The Waya Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, three years old and older run over a distance of miles on the turf held annually in October at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The event offers a purse of $200,000.

History The race was inaugurated on 24 August 1992 and was run over the distance miles on the Inner Turf track at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.

The event is named in honor of the French-bred multiple graded stakes-winning mare Waya who received the 1979 Eclipse Award as the American Champion Older Female Horse. Waya won the 1978 rendition of the Grade II Diana Handicap at Saratoga.

In 1996 and 1997 the event was moved to the main turf track and run at a longer distance of miles.

The event was idle for 5 years from 1998 to 2002 and when it resumed in 2003 it had lost its Listed classification. The renewal was also taken off the Inner Turf track and run on the sloppy dirt track. The event was not held in 2008 and run on the dirt in 2004, 2007, and 2018.

In 2015 the event was upgraded to Grade III but since the event was taken off the turf in 2018 it only was a Listed type event.

In 2021 the event was moved to Belmont Park and the distance was shortened to miles.

In 2022 the event was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park.

Records Speed record: miles Inner Turf – 2:25.96 – Guapaza (CHI) (2016) miles Main Turf – 2:40.19 – Ampulla (1996) miles Inner Turf – 2:13.35 – Fairy Garden (1992)

Margins: 12 lengths – Born Twice (1997)

Most wins 2 – Saratoga Source (1993, 1994) 2 – My Sister Nat (FR) (2020, 2021)

Most wins by a jockey 3 – Javier Castellano (2016, 2017, 2019)

Most wins by a trainer 8 – Chad C. Brown (2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025)

Most wins by an owner 5 – Augustin Stable (1993, 1994, 2004, 2005, 2011)

Winners

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Saratoga2026Evershed (IRE)4Flavien PratArnaud DelacourMark B. Grier miles2:15.12$225,000IIIAt Aqueduct 2025Village Voice (GB)5Dylan DavisChad C. BrownResolute Racing miles2:15.71$175,000III2024La Mehana (FR)5 Kendrick CarmoucheChristophe Clement LSU Stables miles2:21.42$200,000III2023McKulick (GB)4Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownKlaravich Stables miles2:20.10$186,000III2022Rocky Sky (IRE)5Manuel FrancoChad C. BrownPeter M. Brant miles2:21.42$200,000IIIAt Belmont Park2021 My Sister Nat (FR) 6 José L. Ortiz Chad C. Brown Peter M. Brant miles 2:15.37$300,000IIIAt Saratoga2020 My Sister Nat (FR) 5 José L. Ortiz Chad C. Brown Peter M. Brant miles 2:30.26$150,000III2019 Fools Gold 4 Javier Castellano Chad C. Brown Wise Racing miles 2:27.21$200,000III2018 Tricky Escape 5 Lynn A. Ashby Jon A. Marshall miles 2:04.08$186,000 Listed 2017 Estrechada (ARG) 6 Javier Castellano Mike Puype Slugo Racing miles 2:27.49$200,000III2016 Guapaza (CHI) 5 Javier Castellano Chad C. Brown Don Alberto Stable miles 2:25.96$200,000III2015 Goldy Espony (FR) 4 Kendrick Carmouche Chad C. Brown Swift Thoroughbreds & Bradley Thoroughbreds miles 2:29.04$200,000III2014 Cat's Claw 4 Cornelio H. Velasquez Jonathan E. Sheppard Helen C. Alexander & Jon S. & Sarah Kelly miles 2:27.08$100,000Listed 2013 Qushchi (GB) 5 Edgar S. Prado H. Graham Motion Andrew Stone miles 2:27.21$100,000 Listed 2012 Kissable (IRE) 4 John R. Velazquez Roger L. Attfield Three Chimneys Racing & Trevor Harris miles 2:32.52$100,000 Listed 2011 Emerald Beech 5 Alex O. Solis Augustin Stable miles 2:30.86$79,000 Listed 2010 5 Kent J. Desormeaux William I. Mott Swettenham Stud miles 2:27.46$70,000 Signature Stallions Stakes2009 Queen of Hearts 4 Jose L. Espinoza James A. Jerkens Susan Moore & M&M Thoroughbred Partners miles 2:27.85$73,500 2008 Race not heldWaya Stakes2007 Nunnery 4 Shaun Bridgmohan William I. Mott Claiborne Farm miles 1:59.89$84,050 2006 Shared Dreams (GB) 4 Edgar S. Prado Christophe Clement Sarah & Robin Leigh miles 2:29.08$74,450 2005 Latice (IRE) 4 José A. Santos Jonathan E. Sheppard Augustin Stable miles 2:28.70$66,700 2004 Bounding Charm 4 Jerry D. Bailey William I. Mott Augustin Stable miles 1:58.51$65,700 2003 May Gator 4 Jerry D. Bailey Steven B. Flint Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein miles 1:51.34$63,800 1998–2002Race not held1997 Born Twice 4 Jean-Luc Samyn Philip Johnson Sullimar Stable miles2:47.60$59,950 Listed 1996 Ampulla 5 Shane Sellers Patrick Byrne North Cliff Farms miles2:40.19$83,900 Listed 1995 La Turka 4 José A. Santos Barclay Tagg Luis de Hechavarria miles2:16.35$55,250 Listed 1994 Saratoga Source 5 Julie Krone Augustin Stable miles2:16.98$55,200 Listed 1993 Saratoga Source 4 Julie Krone Augustin Stable miles2:15.85$54,000 Listed 1992 Fairy Garden 4 Mike E. Smith Roger L. Attfield Barry R. Ostrage miles2:13.35$55,400 Listed

Legend:

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References