The Manila Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds over a distance of one mile on the turf scheduled annually in early July at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The current purse is $250,000.

Manila Stakes
Grade III race
LocationBelmont Park
Elmont, New York, United States
Inaugurated2014
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
WebsiteNYRA
Race information
Distance1 mile
SurfaceTurf
Trackleft-handed
QualificationThree-year-olds
Weight122 lbs. with allowances
PurseUS$250,000 (since 2023)

History

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The event is named after the US Hall of Famer Manila, the 1986 U.S. Champion Older Male Horse who won the 1986 Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs.[1]

The event was inaugurated on June 28, 2014, and run over a distance of one mile and was won by R. Lee Lewis's Cabo Cat. Cabo Cat started at odds of 8/1 was ridden by jockey Joe Bravo who settled near the rear from the gate, was four-wide into the lane, rallied down the stretch while widest and held off Long On Value in the final stages to win by a length in a time of 1:33.57.[2]

In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, NYRA did not schedule the event in their updated and shortened spring-summer meeting.[3]

Three winners of this event have gone on and have won Grade I events.[4] In 2023 the event was upgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to a Grade III.[5]

In 2024 the event was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park.[6]

Records

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Speed record

  • 1 mile: 1:31.56 – Win Win Win (2019)

Margins

  • 3+12 lengths – Up the Ante (2018)

Most wins by a jockey

Most wins by a trainer

  • No trainer has won the event more than once

Most wins by an owner

  • No owner has won the event more than once

Winners

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Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
At Aqueduct
2024 Neat Junior Alvarado Robert Atras Red White & Blue Racing 1 mile 1:36.27 $242,500 III [7]
At Belmont Park
2023 More Than Looks John R. Velazquez Cherie DeVaux Victory Racing Partners 1 mile 1:33.19 $250,000 III [8]
2022 Annapolis Irad Ortiz Jr. Todd A. Pletcher Bass Racing 1 mile 1:32.81 $100,000 Listed [9]
2021 Original James Graham John P. Terranova Eric Fein 1 mile 1:37.75 $100,000 Listed [10]
2020 Race not held
2019 Win Win Win Julian Pimentel Michael J. Trombetta Live Oak Plantation 1 mile 1:31.56 $100,000 [11]
2018 Up the Ante Javier Castellano Christophe Clement Castleton Lyons 1 mile 1:35.42 $100,000 [12]
2017 Bricks and Mortar Joel Rosario Chad C. Brown Klaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence 1 mile 1:33.12 $100,000 [13]
2016 Giant Run John R. Velazquez Thomas Albertrani Robert C. Baker & William L. Mack 1 mile 1:32.85 $100,000 [14]
2015 Gallery Jose Lezcano Michael Dini Ballybrit Stable 1 mile 1:35.35 $95,000 [15]
2014 Cabo Cat Joe Bravo Mark Hennig R. Lee Lewis 1 mile 1:33.57 $100,000 [2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Manila (Profile)". equibase. 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "2014 Manila Stakes (Black Type) – (race 8)". Equibase. June 28, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  3. ^ McCalmont, Keith (May 19, 2020). "NYRA announces stakes schedule for 25 day Belmont Park spring summer meet". New York Racing Association. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  4. ^ "MANILA STAKES – BELMONT PARK, NY". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  5. ^ "American Graded Stakes Committee Releases 2023 Grades; The Stephen Foster Stakes is the only new grade 1 stakes for 2023". Bloodhorse.com. Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. December 16, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  6. ^ "NYRA sets 2024 calendar, with Belmont Stakes at Saratoga". nyra.com. New York Racing Association. January 24, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  7. ^ "2024 Manila Stakes Grade III - (race 7)". Equibase. June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  8. ^ "2023 Manila Stakes Grade III – (race 9)". Equibase. July 7, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  9. ^ "2022 Manila Stakes Listed – (race 9)". Equibase. July 4, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  10. ^ "2021 Manila Stakes Listed – (race 9)". Equibase. July 4, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  11. ^ "2019 Manila Stakes (Black Type) – (race 8)". Equibase. July 4, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  12. ^ "2018 Manila Stakes (Black Type) – (race 3)". Equibase. July 4, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  13. ^ "2017 Manila Stakes (Black Type) – (race 8)". Equibase. July 4, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  14. ^ "2016 Manila Stakes (Black Type) – (race 9)". Equibase. July 4, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  15. ^ "2015 Manila Stakes (Black Type) – (race 9)". Equibase. July 12, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2023.