Honorable Miss Stakes

The Honorable Miss Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are three years old or older over a distance of six furlongs on the dirt track scheduled annually in September at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The event currently carries a purse of $200,000.

History

The event is named after the winning mare Honorable Miss who won the Fall Highweight Handicap twice at Belmont Park defeating male company.

The inaugural running of the event was on 3 November 1985 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York during the NYRA Big A Fall Meeting as the Honorable Miss Stakes and was won by the three-year-old filly Schematic, who was trained by the US Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito in a time of 1:10. The following year the distance of the event was increased to 1 mile, and in 1987 the event was moved to Belmont Park and held during the NYRA Fall Meeting in October.

The event was idle for four years, and NYRA resumed it they scheduled the race at Saratoga as a six-furlong sprint race.

In 1996 the event was classified as Grade III and upgraded to Grade II in 2004.

The distance for the event was increased to six and a half furlongs only for the 1993 running.

The event was run in split divisions in 2000.

In 2025 the conditions of the event were changes from a handicap to a stakes allowance.

Records Speed record: 6 furlongs: 1:08.74 – Come Dancing (2020)

Margins: lengths – Wisla (1986)

Most wins: 2 – Bourbon Belle (1999, 2000)

Most wins by a jockey: 3 – Edgar S. Prado (2002, 2003, 2009)

Most wins by a trainer: 3 – Steven M. Asmussen (2005, 2015, 2023)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – George & Kay Hofmeister, Donna Salmen & Susan Bunning (1999, 2000)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Saratoga – Honorable Miss Stakes2026Maida4Sheldon RussellBrittany T. RussellG. Harry Papaleo6 furlongs1:10.43$250,000II2025Halina’s Forte 4Irad Ortiz Jr.Philip A. BauerRigney Racing 6 furlongs 1:09.87$200,000IIHonorable Miss Handicap 2024Spirit Wind 5Mike E. SmithSaffie Joseph Jr.Miller Racing 6 furlongs1:10.36$194,000II2023Echo Zulu4Flavien PratSteve AsmussenL and N Racing & Winchell Thoroughbreds6 furlongs1:08.76$186,000II2022Kimari5Joel RosarioWesley A. WardDerrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Westerberg Limited & Jonathon Poulin6 furlongs1:10.78$186,000II2021Bell's the One 5Corey LanerieNeil PessinLothenbach Stables6 furlongs1:09.83$200,000II2020Come Dancing 6Irad Ortiz Jr.Carlos F. MartinBlue Devil Racing Stable6 furlongs1:08.74$150,000II2019Minit to Stardom 4Alex CintronJose M. CamejoBrittlyn Stable6 furlongs1:08.81$200,000II2018Finley'sluckycharm 5Brian Hernandez Jr.W. Bret Calhoun Carl R. Moore6 furlongs1:09.48$194,000II2017Paulassilverlining 5José L. OrtizChad C. Brown Juddmonte Farms6 furlongs1:10.10$196,000II2016Haveyougoneaway 5Thomas Morley Sequel Racing6 furlongs1:09.94$200,000II2015† Street Story 4Javier CastellanoSteven M. Asmussen Whispering Oaks Farm 6 furlongs1:09.14$190,000II2014R Free Roll 4Paco LopezDanny Gargan Averill Racing & Silver Oak Stable 6 furlongs1:10.12$200,000II2013Dance to Bristol 4Xavier PerezOllie L. Figgins III Susan H. Wantz6 furlongs1:09.73$200,000II2012C C's Pal 5Junior AlvaradoRichard E. Dutrow Jr. Eric Fein6 furlongs1:09.88$200,000II2011Tar Heel Mom 6Alex O. SolisStanley M. Hough Alex Rankin6 furlongs1:10.42$150,000II2010Secret Gypsy 5Jamie TheriotRonny W. Werner Richland Hills Stable & John Kuehl6 furlongs1:09.82$147,000II2009Game Face 4Edgar S. PradoTodd A. Pletcher Zabeel Racing International 6 furlongs1:10.70$150,000II2008Any Limit 5Cornelio VelásquezH. Allen Jerkens Joseph V. Shields Jr.6 furlongs1:09.98$147,000II2007Burmilla 4Rafael BejaranoEoin G. Harty Darley Stable6 furlongs1:09.51$147,000II2006Stormy Kiss (ARG) 4Javier CastellanoBarclay Tagg Lael Stables6 furlongs1:10.58$150,000II2005Forest Music 4John R. VelazquezSteven M. Asmussen Stonestreet Stables6 furlongs1:10.06$150,000II2004My Trusty Cat 4Pat DayDavid R. Vance Carl F. Pollard6 furlongs1:10.37$150,000II2003Willa On the Move 4Edgar S. PradoAnthony W. Dutrow Peter G. Angelos6 furlongs1:09.92$107,600III2002Mandy's Gold 4Edgar S. PradoMichael E. Gorham Steeplechase Farm6 furlongs1:09.24$108,500III2001Big Bambu 4Jerry D. BaileyAlan SobolEdward E. Marshall & John Schoonover 6 furlongs1:09.64$103,000III2000Debby d'Or 5Shane SellersDaniel G. Switzer Albert Lobrillo6 furlongs1:10.11$110,750IIIBourbon Belle 5Willie MartinezPeter W. Salmen Jr. George & Kay Hofmeister, Donna Salmen & Susan Bunning 1:08.93$109,7501999Bourbon Belle 4Patrick A. JohnsonPeter W. Salmen Jr. George & Kay Hofmeister, Donna Salmen & Susan Bunning 6 furlongs1:09.53$112,600III1998Furlough 4Mike E. Smith Ogden Phipps6 furlongs1:11.32$81,275IIIHonorable Miss Stakes1997Dancin Renee 5Richard MiglioreRobert Triola Sanford Bacon6 furlongs1:09.16$80,775III1996Twist Afleet 5Mike E. SmithJohn C. Kimmel Lucille Conover6 furlongs1:09.91$81,675III1995Low Key Affair 4Pat DayD. Wayne Lukas Moyglare Stud6 furlongs1:09.67$80,325 Listed 1994Classy Mirage 4Julie KroneH. Allen Jerkens Middletown Stables6 furlongs1:09.72$81,126 Listed 1993Nannerl 6Jerry D. BaileyFlint S. Schulhofer Marablue Farm furlongs1:15.19$48,400 1992Nice Assay 4Chris McCarronJ. Paco Gonzalez John A. Toffan6 furlongs1:08.97$52,700Listed 1988–1991Race not heldAt Belmont Park1987Funistrada 4Robbie DavisJan H. NerudJohn A. Nerud1 mile1:36.60$55,500 At Aqueduct1986Wisla 3Jacinto VásquezDavid A. Whiteley William Haggin Perry1 mile1:36.40$53,750 1985Schematic 3Robbie DavisNicholas P. Zito William Hackman6 furlongs1:10.20$85,950

Notes:

† In 2015, La Verdad finished first but was later disqualified and unplaced for a drug violation.

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References