The Woodward Stakes is an American Grade Il stakes race and is one of the premier races for older thoroughbred horses in the United States. It is named for prominent racehorse owner William Woodward.

The race was first run in 1954 at Aqueduct Racetrack and then at Belmont Park in late September. In 2006, the Woodward was moved to Saratoga Race Course where it was run on the final Saturday of the meet until 2020. The race was moved back to Belmont Park in 2021.

The Woodward was run as a handicap in 1954, 1955, and in 1976 and 1977. From 1957 through 1975 it was a weight-for-age event, and was run as an allowance stakes from 1977 through 1987. The race returned to being a handicap event in 1988, 1989, and 1990 then reverted to a weight-for-age race in 1991. In 2014, it was changed to allowance weights, meaning horses that do not meet certain conditions carry less weight. In 2020, it was returned to a handicap basis.

History This race is to honor the memory of Belair Stud's William Woodward Sr., a dedicated horseman, who was chairman of the Jockey Club from 1930 to 1950.

Since its inception, the Woodward Stakes has been run at a variety of distances: 1 mile – 1954 miles – 1955, 1976–1977, 1981–1987, 1990–2019, 2021-present miles – 1956–1971, 1978–1980, 1988–1989, 2020 miles – 1972–1975

Notable Moments The Woodward has long been one of America's most prestigious stakes races on the East Coast, along with the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Both races currently serve as major preps for the Breeders' Cup Classic. The Woodward has been won by many horses who were subsequently named the American Horse of the Year and twenty winners of the race were eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame: Sword Dancer, Kelso, Gun Bow, Buckpasser, Damascus, Arts and Letters, Forego, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, Slew o’ Gold, Precisionist, Alysheba, Easy Goer, Holy Bull, Cigar, Skip Away, Ghostzapper, Curlin and Rachel Alexandra.

Kelso, the only five-time Horse of the Year in American history, won three consecutive renewals of the race between 1961 and 1963. In the 1964 renewal, he faced the talented Gun Bow, who had already beaten Kelso once that year. The two battled the entire length of the stretch and were separated at the wire by less than an inch: Gun Bow won by the bob of his head.

In 1973, Secretariat lost the Woodward to Prove Out, who set a stakes record for the then-current distance of miles. The next year, Forego began a four-year win streak. Triple Crown winners Seattle Slew and Affirmed also won the race during the 1970s.

In 2009 at age three, Rachel Alexandra became the first female to win the Woodward. It was also her first race against older males. Only one other 3-year-old filly had ever run in the Woodward: Summer Guest in 1972. She finished second to Key to the Mint before being disqualified and placed third. In 2011 Havre De Grace, a 4 year old filly, became the 2nd female to win the Woodward.

Records Speed record: 1:45.80 for miles – Forego (1976) and Dispersal (1990) 1:59.40 for miles – Alysheba (1988) 2:25.80 for miles – Prove Out (1973)

Most wins: 4 – Forego (1974, 1975, 1976, 1977)

Most wins by an owner: 4 – Lazy F Ranch (1974, 1975, 1976, 1977)

Most wins by a jockey: 6 – Ángel Cordero Jr. (1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985) 6 – Jerry D. Bailey (1992, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005)

Most wins by a trainer: 6 – Todd A. Pletcher (2007, 2010, 2015, 2022, 2024, 2025)

Wins by a filly or mare: Rachel Alexandra (2009) Havre de Grace (2011)

Winners of the Woodward Stakes Year Horse Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time2025Locked4John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherEclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Walmac Farm1:48.112024Tapit Trice4Dylan DavisTodd A. PletcherWhisper Hill Farm & Gainesway Stable 1:50.09 2023Zandon4Flavien PratChad C. BrownJeff Drown1:48.482022Life Is Good4 Irad Ortiz Jr.Todd A. PletcherWinStar Farm & China Horse Club Inc1:49.572021Art Collector4Luis SaezWilliam I. MottBruce Lunsford1:49.222020Global Campaign4Luis SaezStanley M. HoughSagamore Farm LLC & WinStar Farm LLC2:01.402019Preservationist6Junior AlvaradoJimmy JerkensCentennial Farms1:48.112018Yoshida4Joel RosarioWilliam I. MottWinStar Farm, China Horse Club Inc, SF Racing, Head of Plains Partners1:48.942017Gun Runner4Florent GerouxSteve AsmussenThree Chimneys Farm and Winchell Thoroughbreds1:47.432016Shaman Ghost4Javier CastellanoJimmy JerkensStronach Stables1:48.922015Liam's Map4Javier CastellanoTodd A. PletcherTeresa Viola Racing Stables1:47.442014Itsmyluckyday4Paco LopezEdward Plesa Jr.Trilogy Stable& Laurie Plesa1:48.842013Alpha4John VelazquezKiaran McLaughlinGodolphin Stables1:49.282012To Honor and Serve4John VelazquezWilliam I. MottLive Oak Plantation1:48.562011Havre de Grace ‡4Ramon A. DominguezJ. Larry JonesRick Porter1:49.182010Quality Road 4John VelazquezTodd A. PletcherEdward P. Evans1:50.002009Rachel Alexandra ‡3Calvin BorelSteve AsmussenStonestreet Stables1:48.292008Curlin4Robby AlbaradoSteve AsmussenStonestreet Stables1:49.342007Lawyer Ron4John VelazquezTodd A. PletcherHines Racing LLC1:48.602006Premium Tap4Kent DesormeauxJohn C. KimmelKline, Alevizos, Whelihan1:50.652005Saint Liam5Jerry D. BaileyRichard E. Dutrow Jr.William K. Warren Jr.1:49.072004Ghostzapper4Javier CastellanoRobert J. FrankelStronach Stables1:46.202003Mineshaft4Robby AlbaradoNeil J. HowardFarish, Elkins, Webber1:46.202002Lido Palace5Jorge F. ChavezRobert J. FrankelAmerman Racing Stable1:47.602001Lido Palace4Jerry D. BaileyRobert J. FrankelJohn W. Amerman1:47.402000Lemon Drop Kid4Edgar PradoScotty SchulhoferJeanne G. Vance1:50.401999 River Keen7Chris AntleyBob BaffertHugo Reynolds1:46.801998 Skip Away5Jerry D. BaileySonny HineCarolyn H. Hine1:47.801997Formal Gold4Kent DesormeauxWilliam W. PerryJohn D. Murphy1:47.401996Cigar6Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. MottAllen E. Paulson1:47.001995Cigar5Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. MottAllen E. Paulson1:47.001994Holy Bull3Mike E. SmithWarren A. Croll Jr.Warren A. Croll Jr.1:46.801993Bertrando4Gary StevensRobert J. FrankelEdward Nahem & 505 Farms1:47.001992Sultry Song4Jerry D. BaileyPatrick J. KellyLive Oak Plantation Racing1:47.001991In Excess4Gary StevensBruce L. JacksonJack J. Munari1:46.201990Dispersal 4Chris AntleyGrover G. DelpTom Meyerhoff1:45.801989Easy Goer3Pat DayShug McGaugheyOgden Phipps2:01.001988Alysheba4Chris McCarronJack Van BergDorothy Scharbauer1:59.401987Polish Navy3Randy RomeroShug McGaugheyOgden Phipps1:47.001986Precisionist5Chris McCarronL. Ross FenstermakerFred W. Hooper1:46.001985Track Barron4Ángel Cordero Jr.LeRoy JolleyPeter M. Brant1:46.601984Slew o' Gold4Ángel Cordero Jr.John O. HertlerEquusequity Stable1:47.801983Slew o' Gold3Ángel Cordero Jr.Sidney Watters Jr.Equusequity Stable1:46.601982Island Whirl4Ángel Cordero Jr.D. Wayne LukasElcee-H Stable1:46.801981Pleasant Colony3Ángel Cordero Jr.John P. CampoBuckland Farm1:47.201980Spectacular Bid4Bill ShoemakerGrover G. DelpHawksworth Farm2:02.401979Affirmed4Laffit Pincay Jr.Lazaro S. BarreraHarbor View Farm2:01.601978Seattle Slew4Ángel Cordero Jr.Douglas PetersonTayhill Stable2:00.001977Forego7Bill ShoemakerFrank Y. Whiteley Jr.Lazy F Ranch1:48.001976Forego6Bill ShoemakerFrank Y. Whiteley Jr.Lazy F Ranch1:45.801975Forego5Heliodoro GustinesSherrill W. WardLazy F Ranch2:27.201974Forego4Heliodoro GustinesSherrill W. WardLazy F Ranch2:27.401973Prove Out4Jorge VelásquezH. Allen JerkensHobeau Farm2:25.801972Key To The Mint 3Braulio BaezaJ. Elliott BurchRokeby Stable2:28.401971West Coast Scout †3John L. RotzMervin MarksOxford Stable2:00.401970Personality3Eddie BelmonteJohn W. JacobsEthel D. Jacobs2:01.801969Arts and Letters3Braulio BaezaJ. Elliott BurchRokeby Stable2:01.001968Mr. Right5Heliodoro GustinesEvan S. JacksonCheray Duchin2:03.001967Damascus3Bill ShoemakerFrank Y. Whiteley Jr.Edith W. Bancroft2:00.601966Buckpasser3Braulio BaezaEdward A. NeloyOgden Phipps2:02.801965Roman Brother4Braulio BaezaBurley ParkeHarbor View Farm2:01.801964Gun Bow4Walter BlumEdward A. NeloyGedney Farm2:02.401963Kelso6Ismael ValenzuelaCarl HanfordBohemia Stable2:00.801962Kelso5Ismael ValenzuelaCarl HanfordBohemia Stable2:03.201961Kelso4Eddie ArcaroCarl HanfordBohemia Stable2:00.001960Sword Dancer4Eddie ArcaroJ. Elliott BurchBrookmeade Stable2:01.201959Sword Dancer3Eddie ArcaroJ. Elliott BurchBrookmeade Stable2:04.401958Clem4Bill ShoemakerWilliam W. StephensAdele L. Rand2:01.001957Dedicate5Bill HartackG. Carey WinfreyJan Burke2:01.001956Mister Gus5Ismael ValenzuelaCharlie WhittinghamGustave Ring2:03.001955Traffic Judge3Eddie ArcaroWoody StephensClifford Mooers1:48.201954Pet Bully6Bill HartackTommy KellyAda L. Rice1:35.60

A ‡ designates that this is a filly or mare that won the race. † Cougar II finished first, but was disqualified and placed third.

See also Woodward Stakes top three finishers and starters

References

External links Woodward Stakes Race Page, NTRA