Victory Ride Stakes
# Victory Ride Stakes

The Victory Ride Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run at a distance of 6+1⁄2 furlongs on the dirt held annually in late June or early July at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

## History

The race is named in honor of Victory Ride, winner of the Grade I Test Stakes in 2001.

The event was inaugurated on 23 August 2003 and was held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York over a distance of six furlongs. The event was won by the D. Wayne Lukas trained Country Romance in a time of 1:09.62.

The race was ungraded for its first three editions and was upgraded to Grade III in 2006.

Since 2012, the event has been run at Belmont Park in early July. The race was run at 6 furlongs until 2013, when it was increased to 6+1⁄2 furlongs.

## Records

Speed record:

* 6+1⁄2 furlongs: 1:14.47 – Frank's Rockette (2020)
* 6 furlongs: 1:08.89 – Emma's Encore (2012)

Margins:

* 9+1⁄4 lengths – La Traviata (2007)

Most wins by a jockey:

* 3 – Joel Rosario (2013, 2014, 2023)

Most wins by a trainer:

* No trainer has won this race more than once.

Most wins by an owner:

* No owner has won this race more than once.

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| At Belmont Park ||||||||||
| 2023 | Maple Leaf Mel | Joel Rosario | Melanie Giddings | August Dawn Farm | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:15.74 | $175,000 | III |
| 2022 | Hot Peppers | Luis Saez | Rudy R. Rodriguez | Michael Dubb & Michael J. Caruso | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:17.73 | $145,500 | III |
| 2021 | Souper Sensational | Flavien Prat | Mark E. Casse | Live Oak Plantation | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:15.79 | $150,000 | III |
| 2020 | Frank's Rockette | John Velazquez | William I. Mott | Frank Fletcher Racing Operations | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:14.47 | $97,000 | III |
| 2019 | Royal Charlotte | Javier Castellano | Chad C. Brown | First Row Partner | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:15.82 | $139,500 | III |
| 2018 | Dixie Serenade | Mychel J. Sanchez | Edward J. Coletti Jr. | Uptowncharlybrown Stud | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:16.57 | $150,000 | III |
| 2017 | American Gal | Flavien Prat | Simon Callaghan | Kaleem Shah | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:17.38 | $144,000 | III |
| 2016 | Coppa | Joseph Talamo | Philip D'Amato | Anthony Fanticola & Joseph Scardino | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:16.23 | $150,000 | III |
| 2015 | Irish Jasper | Javier Castellano | Derek S. Ryan | Derek S. Ryan | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:16.70 | $147,000 | III |
| 2014 | Street Story | Joel Rosario | Steven M. Asmussen | Whispering Oaks Farm | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | 1:17.08 | $150,000 | III |
| 2013 | Baby J | Joel Rosario | Patrick L. Reynolds | Paul P. Pompa | 6 furlongs | 1:10.84 | $147,000 | III |
| 2012 | Emma's Encore | Junior Alvarado | H. Allen Jerkens | Brenda Mercer & Peter A. Berglar | 6 furlongs | 1:08.89 | $150,000 | III |
| At Saratoga ||||||||||
| 2011 | Hot Summer | Cornelio Velásquez | David Fawkes | Harold L. Queen | 6 furlongs | 1:10.18 | $102,000 | III |
| 2010 | Rapport | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Thoroughbred Legends Racing Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:09.66 | $100,000 | III |
| 2009 | Sara Louise | Edgar S. Prado | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin Racing | 6 furlongs | 1:09.66 | $110,000 | III |
| 2008 | Porte Bonheur | Ramon A. Dominguez | David P. Duggan | Johanna Murphy-Leopoldsberger | 6 furlongs | 1:09.51 | $110,100 | III |
| 2007 | La Traviata | Julien R. Leparoux | Patrick L. Biancone | Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier & Derrick Smith | 6 furlongs | 1:09.78 | $114,700 | III |
| 2006 | Wildcat Bettie B | Mario G. Pino | J. Larry Jones | Oasis Racing | 6 furlongs | 1:10.81 | $110,700 | III |
| 2005 | Nothing But Fun | Richard Migliore | Michael E. Hushion | Barry K. Schwartz | 6 furlongs | 1:09.40 | $81,500 | Listed |
| 2004 | Smokey Glacken | Joe Bravo | James A. Jerkens | Susan and John Moore | 6 furlongs | 1:09.64 | $76,800 | Listed |
| 2003 | Country Romance | Jorge F. Chavez | D. Wayne Lukas | Overbrook Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:09.62 | $76,200 | Listed |
