Ruffian Stakes

The Ruffian Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares ages four-years-old and older run over a distance of one mile on a dirt track scheduled annually in early May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

Ruffian Stakes

Class	Grade II
Location	Belmont Park New York, United States
Inaugurated	1976
Race type	Thoroughbred – Flat racing
Website	NYRA
Race information
Distance	1 mile
Surface	Dirt
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Fillies & Mares, four-years-old and older
Weight	124 lbs with allowances
Purse	$200,000 (2021)

Race history

The race is named in honor of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame filly, Ruffian who broke down in a match race with the 1975 Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure on 6 July 1975 at Belmont Park and was humanely euthanized the following day.^[1]

The following year the New York Racing Association scheduled the inaugural running of the Ruffian Stakes on 9 October 1976 as a 1+1⁄4 miles race for fillies and mares, three-year-old and older. The event was won by Revidere who defeated the Argentine bred Bastonera II by 14 lengths on a sloppy track in a time of 2:01 flat.^[2] Revidere was sired by Reviewer the same sire of the ill-fated Ruffian. After the first running the event was classified as Grade I.

In 1977 the distance of the event was decreased to 1+1⁄8 miles and the conditions of the event were changed to a handicap thus the name of the event became the Ruffian Handicap.^[3] In 1990 the distance was reduced once again to 1+1⁄16 miles.^[4]

The 2001 running of the Ruffian Handicap was cancelled due to the September 11th terrorist attacks.

In 2010 and 2011 the event was moved to the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York during the regular summer meeting and was run as the Ruffian Invitational Handicap over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles.^[4]

In late 2011 the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association downgraded the event to Grade II for 2012^[5] however, NYRA did not schedule the event.

The event was moved to Aqueduct Racecourse in 2013 and held in April over a distance of one mile^[3] and then returned to Belmont Park in 2014 and scheduled in May where it was run on the undercard of the Man o' War Stakes on Mother's Day. That year the event became the Ruffian Stakes again in 2014 and the conditions were changed to the current format of fillies and mares ages four-years-old and older allowed to enter.^[3] Fiftyshadesofhay won the race, giving John Velazquez his sixth win in the race, currently the leading jockey to have won this event.^[6]

Outstanding mares to have won this event include Sky Beauty who won this race in 1994 with 130 pounds,^[7] Bayakoa who won the event in 1989, and Lady's Secret who won it twice, in 1985 and 1986, after which she was awarded the Eclipse Award for U.S. Horse of the Year. Genuine Risk, the second filly to win the Kentucky Derby, won it in 1980.

The 2020 winner Monomoy Girl would go on and win the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland and would be crowned U.S. Champion Older Female Horse.

In 2024 the event was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park.^[8]

Records

Speed record:

• 1 mile – 1:34.05 Cavorting (2016)
• 1+1⁄16 miles – 1:40.16 Tough Tiz's Sis (2008)
• 1+1⁄8 miles – 1:46.80 Lady's Secret (1986)

Margins:

• 14 lengths – Revidere (1976)
• 12+1⁄4 lengths – Tough Tiz's Sis (2008)

Most wins:

• 2 – Lady's Secret (1985, 1986)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 6 – John Velazquez (1996, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2014)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 3 – Claude R. McGaughey III (1991, 1992, 1995)
• 3 – Robert J. Frankel (2003, 2004, 2007)

Most wins by an owner:

• 2 – Cynthia Phipps (1982, 1992)
• 2 – Eugene V. Klein (1985, 1986)
• 2 – Karl Watson & Paul Weitman (2008, 2014)
• 2 – Godolphin Racing (2005, 2015)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance	Time	Purse	Grade	Ref
At Aqueduct – Ruffian Stakes
2025	Jody’s Pride	4	Joel Rosario	Jorge R. Abreu	Parkland Thoroughbreds & Sportsmen Stable	1 mile	1:35.04	$200,000	II	[9]
2024	Soul of an Angel	5	Trevor McCarthy	Saffie Joseph Jr.	C Two Racing Stable & Agave Racing Stable	1 mile	1:35.40	$200,000	II	[10]
At Belmont Park
2023	Pass the Champagne	5	Feargal Lynch	George Weaver	R.A. Hill Stable, Black Type Thor., Rock Ridge Racing, BlackRidge Stables & James F. Brown	1 mile	1:36.13	$200,000	II	[11]
2022	Search Results	4	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Chad C. Brown	Klaravich Stables	1 mile	1:34.88	$200,000	II	[12]
2021	Vault	5	Joel Rosario	Brad H. Cox	Kueber Racing, Barlar, Madaket Stables & Little Red Feather Racing	1 mile	1:35.81	$200,000	II	[13]
2020	Monomoy Girl	5	Florent Geroux	Brad H. Cox	Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables	1 mile	1:34.13	$145,500	II	[14]
2019	Come Dancing	5	Manuel Franco	Carlos F. Martin	Blue Devil Racing Stable	1 mile	1:36.54	$242,500	II	[15]
2018	Pacific Wind	4	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Chad C. Brown	Sharon Alesia, Ciaglia Racing, Peter M. Brant & Dominic Savides	1 mile	1:39.05	$245,000	II	[16]
2017	Highway Star	4	Angel S. Arroyo	Rodrigo A. Ubillo	Chester & Mary Broman	1 mile	1:39.05	$245,000	II	[17]
2016	Cavorting	4	Javier Castellano	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	Stonestreet Stables	1 mile	1:34.05	$250,000	II	[18]
2015	§ Wedding Toast	5	Jose Lezcano	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	Godolphin Racing	1 mile	1.35.57	$250,000	II	[19]
2014	Fiftyshadesofhay	4	John R. Velazquez	Bob Baffert	Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman	1 mile	1:35.70	$250,000	II	[6]
At Aqueduct – Ruffian Handicap
2013	Withgreatpleasure	5	John R. Velazquez	David Nunn	David Blethen	1 mile	1:36.52	$250,000	II	[20]
2012	Race not held
At Saratoga – Ruffian Invitational Handicap
2011	Ask the Moon	6	Javier Castellano	Martin D. Wolfson	Farnsworth Stable	1+1⁄8 miles	1:50.46	$250,000	I	[21]
2010	Malibu Prayer	4	John R. Velazquez	Todd A. Pletcher	Edward P. Evans	1+1⁄8 miles	1:48.14	$250,000	I	[22]
At Belmont Park – Ruffian Handicap
2009	Swift Temper	5	Alan Garcia	Dale L. Romans	Richard Nip & Omar Trevino	1+1⁄16 miles	1:40.59	$300,000	I	[23]
2008	Tough Tiz's Sis	4	Edgar S. Prado	Bob Baffert	Karl Watson & Weitman Performance	1+1⁄16 miles	1:40.16	$300,000	I	[24]
2007	Ginger Punch	4	Rafael Bejarano	Robert J. Frankel	Stronach Stables	1+1⁄16 miles	1:40.25	$285,000	I	[25]
2006	Pool Land	4	John R. Velazquez	Todd A. Pletcher	Melnyk Racing Stable	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.81	$294,000	I	[26]
2005	Stellar Jayne	4	Jerry D. Bailey	Saeed bin Suroor	Godolphin Racing	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.87	$300,000	I	[27]
2004	Sightseek	5	John R. Velazquez	Robert J. Frankel	Juddmonte Farms	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.51	$294,000	I	[28]
2003	Wild Spirit (CHI)	4	Jerry D. Bailey	Robert J. Frankel	Sumaya Us Stable	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.23	$300,000	I	[29]
2002	Mandy's Gold	4	Jose A. Santos	Michael E. Gorham	Steeplechase Farm	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.57	$300,000	I	[30]
2001	Race not held
2000	Riboletta (BRZ)	5	Chris McCarron	Eduardo Inda	Aaron U. & Marie D. Jones	1+1⁄16 miles	1:40.35	$250,000	I	[31]
1999	Catinca	4	Jerry D. Bailey	John C. Kimmel	Robert K. Waxman	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.94	$250,000	I	[32]
1998	Sharp Cat	4	Corey Nakatani	Wallace Dollase	The Thoroughbred Corporation	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.40	$250,000	I	[33]
1997	Tomisue's Delight	3	Jerry D. Bailey	Neil J. Howard	Stephen C. Hilbert	1+1⁄16 miles	1:44.43	$250,000	I	[34]
1996	Yanks Music	3	John R. Velazquez	Leo O'Brien	Michael Fennessy	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.84	$250,000	I	[35]
1995	Inside Information	4	Mike E. Smith	Claude R. McGaughey III	Ogden Mills Phipps	1+1⁄16 miles	1:40.98	$200,000	I	[36]
1994	Sky Beauty	4	Mike E. Smith	H. Allen Jerkens	Georgia E. Hofmann	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.79	$200,000	I	[7]
1993	Shared Interest	5	Robbie Davis	Flint S. Schulhofer	Robert S. Evans	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.92	$200,000	I	[37]
1992	Versailles Treaty	5	Mike E. Smith	Claude R. McGaughey III	Cynthia Phipps	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.41	$200,000	I	[38]
1991	Queena	5	Angel Cordero Jr.	Claude R. McGaughey III	Emory A. Hamilton	1+1⁄16 miles	1:41.65	$200,000	I	[39]
1990	Quick Mischief	4	Raul I. Rojas	Charles J. Carlesimo Jr.	Gregory Mordas	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.80	$240,840	I	[40]
1989	Bayakoa (ARG)	5	Laffit Pincay Jr.	Ron McAnally	Janis & Frank Whitham	1+1⁄8 miles	1:48.40	$226,400	I	[41]
1988	Sham Say	3	Jacinto Vasquez	William B. Cox	Evergreen Farm	1+1⁄8 miles	1:48.00	$244,000	I	[42]
1987	†§ Coup de Fusil	5	Angel Cordero Jr.	Jan H. Nerud	Tartan Farms	1+1⁄8 miles	1:48.60	$249,600	I	[43]
1986	Lady's Secret	4	Pat Day	D. Wayne Lukas	Eugene V. Klein	1+1⁄8 miles	1:46.80	$230,400	I	[44]
1985	§ Lady's Secret	3	Jorge Velasquez	D. Wayne Lukas	Eugene V. Klein	1+1⁄8 miles	1:47.40	$169,800	I	[45]
1984	Heatherten	5	Randy Romero	William I. Mott	John A. Franks	1+1⁄8 miles	1:48.20	$172,200	I	[46]
1983	Heartlight No. One	3	Laffit Pincay Jr.	Pedro Marti	Burt Bacharach	1+1⁄8 miles	1:47.20	$171,925	I	[47]
1982	Christmas Past	3	Jacinto Vasquez	Angel A. Penna Jr.	Cynthia Phipps	1+1⁄8 miles	1:48.60	$166,800	I	[48]
1981	Relaxing	5	Angel Cordero Jr.	Angel Penna Sr.	Ogden Phipps	1+1⁄8 miles	1:47.60	$161,700	I	[49]
1980	Genuine Risk	3	Jacinto Vasquez	LeRoy Jolley	Diana M. Firestone	1+1⁄8 miles	1:49.20	$136,500	I	[50]
1979	It's in the Air	3	Laffit Pincay Jr.	Laz Barrera	Harbor View Farm	1+1⁄8 miles	1:47.40	$133,125	I	[51]
1978	Late Bloomer	4	Jorge Velasquez	John M. Gaver Jr.	Greentree Stable	1+1⁄8 miles	1:47.00	$108,100	I	[52]
1977	Cum Laude Laurie	3	Angel Cordero Jr.	Thomas L. Rondinello	Daniel W. Galbreath	1+1⁄8 miles	1:52.20	$110,300	I	[53]
Ruffian Stakes
1976	Revidere	3	Jacinto Vasquez	David A. Whiteley	William Haggin Perry	1+1⁄4 miles	2:01.00	$132,375	I	[2]

Notes:
§ Ran as an entry
† In the 1987 running Sacahuista finished first, but was disqualified for interfering with other runners in the straight. Coup De Fusil was declared the winner and Sacahuista was placed third. However, since all three placegetters were part of an entry Coup De Fusil, Clabber Girl and Sacahuista the payout for first place was $2.80 as the entry's odds were 2/5.

See also

• List of American and Canadian Graded races