The Kelso Stakes is a

Grade II In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older run over a distance of one mile (8 furlongs) on the dirt held annually in late October at

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905. It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...

in Elmont, New York. The event offers a purse of $300,000.

History

The event is named in honor of Kelso,

Allaire du Pont Allaire du Pont (May 4, 1913 – January 6, 2006) was an American sportswoman and a member of the prominent French-American Du Pont family of chemical manufacturers who is most remembered as the owner of the Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fam ...

's five-time winner of

American Horse of the Year The American Award for Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to sanction the various awards, "Hor ...

honors. Kelso won the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park five times (1960–1964) consecutively at the then distance of 2 miles on the dirt. Fittingly NYRA scheduled the inaugural running of the Kelso Handicap over two miles at Aqueduct on 23 October 1980. At the time the event was the only $100,000 two mile event on the dirt in the US. The former claimer Peat Moss won the inaugural event as a 24-1 longshot in a time of 3:24. Peat Moss would repeat his winning ways the following year carrying a high-weight of 126 pounds. The 1982 running would be the last time the event would be held at the marathon distance. In 1983 the event was not held. On 20 October 1984 the event was renewed as a miles turf race on an all stakes card at Belmont Park which included the Jockey Club Gold Cup inheriting the classification status of Grade III from the Brighton Beach Handicap which became defunct with its last race on 24 August 1983. In 1988 the event was shortened to one mile. In 1997 the event was upgraded to Grade II. In 2009, it had been originally being scheduled for turf before being moved to the main track due to extremely heavy rain the day before and consequently was down graded to Grade III. In 2010 the event was moved to the main dirt track. Of the more notable winners of the event is Lure. Lure ran in the event three times winning in 1993 and finishing second twice in 1992 and 1994. In 1992 although finishing second as a three-year-old later that year he went on to win the Breeders' Cup Mile. In 1993 after winning this event he followed up in his next start winning the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita Park. In 1994 Lure just failed to win the event, beaten by a nose carrying 128 pounds and giving 14 pounds to the winner Nijinsky's Gold in a thrilling stretch battle. The event in 2022 was moved to

Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack locate ...

due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at

. The event was moved to late October and the conditions of the changed from a handicap to a stakes allowance.

Records

Speed record: *1 mile (dirt) 1:32.90 – Anchor Down (2016) *1 mile (turf) 1:32.07 – Ashkal Way (2006) * miles (turf) – 2:01.20 – Who's For Dinner (1984) *2 miles (dirt) – 3:20.80 Peat Moss (1981) Margins: *5 lengths – Tizway (2010) Most wins: * 2 – Peat Moss (1980, 1981) * 2 – I'm a Banker (1985, 1986) * 2 – Forbidden Apple (2000, 2001) Most wins by an owner: * 2 – Murray M. Garren (1980, 1981) * 2 – Godolphin Racing (1986, 1987) * 2 –

Arthur I. Appleton Arthur Ivar Appleton (October 14, 1915 – January 15, 2008) was a businessman from the Northbrook area of Chicago. He lived part of the year in Chicago and split time between his Indian Creek estate near Miami Beach, Florida, and his thoroughbre ...

(2000, 2001) * 2 – Klaravich Stables (2018, 2020) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

: * 4 – Javier Castellano (2007, 2008, 2012, 2016) Most wins by a trainer: * 4 –

Todd A. Pletcher Todd Pletcher (born June 26, 1967 in Dallas, Texas) is an American thoroughbred horse trainer. He won the Eclipse Award seven times as Trainer of the Year, four of these in consecutive years. His horses Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (20 ...

(2011, 2013, 2016, 2021)

Winners

''Legend:''

References

{{reflist, 2 Graded stakes races in the United States Horse races in New York (state) Open mile category horse races Grade 2 stakes races in the United States Recurring sporting events established in 1980 Belmont Park 1980 establishments in New York (state)

History

Records

Winners

See also

References