The Comely Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Open to three year old fillies, it is raced on dirt over a distance of one mile. The Grade III event offers a purse of $200,000.
The race was named in honor of the filly Comely, who, in a remarkable performance as a two-year-old, defeated older male horses in winning the first running of the Fall Highweight Handicap in 1914. Going into 2019, she remains the only two-year-old to win the Fall Highweight Handicap and one of only a few two-year-olds to defeat older horses in a major stakes race.
Inaugurated in 1945 at Jamaica Race Course, it was raced there through 1951 and again in 1959. For 1952 and 1953 it was hosted by the Empire City Race Track in Yonkers and Belmont Park in 1976, 1981, 1984, and again in 1985. There was no race run from 1954 to 1958. When revived in 1959 the race was open to two-year-olds of either sex and won by the 1960 Preakness Stakes winner, Bally Ache. On April 30, 1975 the superstar filly and future Hall of Fame inductee Ruffian won the Comely by eight lengths in stakes record time.
On May 11, 1985, Abigail Fuller became the first female jockey to win the Comely Stakes. She was aboard Mom's Command, a future Hall of Fame filly bred and raced by her father, Peter Fuller.
The Comely was run in two divisions in 1953, 1963, and 1970.
Records Speed record: 1:49.92 – @ 1 1/8 mile (9 furlongs) Wedding Toast (2013) 1:21.20 – @ 7 furlongs Ruffian (1975)
Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Braulio Baeza (1962, 1963, 1967, 1970) 4 – Jorge Chavez (1995, 1996, 1998, 2004)
Most wins by a trainer: 4 – H. Allen Jerkens (1976, 1994, 1997, 2004)
Most wins by an owner: 2 – Alfred G. Vanderbilt II (1951, 1953) 2 – Wheatley Stable (1960, 1970) 2 – William Haggin Perry (1963, 1964) 2 – George D. Widener Jr. (1965, 1969) 2 – Diana M. Firestone (1980, 1981) 2 – H. Joseph Allen (1982, 1989) 2 – Bohemia Stable (1994, 1997) 2 – Charles E. Fipke (2015, 2016)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Dist. (Miles) Time Purse$ Gr.2025Fully Subscribed 3Flavien PratChad BrownKlaravich Stables M1:50.55$200,000G32024Pretty Ana3Jose LezcanoChad BrownThree Chimneys Farm M1:49.99$200,000G32023Raging Sea3Manuel FrancoChad BrownAlpha Delta Stables M1:50.86$200,000G32022Sixtythreecaliber3Kendrick CarmoucheThomas M. AmossMy Racehorse Stable & Spendthrift Farm M1:53.89$175,000G32021Bees and Honey3Jose LezcanoJ. Reeve McGaugheyGainesway Farm & Andrew Rosen M1.54.41$200,000G32020Mrs.Danvers3Jose LezcanoClaude R. McGaughey IIIAllen Stables Inc. M1.50.09$100,000G32019Bellera3John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherMathis Stables M1:52.91$110,000G32018Blamed 3Julien LeparouxWilliam I. MottCleber J. Massey M1:51.98$120,000G32017Actress 3José Ortiz Jason ServisGary & Mary West M1:52.66$150,000G32016 Verve's Tale3 Paco Lopez Barclay Tagg Charles E. Fipke M1:51.89$150,000G32015 Forever Unbridled3 John R. Velazquez Dallas Stewart Charles E. Fipke M1:50.75$180,000G32014 Snowbell3 Luis Saez Thomas Albertrani Godolphin Racing M1:52.59$240,000G32013 Wedding Toast3 Javier Castellano Kiaran McLaughlin Godolphin Racing M1:49.92$240,000G32012 Broadway's Alibi3 Javier Castellano Todd A. Pletcher E. Paul Robsham Stables1 M1:36.52$150,000G32011 Hot Summer3 Luis Saez David J. Fawkes Harold L. Queen1 M1:35.58$90,000G32010 Touching Beauty3 Mike Luzzi James A. Jerkens Gainesway Farm & Joseph M. Cornacchia1 M1:37.90$60,000G32009 Dream Play3 Eddie Castro Kiaran McLaughlin Stewart Armstrong1 M1:39.51$90,000G22008 Sherine3 Alan Garcia Anthony W. Dutrow Zayat Stables1 M1:37.25$90,000G22007 Boca Grande3 Mike E. Smith Claude R. McGaughey III Phipps Stable1 M1:36.54$90,000G22006 Miraculous Miss3 Kent Desormeaux Steve Klesaris Puglisi Stables & Steve Klesaris1 M1:36.67$90,000G22005 Acey Deucey3 Diane Nelson John D. Morrison Jeffrey Tucker1 M1:35.95$90,000G22004 Society Selection3 Jorge Chavez H. Allen Jerkens Irving & Majorie Cowan1 M1:35.89$67,200G32003 Cyber Secret3 Shaun Bridgmohan Richard E. Dutrow Jr. Goldfarb et al.1 M1:35.97$64,740G32002 Bella Bellucci3 Gary Stevens Neil D. Drysdale Michael Tabor1 M1:33.50$64,920G32001 Two Item Limit3 Richard Migliore Stephen L. DiMauro Joseph Graffeo1 M1:36.17$66,060G32000 March Magic3 Richard Migliore Richard Violette Jr. Ralph M. Evans1 M1:36.79$65,460G31999 Madison's Charm3 Jean-Luc Samyn Thomas A. Hauswald Donald A. Adam1 M1:35.54$65,520G31998 Fantasy Angel3 Jorge Chavez Martin D. Wolfson Martin L. Cherry1 M1:37.44$69,300G31997 Dixie Flag3 Jean-Luc Samyn H. Allen Jerkens Bohemia Stable1 M1:36.96$66,120G31996 Little Miss Fast3 Jorge Chavez Juan Serey James A. Riccio1 M1:36.58$65,940G31995 Nappelon3 Jorge Chavez Rene Araya R Kay Stable1 M1:36.26$64,440G21994 Dixie Luck3 Filiberto Leon H. Allen Jerkens Bohemia Stable1 M1:37.02$66,240G21993 Private Light3 Robbie Davis Claude R. McGaughey III Ogden Mills Phipps M1:44.19$68,280G21992 Saratoga Dew3 Herb McCauley Gary Sciacca Charles F. Engel1 M1:37.22$69,480G21991 Meadow Star3 Chris Antley LeRoy Jolley Carl Icahn1 M1:38.00$67,560G21990 Fappaburst3 Jacinto Vásquez Philip G. Johnson Susan Kaskel7 F1:21.60$49,770G21989 Surging3 Ángel Cordero Jr. D. Wayne Lukas H. Joseph Allen7 F1:23.00$52,290G21988 Avie's Gal3 Jorge Velásquez John J. Lenzini Jr. John Cioci7 F1:22.40$95,550G21987 Devil's Bride3 Rafael Meza John Gosden Oak Cliff Stable7 F1:23.60$65,790G31986 Misty Drone3 Jacinto Vásquez Alton H. Quanbeck Maud McDougald7 F1:24.00$59,940G31985 Mom's Command3 Abigail Fuller Edward T. Allard Peter D. Fuller7 F1:22.20$55,170G31984 Wild Applause3 Pat Day MacKenzie Miller Rokeby Stable7 F1:23.20$52,110G31983 Able Money3 Antonio Graell Anthony Russo Faith Donnelly7 F1:23.80$35,580G31982 Nancy Huang3 Jorge Velásquez Howard M. Tesher H. Joseph Allen7 F1:24.40$34,860G31981 Expressive Dance3 Don MacBeth LeRoy Jolley Diana M. Firestone7 F1:23.40$35,220G31980 Cybele3 Cash Asmussen LeRoy Jolley Diana M. Firestone7 F1:22.60$27,225G31979 Countess North3 Ángel Cordero Jr. Stephen A. DiMauro Michael Rutherford7 F1:23.40$25,725G31978 Mashteen3 Ruben Hernandez Laz Barrera Leslie Combs II7 F1:23.00$25,665G31977 Bring Out The Band3 Don Brumfield James W. Murphy Hickory Tree Stable7 F1:23.60$22,650G31976 Tell Me All3 John Ruane H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm7 F1:23.20$22,080G31975 Ruffian3 Jacinto Vásquez Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. Locust Hill Farm7 F1:21.20$16,755G31974 Clear Copy3 Daryl Montoya Jerome Hirsch Leon J. Hekimian7 F1:24.40$17,670G31973 Java Moon3 Ángel Cordero Jr. Lou Rondinello Darby Dan Farm7 F1:22.80$17,610G31972 Stacey d'Ette3 John Ruane Dave Erb Dave Erb7 F1:21.60$16,2901971 Forward Gal3 Michael Hole Warren A. Croll Jr. Aisco Stable7 F1:23.40$20,4601970-1 Predictable 3 Robert Ussery Edward A. Neloy Wheatley Stable7 F1:24.00$14,8521970-2 Royal Signal3 Braulio Baeza Stephen A. DiMauro Mrs. Lawrence W. Knapp Jr.7 F1:24.00$15,0151969 Ta Wee3 Eddie Belmonte John A. Nerud Tartan Stable7 F1:22.60$18,4921968 Best In Show3Heliodoro GustinesJohn H. SkirvinClearview Stable7 F1:22.40$19,2401967 Gala Honors3Braulio BaezaClyde TrouttAda L. Rice7 F1:25.00$18,9471966 Swift Lady3John L. RotzBurley ParkeHarbor View Farm7 F1:23.60$18,7851965 What a Treat3John L. RotzSylvester E. VeitchGeorge D. Widener Jr.7 F1:24.80$17,6801964 Face The Facts3Manuel YcazaJames W. MaloneyWilliam Haggin Perry7 F1:23.80$18,5251963-1 Pams Ego3Milo ValenzuelaJ. P. "Sammy" SmithClear Springs Stable7 F1:23.80$11,4561963-2 Lamb Chop3Braulio BaezaJames W. MaloneyWilliam Haggin Perry7 F1:24.40$11,3261962 Upswept3Braulio BaezaRobert L. DotterJames Cox Brady Jr.7 F1:24.60$15,4381961 Seven Thirty3Hedley WoodhouseBert MulhollandGeorge D. Widener Jr.7 F1:24.20$15,1121960 Irish Jay3Eddie ArcaroJames E. FitzsimmonsWheatley Stable7 F1:23.00$18,6801959 Bally Ache2David ErbJimmy PittLeonard D. Fruchtman5 F0:59.20$11,3621954 –1958 Race not held1953-1 La Corredora4Ira HanfordCarl HanfordMarian W. O'Connor M1:45.20$18,9871953-2 Home Made3Eric GuerinBill WinfreyAlfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. M1:45.20$19,2371952 Devilkin3William BolandMax HirschJohn W. Hanes M1:44.60$20,2501951 Bed O' Roses4Eric GuerinBill WinfreyAlfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. M1:44.60$20,2501950 Siama3Ovie ScurlockMoody JolleyCain Hoy Stable M1:45.00$20,7001949 Lithe3Herb LindbergFrank S. BarnettHal Price Headley M1:45.20$20,2001948 Conniver4Eric GuerinWilliam PostHarry La Montagne M1:45.00$19,2251947 Elpis3Larry HansmanWillie BoothWilliam G. Helis Sr. M1:44.20$16,7001946 Bonnie Beryl3Hedley WoodhouseJames E. FitzsimmonsBelair Stud M1:44.20$15,6151945 Moon Maiden7Wayne D. WrightHirsch JacobsIsidor Bieber M1:45.40$15,615
External links Video of Ruffian's win in the 1975 Comely Stakes.
References