The Just A Game Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age four and up run over a distance of one mile (8 furlongs) on the turf held annually in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The event offers a purse of $500,000.

History

The race is named in honor of Peter Brant's filly, Just A Game, who was voted 1980 American Champion Female Turf Horse honors.

The event was inaugurated on Independence Day in 1992 and run over a distance of miles on a muddy dirt track, won by Lady Lear who defeated the Irish Bred favorite by a length in a time of 2:15.

The event was not held in 1993 but the next year the event was moved to the turf and run over a mile.

The event was classified as a Grade III in 1997, upgraded to Grade II in 2004 and a Grade I in 2008.

The event carried Breeders' Cup incentives between 1996 and 2005 which were reflected in the name of the event.

Several mares have won this event who later became champions. The 2000 winner Perfect Sting later that year won the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and was crowned US Champion Female Turf Horse. The 2004 British bred winner Intercontinental returned the following year only to get defeated into second place by Sand Springs but by the end of the season she made amends by winning Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and also becoming the 2005 US Champion Female Turf Horse. The 2015 winner Tepin continued en route to a Breeders' Cup Mile win and honored as 2015 US Champion Female Turf Horse.

In 2024 the event was moved to Saratoga Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park.

Records Speed record: 1:31.64 – Celestine (2016)

Margins: 6 lengths – Elizabeth Bay (1994)

Most wins: 2 – Caress (1995, 1996)

Most wins by an owner: 4 – Juddmonte Farms (2004, 2008, 2010, 2017)

Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Javier Castellano (2011, 2014, 2017, 2019) 4 – Irad Ortiz Jr. (2018, 2020, 2023, 2024)

Most wins by a trainer: 8 – Chad C. Brown (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Saratoga – Just a Game Stakes2026Classic Q4John R. VelazquezMark E. CasseGary Barber, Blue Crevalle Racing and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners1 mile1:32.84$500,000I2025Dynamic Pricing (IRE)4Dylan Davis Chad C. BrownKlaravich Stables1 mile1:38.77$500,000I2024Chili Flag (FR) 5Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownMadaket Stables, Michael Dubb & Michael E. Kisber1 mile 1:35.01$500,000I At Belmont Park 2023In Italian (GB)5Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownPeter M. Brant1 mile 1:34.00$485,000I2022Regal Glory6José OrtizChad C. BrownPeter M. Brant1 mile 1:32.00$480,000I2021Althiqa (GB)4Mike E. SmithCharlie ApplebyGodolphin1 mile1:33.90$500,000I20204Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownKlaravich Stables1 mile1:35.62$250,000I2019Rushing Fall4Javier CastellanoChad C. Browne Five Racing Thoroughbreds1 mile1:31.67$671,000I20185Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownMichael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Bethlehem Stables1 mile1:32.14$700,000I2017Antonoe4Javier CastellanoChad C. BrownJuddmonte Farms1 mile1:32.12$687,000I2016Celestine4Junior AlvaradoWilliam I. MottJames Bryan, Jr1 mile1:31.64$700,000I2015Tepin4Julien R. LeparouxMark E. CasseRobert E. Masterson1 mile1:35.65$700,000I2014Coffee Clique4Javier CastellanoBrian A. LynchAmerman Racing (Jerry & Joan Amerman)1 mile1:32.52$750,000I2013Stephanie's Kitten4John R. VelazquezWayne M. CatalanoKenneth and Sarah Ramsey1 mile1:36.27$500,000I2012Tapitsfly5Dale L. RomansFrank Jones Jr.1 mile1:32.34$500,000I2011C. S. Silk5Javier CastellanoDale L. RomansWilliam Pacella, Fred Barbara & George Bonomo 1 mile1:40.53$400,000I2010Proviso (GB)5Mike E. SmithWilliam I. MottJuddmonte Farms1 mile1:34.09$400,000I2009Diamondrella (GB)5Rajiv MaraghAngel A. Penna Jr.Castletop Stable1 mile1:36.49$400,000I2008Ventura4Garrett K. GomezRobert J. FrankelJuddmonte Farms1 mile1:32.75$400,000I2007My Typhoon (IRE)5Eddie CastroWilliam I. MottLive Oak Plantation1 mile1:34.92$294,000IIJust a Game Handicap2006Gorella (FR)4Julien R. LeparouxMartin S. Schwartz1 mile1:37.14$285,000II2005Sand Springs5John R. VelazquezWilliam I. MottSangster Family Stable1 mile1:33.05$300,000II2004§ Intercontinental (GB)4Jerry D. BaileyRobert J. FrankelJuddmonte Farms1 mile1:33.33$226,333II2003§ Mariensky4José A. SantosChristophe ClementWaterville Lake Stable1 mile1:43.28$214,500III2002Babae (CHI)6Jorge F. ChavezFrank A. AlexanderJoseph P. Platt Jr.1 mile1:34.57$147,200III2001License Fee6Pat DayW. Elliott WaldenWinstar Farm1 mile1:32.62$189,050III2000Perfect Sting4Jerry D. BaileyJoe OrsenoStronach Stables1 mile1:34.48$165,800III1999Cozy Blues5Jorge F. ChavezH. James BondSandy & Joanne Dew1 mile1:33.33$157,700III1998Witchful Thinking4Chris McCarronLeslie R. Grimm1 mile1:33.45$157,325III1997Memories of Silver4Jerry D. BaileyJames J. TonerJoan & John Phillips1 mile1:32.90$158,950III1996† Caress5Robbie DavisH. Allen JerkensHarbor View Farm1 mile1:33.30$158,150 Listed Just a Game Stakes1995Caress4Robbie DavisH. Allen JerkensHarbor View Farm1 mile1:32.53$82,000Listed 1994Elizabeth Bay4Mike E. SmithWilliam I. MottMohammed Al Maktoum1 mile1:32.85$55,550Listed 1993Race not held1992Lady Lear5Gerry BrocklebankLinda L. RiceMark Weiss miles2:15.90$78,900 Listed

Legend:

Notes:

† In 1996, Class Kris finished first but was disqualified and set back to second

§ Ran as part of an entry

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References