The Nursery Stakes, or other designations incorporating the word "Nursery", refers to a Thoroughbred horse race used by racetracks worldwide to identify it as a novice race exclusively for two-year-olds, the age a horse is first legally allowed to compete.
In use since the 18th century, it is today still used but is a somewhat dated term. In recent decades the Nursery designation in a race title has often been supplanted by the term "Juvenile". Current or defunct "Nursery" races include:
Australia: VATC Gwyn Nursery at Caulfield Racecourse RRC Nursery Handicap.
United States: Nursery Stakes at Belmont Park Pimlico Nursery Stakes at Pimlico Race Course Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes at Philadelphia Park Racetrack Santa Catalina Nursery Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
Great Britain: Nursery Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse Princes of Wales's Nursery Plate at Doncaster Racecourse.
South Africa: Nursery Stakes at Turffontein Racecourse.
References Information on Nursery Races at FlatStats