WHITNEY STAKES · UNITED STATES
Whitney Stakes prize money
The Whitney Stakes is worth $1,000,000 . That makes it the 100th richest of the 997 races on this site and the 45th 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.
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY $1,000,000
WORLD RANK 100th
RUNNINGS HELD 99
FIRST RUN 1928
What the Whitney Stakes is
Grade I · miles (9 furlongs) · Dirt · Saratoga Race Course
- Racecourse
- Saratoga Race Course
- Country
- United States
- Grade
- Grade I
- Distance
- miles (9 furlongs)
- Surface
- Dirt
- Race type
- Thoroughbred, Flat racing
- Open to
- Four-year-olds and Up
- Direction
- Left-handed
- First run
- 1928
We hold the total fund for the Whitney Stakes 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 1:47.91 in 2026, the Whitney Stakes pays $9,267 for every second of the race, which is 74th of the 611 races in horse racing prize money per second and 37th in the United States.
Every Whitney Stakes winner
99 runnings, 1928 to 2026, newest first
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sovereignty4 · 1:47.91 | Junior Alvarado | William I. Mott | Godolphin Racing |
| 2025 | Sierra Leone4 · 1:48.92 | Flavien Prat | Chad C. Brown | Peter M. Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg & Brook T. Smith |
| 2024 | Arthur's Ride4 · 1:48.54 | Junior Alvarado | William I. Mott | Glassman Racing |
| 2023 | White Abarrio4 · 1:48.45 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Richard E. Dutrow Jr. | C Two Racing Stable & Antonio Pagnano |
| 2022 | Life Is Good4 · 1:48.97 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd A. Pletcher | WinStar Farm & China Horse Club |
| 2021 | Knicks Go5 · 1:47.70 | Joel Rosario | Brad H. Cox | KRA Stud Farm |
| 2020 | Improbable4 · 1:48.65 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Bob Baffert | WinStar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing LLC |
| 2019 | McKinzie4 · 1:47.10 | Mike E. Smith | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram, Paul Weitman |
| 2018 | Diversify5 · 1:49.62 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Richard Violette Jr. | Lauren & Ralph Evans |
| 2017 | Gun Runner4 · 1:47.71 | Florent Geroux | Steven M. Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds & Three Chimneys Farm |
| 2016 | Frosted4 · 1:47.77 | Joel Rosario | Kiaran McLaughlin | Godolphin Racing |
| 2015 | Honor Code4 · 1:47.82 | Javier Castellano | Claude R. McGaughey III | Lane's End Farm |
| 2014 | Moreno4 · 1:48.05 | Junior Alvarado | Eric Guillot | Southern Equine Stable |
| 2013 | Cross Traffic4 · 1:47.89 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | GoldMark Farm, LLC |
| 2012 | Fort Larned4 · 1:47.76 | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Ian R. Wilkes | Janis R. Whitham |
| 2011 | Tizway6 · 1:52.43 | Rajiv Maragh | H. James Bond | William L. Clifton Jr. |
| 2010 | Blame4 · 1:48.88 | Garrett Gomez | Albert Stall Jr. | Adele B. Dilschneider |
| 2009 | Bullsbay5 · 1:48.12 | Jeremy Rose | H. Graham Motion | Mitchell Ranch LLC |
| 2008 | Commentator7 · 1:50.23 | John R. Velazquez | Nick Zito | Tracy Farmer |
| 2007 | Lawyer Ron4 · 1:46.64 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Hines Racing LLC |
| 2006 | Invasor4 · 1:49.06 | Fernando Jara | Kiaran McLaughlin | Shadwell Racing |
| 2005 | Commentator4 · 1:48.33 | Gary Stevens | Nick Zito | Tracy Farmer |
| 2004 | Roses in May4 · 1:48.54 | Edgar Prado | Dale L. Romans | Ken & Sarah Ramsey |
| 2003 | Medaglia d'Oro4 · 1:47.69 | Jerry Bailey | Robert J. Frankel | Edmund A. Gann |
| 2002 | Left Bank5 · 1:47:04 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Michael B. Tabor |
| 2001 | Lido Palace4 · 1:47.94 | Jerry Bailey | Robert J. Frankel | John Amerman |
| 2000 | Lemon Drop Kid4 · 1:48.30 | Edgar Prado | Scotty Schulhofer | Jeanne G. Vance |
| 1999 | Victory Gallop4 · 1:48.66 | Jerry Bailey | Elliott Walden | Prestonwood Farm |
| 1998 | Awesome Again4 · 1:49.71 | Pat Day | Patrick B. Byrne | Stronach Stables |
| 1997 | Will's Way4 · 1:48.37 | Jerry Bailey | H. James Bond | Rudlein Stable |
| 1996 | Mahogany Hall5 · 1:48.60 | José A. Santos | James Baker | Woodlyn Farm |
| 1995 | Unaccounted For4 · 1:49.20 | Pat Day | Scotty Schulhofer | Morven Stud |
| 1994 | Colonial Affair4 · 1:48.60 | José A. Santos | Scotty Schulhofer | Centennial Farms |
| 1993 | Brunswick4 · 1:47.40 | Mike E. Smith | Anthony Margotta | Jerry Denker |
| 1992 | Sultry Song4 · 1:47.20 | Jerry Bailey | Patrick Kelly | Live Oak Racing |
| 1991 | In Excess4 · 1:48.00 | Gary Stevens | Bruce L. Jackson | Jack J. Munari |
| 1990 | Criminal Type5 · 1:48.60 | Gary Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | Calumet Farm |
| 1989 | Easy Goer3 · 1:47.40 | Pat Day | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Phipps |
| 1988 | Personal Ensign4 · 1:47.80 | Randy Romero | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Phipps |
| 1987 | Java Gold3 · 1:48.40 | Pat Day | MacKenzie Miller | Rokeby Stable |
| 1986 | Lady's Secret4 · 1:49.80 | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas | Eugene V. Klein |
| 1985 | Track Barron4 · 1:47.60 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | LeRoy Jolley | Peter M. Brant |
| 1984 | Slew o' Gold4 · 1:48.20 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | John O. Hertler | Equusequity Stable |
| 1983 | Island Whirl5 · 1:48.40 | Ed Delahoussaye | Laz Barrera | Elcee-H Stable |
| 1982 | Silver Buck4 · 1:47.80 | Don MacBeth | J. Elliott Burch | C. V. Whitney |
| 1981 | Fio Rito6 · 1:48.00 | Leslie Hulet | Michael Ferraro | Raymond LeCesse |
| 1980 | State Dinner5 · 1:48.20 | Ruben Hernandez | J. Elliott Burch | C. V. Whitney |
| 1979 | Star de Naskra4 · 1:47.60 | Jeffrey Fell | Richard D. Ferris | Caryle J. Lancaster |
| 1978 | Alydar3 · 1:47.40 | Jorge Velásquez | John M. Veitch | Calumet Farm |
| 1977 | Nearly On Time3 · 1:49.40 | Steve Cauthen | LeRoy Jolley | Mrs. Moody Jolley |
| 1976 | Dancing Gun4 · 1:50.00 | Roger Velez | Laz Barrera | Gedney Farms |
| 1975 | Ancient Title5 · 1:48.20 | Sandy Hawley | Keith L. Stucki Sr. | Ethel Kirkland |
| 1974 | Tri Jet5 · 1:47.00 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Charles R. Parke | Fred W. Hooper |
| 1973 | Onion4 · 1:49.20 | Jacinto Vásquez | H. Allen Jerkens | Hobeau Farm |
| 1972 | Key To The Mint3 · 1:49.20 | Braulio Baeza | J. Elliott Burch | Rokeby Stable |
| 1971 | Protanto4 · 1:49.40 | Jorge Velásquez | MacKenzie Miller | Cragwood Stables |
| 1970 | Judgable3 · 1:48.40 | Robert Woodhouse | Herbert Nadler | Saul Nadler |
| 1969 | Verbatim4 · 1:50.00 | Pete Anderson | James P. Conway | Elmendorf Farm |
| 1968 | Dr. Fager4 · 1:48.80 | Braulio Baeza | John A. Nerud | Tartan Stable |
| 1967 | Stupendous4 · 1:48.20 | Eddie Belmonte | Edward A. Neloy | Wheatley Stable |
| 1966 | Staunchness4 · 1:50.20 | Ernest Cardone | Victor J. Nickerson | Red Oak Stable |
| 1965 | Kelso8 · 1:49.80 | Ismael Valenzuela | Carl Hanford | Bohemia Stable |
| 1964 | Gun Bow4 · 1:49.20 | Walter Blum | Edward A. Neloy | Gedney Farms |
| 1963 | Kelso6 · 1:50.40 | Ismael Valenzuela | Carl Hanford | Bohemia Stable |
| 1962 | Carry Back4 · 1:50.00 | Johnny Sellers | Jack A. Price | Katherine Price |
| 1961 | Kelso4 · 1:48.00 | Eddie Arcaro | Carl Hanford | Bohemia Stable |
| 1960 | Warhead5 · 1:51.00 | Mike Sorrentino | Kay Erik Jensen | Mabel C. Scholtz |
| 1959 | Plion4 · 1:53.00 | Manuel Ycaza | Tom Jolley | Edward M. Potter |
| 1958 | Cohoes4 · 1:51.60 | John Ruane | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable |
| 1957 | Kingmaker4 · 1:52.80 | Bobby Ussery | Frank I. Wright | Happy Hill Farm |
| 1956 | Dedicate4 · 1:49.80 | William Boland | G. Carey Winfrey | Jan Burke |
| 1955 | First Aid5 · 1:51.60 | Hedley Woodhouse | J. Elliott Burch | Brookmeade Stable |
| 1954 | Social Outcast4 · 2:04.40 | Eric Guerin | William C. Winfrey | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II |
| 1953 | Tom Fool4 · 2:05.40 | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable |
| 1952 | Counterpoint4 · 2:05.60 | Dave Gorman | Sylvester Veitch | Cornelius V. Whitney |
| 1951 | One Hitter5 · 2:05.00 | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable |
| 1950 | Piet5 · 2:06.60 | Nick Combest | R. Emmett Potts | BoMar Stable |
| 1949 | Round View6 · 2:06.60 | Sebastian Perez | Hollie Hughes | Sanford Stud Farms |
| 1948 | Gallorette6 · 2:05.20 | Arnold Kirkland | Edward A. Christmas | William L. Brann |
| 1947 | Rico Monte5 · 2:02.60 | Ruperto Donoso | Horatio Luro | W. Arnold Hanger |
| 1946 | Stymie5 · 2:07.40 | Basil James | Hirsch Jacobs | Ethel D. Jacobs |
| 1945 | Trymenow3 · 2:02.20 | Herb Lindberg | Oscar White | Walter M. Jeffords Sr. |
| 1944 | Devil Diver5 · 2:02.00 | Eddie Arcaro | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable |
| 1943 | Bolingbroke6 · 2:02.00 | Herb Lindberg | Walter Burrows | Townsend B. Martin |
| 1942 | Swing and Sway4 · 2:05.40 | Don Meade | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable |
| 1941 | Fenelon4 · 2:06.40 | James Stout | James Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud |
| 1940 | Challedon4 · 2:03.20 | George Woolf | Louis Schaefer | William L. Brann |
| 1939 | Eight Thirty3 · 2:06.20 | Harry Richards | Bert Mulholland | George D. Widener Jr. |
| 1938 | War Admiral4 · 2:03.80 | Wayne D. Wright | George Conway | Glen Riddle Farm |
| 1937 | Esposa5 · 2:05.20 | Nick Wall | Matthew P. Brady | William Ziegler Jr. |
| 1936 | Discovery5 · 2:06.80 | John Bejshak | Bud Stotler | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II |
| 1935 | Discovery4 · 2:04.80 | John Bejshak | Bud Stotler | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II |
| 1934 | Discovery3 · 2:07.80 | Don Meade | Bud Stotler | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II |
| 1933 | Caesar's Ghost3 · 2:10.80 | Dominick Bellizzi | Jack J. Connors | Brookmeade Stable |
| 1932 | Equipoise4 · 2:05.60 | Raymond Workman | Thomas J. Healey | C. V. Whitney |
| 1931 | St. Brideaux3 · 2:05.00 | Linus McAtee | James G. Rowe Jr. | Greentree Stable |
| 1930 | Whichone3 · 2:04.00 | Raymond Workman | Thomas J. Healey | Harry Payne Whitney |
| 1929 | Bateau4 · 2:09.40 | Eddie Ambrose | Scott P. Harlan | Walter M. Jeffords Sr. |
| 1928 | Black Maria5 · 2:06.00 | Laverne Fator | William H. Karrick | William R. Coe |
99 of the 99 runnings name the rider, 99 name the trainer and 99 name the owner, who is the one of the three the prize money actually belongs to.
Who wins the Whitney Stakes more than once
The fact the table above holds and cannot show
Kelso has won it 3 times, which is more than any other horse.
3 horses have won it more than once across 99 runnings.
Most wins by a trainer
| Horse | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Kelso | 3 | 1961, 1963, 1965 |
| Discovery | 3 | 1934, 1935, 1936 |
| Commentator | 2 | 2005, 2008 |
Races worth about the same
Either side of the Whitney Stakes in the world money order
| # | Race | Country | Prize money | As published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | Jockey Club Gold CupBelmont Park | United States | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 91 | La Troienne StakesChurchill Downs | United States | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 92 | Louisiana DerbyFair Grounds Race Course | United States | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 93 | Manhattan StakesBelmont Park | United States | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 94 | Metropolitan HandicapBelmont Park | United States | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 95 | Pacific Classic StakesDel Mar Racetrack | United States | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 96 | Pegasus World Cup Turf InvitationalGulfstream Park | United States | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 97 | Pennsylvania DerbyParx Racing and Casino, | United States | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 98 | Rebel StakesOaklawn Park Race Track | United States | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 99 | Southwest StakesOaklawn Park Race Track | United States | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 101 | Grand Steeple-Chase de ParisAuteuil Racecourse | France | $966,239 | €850,000 |
| 102 | Commonwealth CupAscot Racecourse | Great Britain | $965,248 | £725,750 |
| 103 | Mile Championship Nambu HaiMorioka Racecourse | Japan | $938,448 | ¥140,000,000 |
| 104 | St Leger StakesDoncaster Racecourse | Great Britain | $931,000 | £700,000 |
| 105 | Japan Breeding Farms' Cup SprintChanges yearly | Japan | $911,635 | ¥136,000,000 |
| 106 | Kashiwa KinenFunabashi Racecourse, Funabashi, Chiba | Japan | $911,635 | ¥136,000,000 |
| 107 | Teio ShoOhi | Japan | $911,635 | ¥136,000,000 |
| 108 | St James's Palace StakesAscot Racecourse | Great Britain | $864,500 | £650,000 |
| 109 | Cheltenham Gold CupCheltenham Racecourse | Great Britain | $860,350 | £646,880 |
| 110 | Eagle Farm CupDoomben Racecourse | Australia | $844,444 | AU$1,200,000 |
The 20 races closest to the Whitney Stakes 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, 45th of them is this one
| Race | Racecourse | Grade | Prize money |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational | Gulfstream Park | Grade I | $1,000,000 |
| Pennsylvania Derby | Parx Racing and Casino, | Grade I | $1,000,000 |
| Rebel Stakes | Oaklawn Park Race Track | Grade II | $1,000,000 |
| Southwest Stakes | Oaklawn Park Race Track | Grade III | $1,000,000 |
| First Lady Stakes | Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky United States | Grade I | $800,000 |
| Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes | Keeneland Race Course | Grade I | $800,000 |
| Jeff Ruby Steaks | Turfway Park | Grade III | $777,000 |
| Belmont Derby | Belmont Park | Grade I | $750,000 |
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 Whitney Stakes prize money?
$1,000,000.
Where does the Whitney Stakes rank among the richest races in the world?
100th of 997. 99 races pay more, the nearest of them Jockey Club Gold Cup. In the United States it is 45th of 196.
Which horse has won the Whitney Stakes most often?
Kelso, 3 times, in 1961, 1963, 1965.
Which jockey has won the Whitney Stakes most often?
Jerry Bailey, with 5 wins between 1992 and 2003.
When was the Whitney Stakes first run?
1928. This page holds 99 runnings, from 1928 to 2026.
How far is the Whitney Stakes?
miles (9 furlongs), on dirt, at Saratoga Race Course.
Where to next
The rest of the racing money