The Whirlaway Stakes is a race for

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

horses The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million yea ...

held in February at

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 ...

. The

Whirlaway Whirlaway (April 2, 1938 – April 6, 1953) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the fifth winner of the American Triple Crown. He also won the Travers Stakes after his Triple Crown sweep to become the first and only horse to ...

Stakes is open to three-year-olds willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles (8.5

furlongs A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...

) on the dirt. It is an ungraded event offering a purse of $100,000 added. The

is the second of four two-turn races for 3-year-olds run in New York prior to the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...

.History of the Whirlaway Stakes at the NYRA
/ref> The Whirlaway is named in honor of

, the firth Triple Crown of Horse Racing winner in 1941. Called "Mr. Longtail" for obvious reasons, he was a thrilling closer and a huge crowd pleaser. Like

Silky Sullivan Silky Sullivan (February 28, 1955 – November 18, 1977) was an American thoroughbred racehorse best known for his come-from-behind racing style. Racing style There were other great closers— Whirlaway, Stymie, Calidoscopio, Needles ...

, many of his races were won by last-minute come-from-behind efforts.

Past winners

* 2011 – Toby's Corner – 1:45.66 ( Eddie Castro) * 2010 – Peppi Knows – 1:47.10 – (

Richard Migliore Richard Migliore (born March 14, 1964 in Babylon, New York) is a retired American jockey. He now works as a racing analyst for XBTV. He was nicknamed "The Mig," which is a type of Russian fighter jet, for his tenacious style of riding. He lives ...

) * 2009 – Haynesfield – 1:44.48 – (

Ramon Domínguez Ramón A. Domínguez (born November 24, 1976 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a retired Eclipse Award-winning champion jockey and Hall of Fame member in American thoroughbred horse racing. Domínguez began riding horses at age 16 in his native Venezuela ...

) * 2008 – Barrier Reef – 1:44.47 – (

Alan Garcia Alan may refer to: People * Alan (surname), an English and Turkish surname * Alan (given name), an English given name **List of people with given name Alan ''Following are people commonly referred to solely by "Alan" or by a homonymous name.'' * ...

) * 2007 – Summer Doldrums – 1:42.23 – (

Mike Luzzi Mike may refer to: Animals * Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum * Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off * Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and document ...

) * 2006 – Achilles Of Troy – 1:43.28 (

) * 2005 – Sort It Out – 1:43 1/5 (Timothy Thornton) * 2004 – Little Matth Man – 1:45 3/5 (Pablo Fragoso) * 2003 – Boston Park – 1:44 3/5 (

Shaun Bridgmohan Shaun Xavier Bridgmohan (born June 24, 1979 in Spanish Town, Jamaica) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. At age thirteen, Bridgmohan's family emigrated to the United States, settling in South Florida where he developed an interes ...

) * 2002 – Saratoga Blues – 1:44 4/5 ( Mario G. Pino) * 2001 – Regal Shivers – 1:44 2/5 (

Javier Castellano Javier Castellano (born October 23, 1977, in Maracaibo, Zulia State, Venezuela) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. Castellano began his riding career in 1996 at Santa Rita and La Rinconada racecourses in Venezuela. In June 1997 he ...

) * 2000 – Country Only – 1:43 3/5 ( Heberto Castillo Jr.) * 1999 – Machine to Tower – 1:44 1/5 (

Cornelio Velásquez Cornelio H. Velásquez (born September 28, 1968, in Panama City, Panama) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. He was introduced to horse racing at age fifteen by trainer Carlos Salazar Guardia in his native Panama and enrolled in th ...

) * 1998 – Watch The Bird – 1:44 2/5 (

) * 1997 – Concerto – 1:44 (Carlos Marquez) * 1996 – Devil's Honor – 1:45 ( Anthony Black) * 1995 – Devil's Brew – 1:49 2/5 (

Jorge Chavez Jorge is a Spanish and Portuguese given name. It is derived from the Greek name Γεώργιος (''Georgios'') via Latin ''Georgius''; the former is derived from (''georgos''), meaning "farmer" or "earth-worker". The Latin form ''Georgius'' ...

) * 1994 – Can't Slow Down – 1:44 3/5 (

Robbie Davis Robbie Glen Davis (born July 18, 1961 in Pocatello, Idaho) is a retired American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. Early life Davis grew up in a single parent household forced onto welfare, something that would impact him for the rest of his life ...

) * 1993 –

Prairie Bayou Prairie Bayou (March 4, 1990 – June 5, 1993) was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse owned and bred by Loblolly Stable of Lake Hamilton, Arkansas. Named for a bayou between Little Rock and Hot Springs in Arkansas, he was sired by L ...

– 1:45 1/5 (

Mike E. Smith Michael Earl Smith (born August 10, 1965) is an American jockey who has been one of the leading riders in U.S. Thoroughbred racing since the early 1990s, was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2003, and has won the ...

) * 1992 – Dr. Unright – 1:44 1/5 (Rick Wilson) * 1991 – Stately Wager – 1:47 2/5 (Jorge Chavez) * 1990 – A Corking Limerick – 1:46 2/5 (

Jorge Velásquez Jorge Velásquez (born December 28, 1946 in Chepo, Panama) is a thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. Jorge Velasquez's career in thoroughbred racing began in his native Panama but as a teenager moved to the United States. In 1967 he won ...

) * 1989 – A.M. Swinger – 1:44 3/5 (

Chris Antley Christopher Wiley Antley (January 6, 1966 – December 2, 2000) was an American National Champion and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey. Biography He was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and grew up in Elloree, South Carolina. He left school at ...

) * 1988 – Dr. Carrington – 1:45 (Nick Santagata) * 1987 – High Brite – 1:45 3/5 (Chris Antley) * 1986 – Point Of America – 1:46 (Nick Santagata) * 1985 – First One Up – 1:46 1/5 (

) * 1984 – Lt. Flag – 1:46 3/5 (Jorge Velásquez) * 1983 – But Who Knows – 1:44 1/5 (

Ángel Cordero Jr. Ángel Tomás Cordero Jr. (born: November 8, 1942) is one of the leading Thoroughbred horse racing jockeys of the late 20th-century and the first Puerto Rican to be inducted into the United States' Racing Hall of Fame. He led all jockeys in win ...

) * 1982 – Ask Muhammad – 1:44 1/5 (Ángel Cordero Jr.) * 1981 –

Noble Nashua Noble Nashua (1978–1992) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Kentucky by Theiline Scheumann's Grousemont Farm. Impeccably bred, he was sired by National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Nashua (hors ...

– 1:43 (Ángel Cordero Jr.) * 1980 – Don Daniello – 1:45 1/5 (Larry Saumell)

References

{{reflist Ungraded stakes races in the United States Horse races in New York City Triple Crown Prep Races Aqueduct Racetrack Recurring events established in 1980 1980 establishments in New York City