The Nashua Stakes is a Listed American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds over a distance of one mile on the main dirt track scheduled annually in late October or early November usually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The event currently offers a purse of $150,000. History The event is named in honor of Nashua, the 1955 United States Horse of the Year. Nashua won the Dwyer Handicap at Aqueduct after he had just won the last two Classic events, the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.

The event was inaugurated on December 22, 1975, and was won by Lord Henribee, who was ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Maple for his fourth straight win as the 2/5 odds-on favorite on a cold snowy day in a time of 1:35.

In 1982 the event was classified as Grade III and was upgraded to Grade II in 1986 for three runnings. The race returned to Grade II by the American Graded Stakes Committee in 2009 but was downgraded once more in 2018 back to Grade III.

The event was scheduled for the turf for three runnings between 1991 and 1993. The event has had several distance changes. The distance was set at a mile and 70 yards for 1985, at a mile and a sixteenth from 1987 to 1993 and six furlongs in 2011. The event was not held in 1995 and has been held at Belmont Park four times, the last of which was in 2021.

The event is late in the season and it is usually a good race for late-developing two-year-olds. There have been several notable participants who have made an impact later in their racing careers. The 1991 winner Pine Bluff went on to win the 1992 Preakness Stakes while the 1997 winner Coronado's Quest the following year won the Grade I Haskell Invitational and Grade I Travers Stakes. In 2010 To Honor and Serve led all the way to record an easy 4-length victory over Mucho Macho Man. To Honor and Serve also won two Grade Is later in his career, the Cigar Mile Handicap and Woodward Stakes while Mucho Macho Man won the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2013 as a five-year-old.

In 2023 the event was downgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Listed status

Records Time record: 1 mile: 1:34:66 – Independence Hall (2019) miles: 1:44.60 – Dalhart (1992)

Margins: lengths - Quadratic (1977) lengths - Independence Hall (2019)

Most wins by an owner 3 – Loblolly Stable (1988, 1991, 1992)

Most wins by a jockey 4 – Jerry D. Bailey (1990, 1998, 2001, 2003)

Most wins by a trainer 5 – Kiaran McLaughlin (2006, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2017)

Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Aqueduct2024 Studlydoright Xavier Perez John J. Robb David R. Hughes1 mile1:37.23$145,500Listed 2023 Where's Chris Isaac Castillo Richard E. Dutrow Jr. Nice Guys Stables 1 mile1:36.75$145,500Listed 2022Champions DreamIrad Ortiz Jr.Danny GarganRosedown Racing Stables1 mile1:39.17$150,000III At Belmont Park2021 Rockefeller Luis Saez Bob Baffert SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables & Robert E. Masterson 1 mile1:36.66 $150,000III At Aqueduct2020Pickin' Time Trevor McCarthyKelly J. BreenJohn Bowers, Jr.1 mile1:39.89$100,000III2019Independence HallJose L. OrtizMichael J. TrombettaEclipse Thoroughbreds, Twin Creek Stables, Kathleen & Robert Verratti1 mile1:34:66$150,000III2018VekomaManuel FrancoGeorge WeaverR. A. Hill Stable & Gatsas Stables1 mile1:36.62$200,000III2017Avery IslandJoe BravoKiaran P. McLaughlinGodolphin Racing1 mile1:37.58$200,000II2016HemsworthThomas AlbertraniGodolphin Racing1 mile1:38.70$190,000II2015MohaymenJunior AlvaradoKiaran P. McLaughlinShadwell Stable1 mile1:36.01$200,000II2014BlofeldJohn R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherGlencrest Farm (Lessee) & JSM Equine 1 mile1:38.89$250,000II2013Cairo PrinceLuis SaezKiaran P. McLaughlinNamcook Stables, Paul Braverman, Harvey A. Clarke & W. Craig Robertson III 1 mile1:37.59$250,000II2012ViolenceJavier CastellanoTodd A. PletcherBlack Rock Stables1 mile1:35.32$200,000IIAt Belmont Park2011VexorDavid Cohen John C. KimmelGoldmark Farm6 furlongs1:10.71$150,000IIAt Aqueduct2010To Honor and ServeJose LezcanoWilliam I. MottLive Oak Racing 1 mile1:35.86$147,000II2009Buddy's SaintJose LezcanoBruce N. LevineKingfield Stables 1 mile1:35.67$150,000II2008Break Water EdisonAlan GarciaJohn C. Kimmel Eli Gindi 1 mile1:35.86$109,300III2007EtchedAlan GarciaKiaran P. McLaughlinDarley Stable1 mile1:36.96$105,800III2006Day PassFernando JaraKiaran P. McLaughlinDarley Stable1 mile1:36.09$112,900IIIAt Belmont Park2005Bluegrass CatJohn R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherWinStar Farm1 mile1:38.02$113,300IIIAt Aqueduct2004Rockport HarborStewart ElliottJohn C. ServisFox Hill Farms 1 mile1:36.67$109,500III2003Read the FootnotesJerry D. BaileyRichard A. Violette Jr.Klaravich Stables1 mile1:36.48$113,100III2002Added EdgePatrick HusbandsMark E. CasseTeam Valor & Robert J. Wilson1 mile1:36.77$109,700IIIAt Belmont Park2001Listen HereJerry D. BaileyWilliam I. MottKim & Rodney Nardelli & Lewis G. Lakin 1 mile1:37.61$109,300IIIAt Aqueduct2000OmmadonAaron GryderThomas M. WalshSorin Stables1 mile1:36.74$113,200III1999Mass MarketMike E. SmithBenjamin W. Perkins Jr.New Farm1 mile1:38.60$111,700III1998Doneraile CourtJerry D. BaileyNicholas P. ZitoMichael Tabor & Mrs. John Magnier1 mile1:36.17$111,000III1997Coronado's QuestMike E. SmithStuart S. Janney III1 mile1:37.06$108,500III1996JulesJose A. SantosAlan E. Goldberg Jayeff B Stables 1 mile1:36.89$113,900III1995Race not held1994Devious CourseFrank T. AlvaradoH. James BondRudlein Stable1 mile1:37.50$109,300III1993Popol's GoldHerb McCauleyWilliam H. Turner Jr.Stephen Stavrides miles1:46.68$124,000III1992DalhartMike E. SmithThomas K. BohannanLoblolly Stable miles1:44.60$124,400III1991Pine BluffCraig PerretThomas K. BohannanLoblolly Stable miles1:46.14$126,600III1990Kyle's Our ManJerry D. BaileyJohn M. VeitchDarby Dan Farm miles1:45.40$93,300III1989ChampagneforashleyJacinto VasquezHoward M. TesherLions Head Farm miles1:45.20$110,800III1988TraskwoodAngel Cordero Jr.George R. Arnold IILoblolly Stable miles1:45.20$105,400II1987CougarizedJose A. SantosD. Wayne LukasLloyd R. French Jr. miles1:46.00$128,600II1986Bold SummitChris AntleyRichard E. Dutrow Sr.Alvin J. Akman miles1:45.00$100,000II 1985Raja's RevengeRobbie DavisFrank LaBoccettaEdward Anchel1:44.40$90,350III1984Stone WhiteRobbie DavisGilbert PuentesGilbert Puentes 1 mile1:38.20$96,750III 1983Don RicklesAngel Cordero Jr.John ParisellaTheodore M. Sabarese1 mile1:38.40$58,000III 1982I EncloseRuben HernandezEdward I. Kelly Sr.Brookfield Farms1 mile1:37.60$59,100III 1981Our EscapadeDonald MacBethRoger LaurinReginald N. Webster1 mile1:36.80$58,800 1980† A RunChris McCarronLarry S. BarreraArron U. Jones1 mile1:37.20$59,100 1979GoogolplexLaffit Pincay Jr.Frank "Pancho" MartinRobert N. Lehmann1 mile1:36.40$54,250 1978Instrument LandingJeffrey FellDavid A. WhiteleyPen-Y-Bryn Farm1 mile1:37.00$44,200 1977QuadraticEddie MapleWoodford C. StephensAugust Belmont IV1 mile1:35.40$36,625 1976Nearly On TimeJacinto VasquezLeRoy JolleyMrs. Moody Jolley1 mile1:35.60$36,675 1975 Lord Henribee Eddie MapleWilliam H. Turner Jr.Milton Ritzenberg1 mile1:35.80$55,050

Legend:

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

† In the 1980 running, Willow Hour was first past the post, but was disqualified and placed last for interference in the running of the race.

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References