles 2:14.00 $241,600 I [46]
1986 Uptown Swell 4 Eddie Maple Richard J. Lundy Virginia Kraft Rayson 1+38 miles 2:14.80 $223,650 I [47]
1985 Sharannpour (IRE) 5 Ángel Cordero Jr. Robert J. Frankel Jerry Moss 1+38 miles 2:18.20 $238,000 I [48]
1984 Hero's Honor 4 Jerry D. Bailey MacKenzie Miller Rokeby Stables 1+38 miles 2:14.00 $217,700 I [49]
1983 Tantalizing 4 Jacinto Vásquez Angel Penna Sr. Ogden Mills Phipps 1+38 miles 2:14.80 $175,200 I [50]
1982 Open Call 4 Jorge Velásquez Robert J. Reinacher Jr. Greentree Stable 1+38 miles 2:24.80 $149,750 II [51]
1981 Great Neck 5 Ángel Cordero Jr. Jan H. Nerud Tartan Farms (James & Virginia Binger) 1+38 miles 2:12.00 $140,750 II [52]
1980 Sten 5 Jeffrey Fell Richard T. DeStasio Michael Berry 1+38 miles 2:13.20 $144,250 II [53]
1979 Overskate 4 Robin Platts Gil H. Rowntree John H. Stafford 1+38 miles 2:11.40 $140,875 II [54]
1978 Tiller 4 Jeffrey Fell David A. Whiteley William Haggin Perry 1+38 miles 2:12.40 $117,100 II [55]
1977 Hunza Dancer 5 Jean Cruguet Arthur E. Breasley Ravi Tikkoo 1+14 miles 1:58.80 $114,300 II [56]
1976 Erwin Boy 5 Ron Turcotte James P. Conway Sea High Stable 1+12 miles 2:26.00 $56,900 II [57]
1975 Barcas 4 Marco Castaneda Leonard Imperio Nelson Bunker Hunt 1+12 miles 2:32.20 $55,500 II [58]
1974 Take Off 5 Ron Turcotte Frank Catrone Ada L. Rice 1+12 miles 2:26.40 $57,100 II [59]
1973 † Summer Guest 4 Jacinto Vásquez J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stable 1+12 miles 2:29.20 $57,000 II [60]
1972 Run The Gantlet 4 Robert Woodhouse J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stable 1+12 miles 2:27.80 $56,000 [61]
1971 Drumtop 5 Chuck Baltazar Roger Laurin James B. Moseley 1+12 miles 2:25.40 $56,800 [7]
1970 Fort Marcy 6 Jorge Velásquez J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stable 1+12 miles 2:26.60 $47,400 [8]
1969 Czar Alexander (GB) 4 Jorge Velásquez Angel Penna Sr. Gustave Ring 1+12 miles 2:27.40 $59,400 [62]
1968 High Hat 4 Eddie Belmonte Kay E. Jensen Mrs. Wallace Gilroy 1+12 miles 2:27.40 $56,000 [63]
At Aqueduct
1967 § Poker 4 William Boland Edward A. Neloy Ogden Phipps 1+58 miles 2:41.40 $55,400 [3]
1966 Moontrip (ARG) 5 Larry Adams Randy Sechrest Ewing Kauffman 1+58 miles 2:38.80 $59,400 [64]
1965 Or et Argent (FR) 4 Walter Blum Wayne B. Stucki Colin Campbell 1+58 miles 2:40.60 $59,500 [65]
1964 Cedar Key 4 Manuel Ycaza Bill Shoemaker Jerry Basta 1+58 miles 2:41.80 $28,850 [66]
1963 Pollingfold (IRE) 4 Willie Harmatz James E. Fitzsimmons Mrs. Frank E. Power 1+58 miles 2:45.40 $27,800 [67]
At Belmont Park
1962 Royal Record 4 Hedley Woodhouse John M. Gaver Sr. Wheatley Stable 1+12 miles 2:33.20 $28,850 [68]
1961 Dead Center 4 Jack Yother Alphonse J. Pupino Alphonse J. Pupino 1+12 miles 2:29.80 $39,650 [69]
1960 Amber Morn 4 Pete Anderson James R. Hastie Ken-Love Farm 1+12 miles 2:29.20 $59,400 [70]
1959 Bell Hop (FR) 4 Bobby Ussery Oleg Dubassoff John M. Schiff 1+38 miles 2:14.60 $29,400 [71]
1958 Rafty (FR) 6 Eric Guerin Hollie Hughes Sanford Stud Farms 1+38 miles 2:17.20 $29,400 [1]
Close

Notes:
† Filly or Mare
§ Ran as part of an entry
‡ In the 2020 running Sadler's Joy was first past the post but was disqualified for interference in the straight and was placed fourth. Cross Border was declared the winner.

See also

List of American and Canadian Graded races

References

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