Man o' War Stakes
| Location | Belmont Park Elmont, New York, United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1959 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | nyra.com |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1⅜ miles (11 furlongs) |
| Track | Grass, left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds & Up |
| Weight | Weight-for-age |
| Purse | $500,000 |
The Man o' War Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Now Raced in July, it is a Grade I event offering a purse of $500,000 and is open to horses three-years-old and up. Run at one and three-eighths mile on the grass, the race sometimes attracts top European horses such as Fantastic Light and Daylami. The top finishers in the Man o' War Stakes often go on to run in the Breeders' Cup Turf.
The inaugural running of the Man o' War took place in 1959 at Aqueduct Racetrack where it was also held in 1961, plus from 1963 to 1967, and again in 1987. Run as the Man o' War Handicap in 1959 and 1961, it is named for the great Man o' War, selected as No.1 in the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century. The race was won in 1973 by another legendary horse, Secretariat.
In 2008 the Man o' War was moved from Belmont's fall schedule into its summer schedule, replacing the Bowling Green Handicap in an attempt to more fairly represent turf competition.
The Man o' War Stakes has been raced at various distances:
- 1½ miles - 1959, 1960, 1962, 1968-1977
- 1⅝ miles - 1961, 1963-1967
- 1⅜ miles - since 1978
[edit] Records
Time record:
- 2:11.65 - Better Talk Now (2005) (at current 1⅜ miles)
- 2:24.80 - Secretariat (1973) (at previous 1½ miles)
Most wins:
- 2 - Majesty's Prince (1983, 1984) Solar Splendor (1991, 1992) and With Anticipation (2001, 2002)
Most wins by an owner:
- 3 - Rokeby Stable (1970, 1971, 1986)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 5 - Jorge Velasquez (1968, 1969, 1970, 1975, 1979)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 4 - MacKenzie Miller (1966, 1969, 1975, 1986)
[edit] Winners of the Man o' War Stakes since 1959
* In 1975, One On The Aisle finished first, but was disqualified and set back to second. # Run in two divisions in 1959.
