Ballerina Handicap prize money
The Ballerina Handicap is worth $500,000 for the 2021 running . That makes it the 185th richest of the 997 races on this site and the 67th richest in the United States.
Every figure here is the money the race announces, in the currency it announces it in. The currency control at the top swaps the whole page.
What the Ballerina Handicap is
Grade I · 7 furlongs · Dirt · Saratoga Race Course
- Racecourse
- Saratoga Race Course
- Country
- United States
- Grade
- Grade I
- Distance
- 7 furlongs
- Surface
- Dirt
- Race type
- Thoroughbred, Flat racing
- Open to
- fillies & mares, Three-years-old & up
- Direction
- left-handed
- First run
- 1979
We hold the total fund for the Ballerina Handicap and no separate winner's cheque. What the winner takes is a rule the racecourse sets rather than a national one, and it varies race by race.
Run in 1:22.05 in 2026, the Ballerina Handicap pays $6,094 for every second of the race, which is 119th of the 611 races in horse racing prize money per second and 63rd in the United States.
Every Ballerina Handicap winner
48 runnings, 1979 to 2026, newest first
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Prize money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Ways and Means5 · 1:22.05 | Flavien Prat | Chad C. Brown | Klaravich Stables | $500,000 |
| 2025 | Hope Road4 · 1:21.93 | Jose Ortiz | Bob Baffert | Cicero Farms | $500,000 |
| 2024 | Society5 · 1:22.00 | Tyler Gaffalione | Steven Asmussen | Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds | $500,000 |
| 2023 | Echo Zulu4 · 1:20.95 | Florent Geroux | Steven Asmussen | L and N Racing & Winchell Thoroughbreds | $500,000 |
| 2022 | Goodnight Olive4 · 1:21.40 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Chad C. Brown | First Row Partners & Team Hanley | $500,000 |
| 2021 | Gamine4 · 1:21.61 | John Velasquez | Bob Baffert | Micheal Lund Petersen | $500,000 |
| 2020 | Serengeti Empress4 · 1:21.63 | Luis Saez | Thomas M. Amoss | Joel Politi | $300,000 |
| 2019 | Come Dancing5 · 1:21.48 | Javier Castellano | Carlos F. Martin | Blue Devil Racing Stable | $480,000 |
| 2018 | Marley's Freedom4 · 1:21.39 | Mike E. Smith | Bob Baffert | Cicero Farms | $500,000 |
| 2017 | By the Moon5 · 1:22.97 | Rajiv Maragh | Michelle Nevin | Jay Em Ess Stable | $500,000 |
| 2016 | Haveyougoneaway5 · 1:21.63 | John R. Velazquez | Thomas Morley | Gary Barber & Sequel Racing | $500,000 |
| 2015 | Unbridled Forever4 · 1:22.54 | John R. Velazquez | Dallas Stewart | Charles E. Fipke | $500,000 |
| 2014 | Artemis Agrotera3 · 1:21.89 | Rajiv Maragh | Michael E. Hushion | Chester Broman & Mary R. Broman | $500,000 |
| 2013 | Dance to Bristol4 · 1:23.11 | Xavier Perez | Ollie L. Figgins III | Susan H. Wantz | $500,000 |
| 2012 | Turbulent Descent4 · 1:22.13 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier & Derrick Smith | $500,000 |
| 2011 | Hilda's Passion4 · 1:22.06 | Javier Castellano | Todd A. Pletcher | Starlight Racing | $250,000 |
| 2010 | Rightly So4 · 1:22.58 | Cornelio Velásquez | Anthony W. Dutrow | Zayat Stables | $250,000 |
| 2009 | Music Note4 · 1:22.10 | Rajiv Maragh | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin Stables | $294,000 |
| 2008 | Intangaroo4 · 1:22.18 | Alonso Quinonez | Gary Sherlock | Tom Grether Farms | $239,333 |
| 2007 | Maryfield6 · 1:22.78 | Elvis Trujillo | Doug F. O'Neill | Mark Gorman, Nick J. Mestrandrea & Jim Perry | $250,000 |
| 2006 | Dubai Escapade4 · 1:23.07 | Edgar S. Prado | Eoin G. Harty | Darley Stable | $240,000 |
| 2005 | Happy Ticket4 · 1:24.53 | John R. Velazquez | Andrew Leggio Jr. | Stewart Mather Madison | $250,000 |
| 2004 | Lady Tak4 · 1:21.09 | Jerry D. Bailey | Steven M. Asmussen | Heiligbrodt Racing Stable | $250,000 |
| 2003 | Harmony Lodge5 · 1:22.23 | Richard Migliore | Todd A. Pletcher | Eugene & Laura Melnyk | $250,000 |
| 2002 | Shine Again5 · 1:22.26 | Jean-Luc Samyn | H. Allen Jerkens | Bohemia Stable | $250,000 |
| 2001 | Shine Again4 · 1:22.33 | Jean-Luc Samyn | H. Allen Jerkens | Bohemia Stable | $250,000 |
| 2000 | Dream Supreme3 · 1:22.97 | Pat Day | William I. Mott | Kinsman Stable | $250,000 |
| 1999 | Furlough5 · 1:23.04 | Mike E. Smith | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Phipps | $200,000 |
| 1998 | Stop Traffic5 · 1:22.23 | Shane Sellers | Richard E. Mandella | Diamond A Racing | $200,000 |
| 1997 | Pearl City3 · 1:22.39 | Joe Bravo | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook Farm | $150,000 |
| 1996 | Chaposa Springs4 · 1:21.80 | Shane Sellers | Martin D. Wolfson | Suresh Chintamaneni | $150,000 |
| 1995 | Classy Mirage5 · 1:22.40 | Julie Krone | H. Allen Jerkens | Middletown Stable | $150,000 |
| 1994 | § Roamin Rachel4 · 1:21.80 | Pat Day | Claude R. McGaughey III | Tri Honors Stable | $108,400 |
| 1993 | Spinning Round4 · 1:21.40 | Jorge F. Chavez | Carl J. Domino | Kinsman Stable | $115,200 |
| 1992 | Serape4 · 1:21.20 | Chris Antley | Henrietta Alexander George | Helen K. Groves | $118,600 |
| 1991 | Queena5 · 1:22.00 | Mike E. Smith | Claude R. McGaughey III | Emory A. Hamilton | $120,400 |
| 1990 | § Feel The Beat5 · 1:22.00 | José A. Santos | D. Wayne Lukas | H. Joseph Allen | $119,800 |
| 1989 | Proper Evidence4 · 1:23.20 | Chris Antley | John L. Dalton | Harry A. Gampel | $121,800 |
| 1988 | Cadillacing4 · 1:21.60 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Mills Phipps | $115,000 |
| 1987 | I'm Sweets4 · 1:22.60 | Eddie Maple | Woodford C. Stephens | Brushwood Stable | $114,600 |
| 1986 | Gene's Lady5 · 1:22.40 | Randy Romero | D. Wayne Lukas | Eugene V. Klein | $113,200 |
| 1985 | § Lady's Secret3 · 1:22.60 | Donald MacBeth | D. Wayne Lukas | Eugene V. Klein | $90,300 |
| 1984 | Lass Trump4 · 1:21.80 | Pat Day | Claude R. McGaughey III | Alan Samford | $86,400 |
| 1983 | Ambassador of Luck4 · 1:22.20 | Antonio Graell | Mitchell C. Preger | Envoy Stable | $54,400 |
| 1982 | Expressive Dance4 · 1:22.80 | Donald MacBeth | Stanley M. Hough | Diana M. Firestone | $58,600 |
| 1981 | Love Sign4 · 1:22.60 | Ruben Hernandez | Sidney J. Watters Jr. | Stephen C. Clark Jr. | $54,000 |
| 1980 | Davona Dale4 · 1:22.20 | Jorge Velásquez | John M. Veitch | Calumet Farm | $56,330 |
| 1979 | Blitey3 · 1:23.20 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Angel Penna Sr. | Ogden Phipps | $42,750 |
48 of the 48 runnings name the rider, 48 name the trainer and 48 name the owner, who is the one of the three the prize money actually belongs to. 48 carry the total prize money for that year, converted here the same way the purse above is.
What the Ballerina Handicap has paid, season by season
Total prize money, 1979 to 2026
The total prize money went from $42,750 in 1979 to $500,000 in 2026, 11.7 times more. Every year is converted at today's rate, so the line is the money the race puts up rather than the money the exchange rate did.
Who wins the Ballerina Handicap more than once
The fact the table above holds and cannot show
Most wins by a jockey
| Horse | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Shine Again | 2 | 2001, 2002 |
Races worth about the same
Either side of the Ballerina Handicap in the world money order
| # | Race | Country | Prize money | As published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 173 | Craven PlateRandwick Racecourse, | Australia | $527,778 | AU$750,000 |
| 174 | Moonee Valley Gold CupMoonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia | Australia | $527,778 | AU$750,000 |
| 175 | Oakleigh PlateCaulfield Racecourse | Australia | $527,778 | AU$750,000 |
| 176 | Rosehill GuineasRosehill Gardens Racecourse | Australia | $527,778 | AU$750,000 |
| 177 | Villiers StakesRandwick Racecourse | Australia | $527,778 | AU$750,000 |
| 178 | Zipping ClassicCaulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia | Australia | $527,778 | AU$750,000 |
| 181 | Irish 2,000 GuineasCurragh Racecourse | Ireland | $522,906 | €460,000 |
| 182 | Prix du Moulin de LongchampLongchamp Racecourse | France | $511,538 | €450,000 |
| 183 | Acorn StakesBelmont Park | United States | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 184 | Ashland StakesKeeneland Race Course | United States | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 186 | Beholder Mile StakesSanta Anita Park | United States | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 187 | Champagne StakesBelmont Park | United States | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 188 | Coaching Club American OaksSaratoga Race Course | United States | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 189 | Diana StakesSaratoga Race Course | United States | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 190 | Forego StakesSaratoga Race Course | United States | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 191 | H. Allen Jerkens Memorial StakesSaratoga Race Course | United States | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 192 | Jaipur StakesBelmont Park | United States | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 193 | Jenny Wiley StakesKeeneland Racecourse | United States | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 194 | Jim Dandy StakesSaratoga Race Course | United States | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 196 | Joe Hirsch Turf Classic StakesBelmont Park | United States | $500,000 | $500,000 |
The 20 races closest to the Ballerina Handicap in what they pay, above and below it. Follow the ranking all the way up on the richest races in the world.
The rest of the money in the United States
196 races, 67th of them is this one
| Race | Racecourse | Grade | Prize money |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maker's Mark Mile Stakes | Keeneland Race Course | Grade 1 | $600,000 |
| Transylvania Stakes | Keeneland | Grade III | $600,000 |
| Acorn Stakes | Belmont Park | Grade I | $500,000 |
| Ashland Stakes | Keeneland Race Course | Grade I | $500,000 |
| Beholder Mile Stakes | Santa Anita Park | Grade I | $500,000 |
| Champagne Stakes | Belmont Park | Grade I | $500,000 |
| Coaching Club American Oaks | Saratoga Race Course | Grade I | $500,000 |
| Diana Stakes | Saratoga Race Course | Grade I | $500,000 |
Every race in the United States we hold a purse for is on the United States prize money list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the total Ballerina Handicap prize money?
$500,000, for the 2021 running.
Where does the Ballerina Handicap rank among the richest races in the world?
185th of 997. 184 races pay more, the nearest of them Craven Plate. In the United States it is 67th of 196.
Which horse has won the Ballerina Handicap most often?
Shine Again, 2 times, in 2001, 2002.
Which jockey has won the Ballerina Handicap most often?
John R. Velazquez, with 4 wins between 2005 and 2016.
When was the Ballerina Handicap first run?
1979. This page holds 48 runnings, from 1979 to 2026.
How far is the Ballerina Handicap?
7 furlongs, on dirt, at Saratoga Race Course.
Where to next
The rest of the racing money