The Laureate Stakes was a race for two-year-old Thoroughbred horses run at Morris Park Racecourse in Westchester County, New York from inception in 1896 through 1904. The racecourse was located in a part of Westchester County, New York that was annexed into the Bronx in 1895 and later developed as the neighborhood of Morris Park.
Financial difficulties saw Morris Park cease operations and the race was transferred to the newly opened Belmont Park in Elmont, New York where it was run from 1905 through 1910 and for a final time in 1914. The Laureate was run on dirt and for all but its final edition at 5½ furlongs was contested at a distance of five furlongs.
The 1911–1912 statewide shutdown of horse racing On June 11, 1908, the Republican-controlled New York Legislature under Governor Charles Evans Hughes passed the Hart–Agnew anti-betting legislation with penalties allowing for fines and up to a year in prison.
In spite of strong opposition by prominent owners such as August Belmont, Jr. and Harry Payne Whitney, reform legislators were not happy when they learned that betting was still going on at racetracks between individuals and they had further restrictive legislation passed by the New York Legislature in 1910 that made it possible for racetrack owners and members of its board of directors to be fined and imprisoned if anyone was found betting, even privately, anywhere on their premises. After a 1911 amendment to the law to limit the liability of owners and directors was defeated, every racetrack in New York State shut down. As a result, the Laureate Stakes was not run in 1911 and 1912.
Records Speed record: (5 furlongs) 0:58.80 – Song and Wine (1904)
Most wins by a jockey: 2 – Tod Sloan (1897–1898) 2 – George M. Odom (1900, 1903) 2 – Joe Notter (1908, 1914)
Most wins by a trainer: 3- James G. Rowe Sr. (1896, 1907, 1908)
Most wins by an owner: 2- August Belmont Jr. (1906, 1910) 2- James R. Keene (1907, 1908)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Dist. (Furlongs) Time Win$1914Comely2Joe NotterRichard C. BensonJames Butler5.5 F1:07.00$6,0251913 Race not held1912 No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law.19111910Babbler2Eddie DuganJohn WhalenAugust Belmont Jr.5 F1:00.40$2,3751909Waldo2Dave NicolRaleigh Colston Jr.Charles L. Harrison5 F1:01.00$1,9251908Melisande2Joe NotterJames G. Rowe Sr.James R. Keene5 F0:59.60$2,8851907Frizette2Walter MillerJames G. Rowe Sr.James R. Keene5 F0:00.00*$3,4251906Okenite2Herman RadtkeJohn WhalenAugust Belmont Jr.5 F0:59.00$2,9751905Penrhyn2Willie ShawCharles H. HughesHenry M. Zeigler5 F1:01.00$2,4601904Song and Wine2Arthur RedfernFred BurlewNewton Bennington5 F0:58.80$2,3951903Boxwood2George M. OdomGreen B. MorrisGreen B. Morris5 F0:59.75$2,8501902Charles Elwood2Otto WonderlyCharles Littlefield Jr.James B. A. Haggin5 F0:59.25$2,6751901Oom Paul2Milton HenryWilliam HeustonJacob Worth5 F1:01.00$1,8051900Bonnibert2George M. OdomThomas WelshFleischmann sons5 F0:59.80$2,0151899Prince of Melbourne2Jesse EverettCharles T. PattersonCharles T. Patterson5 F0:59.80$2,1501898Dr. Eichberg2Tod SloanAmos TurneyTurney Bros.5 F0:59.75$2,0051897Frohman2Tod SloanDavid GideonDavid Gideon5 F1:00.00$2,2501896Bastion2Alonzo ClaytonJames G. Rowe Sr.Brookdale Farm Stable5 F1:03.00$2,500 no time taken
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