The Eatontown Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, three years old and older over a distance of miles on the turf course scheduled annually in June at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey and currently offers a purse of $150,000 plus a trophy.

History

The event is named after Eatontown, New Jersey, a Borough near the Monmouth Park track.

The inaugural running of the event was on 9 August 1971, on the closing day of the 1971 Monmouth Park summer meeting as the Eatontown Handicap and was won by the 35-1 longshot in the field, a six-year-old Chilean mare Flor De Sombra in a time of 1:46. Flor De Sombra was claimed earlier that year by Joseph W. Mergler at Gulfstream Park for $14,500.

The following year the event was run in split divisions. The event has been held in split divisions seven times with the last occurrence in 1987.

The event was taken of the turf in 1977 due to state of the track after inclement weather and held on the main dirt track. The event was held on the main track in 2006 and 2020.

For three runnings of the event, from 1988 and 1990 the race was run over the slightly longer distance of miles.

In 1996 the event was upgraded by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Grade III status. The event has held with this status until 2020 when the event was automatically downgraded to Listed class due to the race been run off the turf.

Since 2013 the event has been held as the Eatontown Stakes with stakes allowance conditions.

Records Speed record: miles – 1:39.26 Laughing (IRE) (2013)

Margins: lengths – Jacuzzi Boogie (CAN) (1990)

Most wins: 2 – Telly (1972, 1973)

Most wins by a jockey: 3 – Vincent Bracciale Jr. – (1972 - both divisions, 1973) 3 – Nick Santagata – (1987, 1991, 1992) 3 – Joe Bravo – (1995, 2009, 2017) 3 – Paco Lopez – (2015, 2016, 2019)

Most wins by a trainer: 5 – Chad C. Brown (2017, 2018, 2023, 2024, 2025)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – Cambridge Stables (1972, 1973) 2 – Klaravich Stables (2023, 2024)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefEatontown Stakes2026Gimme a Nother (SAF)6Jorge RuizH. Graham MotionNewstead Stables miles1:42.90$150,000III2025Whiskey Decision 4Samy Camacho Chad C. BrownFred W. Hertrich lll & John D. Fielding miles1:44.81$147,500 III2024Tax Implications (GB) 4Flavien PratChad C. BrownKlaravich Stables miles1:43.98$152,500III2023Consumer Spending 4Samy CamachoChad C. BrownKlaravich Stables miles1:42.00$150,000III2022Stolen Holiday 5Jose Lezcano Annette Allen miles1:42.30$152,500III2021Vigilantes Way 5Paco Lopez Phipps Stable miles1:41.90$165,000III2020Valiance 4Nik JuarezTodd A. PletcherEclipse Thoroughbreds, Martin S. Schwartz & China Horse Club miles1:44.25$153,500 Listed 2019Valedictorian 5Paco LopezKelly J. Breen Epic Racing miles1:43.70$165,000III2018Dream Awhile 4Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. Brown Joseph Allen miles1:41.59$98,000III2017Grand Jete (GB) 4Joe BravoChad C. Brown Juddmonte Farms miles1:41.30$111,000III2016Isabella Sings 4Paco LopezTodd A. Pletcher Siena Farms miles1:40.57$103,000III2015I'm Already Sexy 5Paco LopezWayne M. Catalano Hit The Board Stables miles1:41.29$107,000III2014Medea (IRE) 5Forest BoyceFrancis Abbott III Cornerstone Thoroughbreds miles1:41.89$103,000III2013Laughing (IRE) 5Angel SerpaAlan E. Goldberg Richard Santulli miles1:39.26$99,000IIIEatontown Handicap2012Silver Screamer 4Jose L. EspinozaRudy R. RodriguezMichael Imperio & Bill Elias Stables miles1:40.41$105,000III2010 5Jose Valdivia Jr.H. Graham Motion Team Valor International & Green Lantern Stables miles1:41.79$147,000III2009All Is Vanity (FR) 5Joe BravoChristophe Clement Jedburgh Stud miles1:41.67$150,000III2008Social Queen 5Jose LezcanoAlan E. Goldberg Jayeff B Stables miles1:40.40$150,000III2007Karen's Caper 5Brice BlancRobert J. Frankel Stonerside Stable miles1:39.48$150,000III2006Brunilda (ARG) 6Eddie CastroStanley M. Hough Cobra Farm miles1:44.00$150,000III2005Smart N Classy 5Jose A. Velez Jr.John J. Tammaro III Roseland Farm Stable miles1:46.22$165,000III2004Ocean Drive 4Eibar CoaTodd A. Pletcher Bonnie & Sy Baskin miles1:41.79$100,000III2003Stylish 5Heberto Castillo Jr.William I. Mott The Thoroughbred Corporation miles1:41.69$100,000III2002Clearly a Queen 5Eibar CoaTeresa M. Pompay John A. Franks miles1:44.02$100,000III2001Cousin Gigi 4Rick WilsonTimothy A. Hills Harry Minassian Sr. miles1:47.50$100,000IIIEatontown Stakes2000Recyclada (CHI) 5Alex O. SolisRichard E. Mandella Diamond A Racing miles1:44.34$100,000III1999Formal Tango 4Jerry D. BaileyAlbert Stall Jr.David Hulkewicz & Michael Rainier miles1:42.62$100,000III1998Gastronomical 5Gary L. StevensJames J. Toner Prestonwood Farm & G. Arthur Seelbinder miles1:43.39$69,000III1997B. A. Valentine 4Chris McCarronDale L. RomansAlberta Butner miles1:41.32$69,100IIIEatontown Handicap 1996Gail's Brush 5Gary BoulangerEdwin T. BroomeEdwin T. Broome miles1:40.40$75,000IIIEatontown Stakes1995Symphony Lady 5Joe BravoFlint S. SchulhoferJulian Cohen miles1:43.64$50,000 Listed 1994Verbal Volley 5Robert E. ColtonJohn H. Forbes Bethlehem Stables miles1:44.71$40,000 Listed 1993Topsa 6Thomas Victor Smith Robert E. Masterson miles1:46.39$35,000 Listed 1992Red Journey 4Nick SantagataMark E. Casse Harry T. Mangurian Jr. miles1:45.06$35,000 Listed 1991Jacuzzi Boogie (CAN) 4Nick SantagataEdward T. Allard Estate of John H. Costello miles1:41.67$35,000 Eatontown Handicap1990Miss Unnameable 6Larry SaumellD. Wayne Lukas Leonard D. Mathis miles1:48.00$56,850 1989Highland Penny 4Dennis CarrSusan H. Duncan Raven Brook Farm miles1:50.00$57,950 1988Hear Music (CAN) 5Marco CastanedaJohn Charalambous John Charalambous miles1:49.80$57,400 1987Bailrullah 5Nick SantagataWilliam W. WrightLaura Leigh Stable miles1:44.00$46,850 Cadabra Abra 4Herb McCauleyDaniel Perlsweig Jerry R. Pinkley1:43.80$47,6501986Mazatleca (MEX) 6Craig PerretAlan E. Goldberg Betty G. Marcus miles1:43.20$46,600 Bharal 5Jorge VelasquezThomas M. Bush P. J. Andrews1:43.80$47,0001985Agacerie 4Angel Cordero Jr.Jan H. Nerud Tartan Stables miles1:44.20$58,050 1984Jubilous 4Gregg McCarronWoodford C. Stephens Hickory Tree Stable miles1:43.40$61,000 1983Doodle 4Jimmy J. MirandaEdward I. Kelly Jr. William H. Perry miles1:44.00$47,350 1982Kuja Happa 4Danny Wright Templeton Stable miles1:44.80$45,775 1981Wayward Lassie 4Daryl MontoyaPatrick J. Kelly Live Oak Plantation miles1:44.60$25,262 Endicotta 5Don BrumfieldStanley M. RieserEndicott P. Davidson1:44.80$27,8621980Nasty Jay 5Robert E. McKnightHarold B. Brice Jr. Kenneth J. Edwards miles1:44.00$33,812 Riddle's Reply 4Ernest CardoneGuy J. Lyon Christopher Meccia & Hebert Prince 1:44.20$33,463 1979The Very One 4Charles CookeMonti W. Sims Helen Polinger miles1:46.20$38,825 1978Huggle Duggle 4Bernie GonzalezAlbert S. Barrera Leslie Combs II miles1:42.60$34,025 1977Jolly Song 5John Nied Jr.William T. Raymond Middletown Stables miles1:47.20$28,600 1976† Collegiate 4James W. EdwardsAnthony J. Bardaro Bright View Farm miles1:43.60$23,000 Stage Luck 4James W. EdwardsJohn R. S. FisherTheodosia M. Nolan 1:43.80$22,7501975Hinterland 5Craig PerretHoward M. Tesher Exeter Stable miles1:43.60$27,900 1974Bird Boots 5Buck ThornburgEdgar L. VansantJack R. Hogan miles1:46.80$29,550 1973‡ Telly 5Vincent Bracciale Jr.William O. HicksCambridge Stables miles1:43.60$22,712 Cathy Baby 4Miguel A. RiveraWilliam R. CorbelliniMereworth Farm1:42.60$22,5121972Telly 4Vincent Bracciale Jr.William O. HicksCambridge Stables miles1:42.40$22,238 Best Go 4Vincent Bracciale Jr.C. WhalerR. Smiser West1:42.40$22,4871971Flor De Sombra (CHI) 6 Herberto Hinojosa Joseph W. Mergler Briardale Farm miles1:46.80$28,875

Legend:

Notes:

‡ In the running of the first division of the event in 1973, Lightning Lucy was first past the post winning by a head margin but was disqualified for interference in the straight after a protest was lodged against her and Telly was declared the winner.

† In the running of the first division of the event in 1976, Copano was first past the post but was disqualified for interference in the straight and Collegiate was declared the winner.

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References