Gotham Stakes

The Gotham Stakes is ran in early March at Aqueduct Race Course in Queens, New York. A Grade III event with a purse of $250,000, it is set at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. The race is named for New York City, which in years past was often dubbed Gotham City.

The Gotham Stakes is the final local prep to the Wood Memorial Stakes (GI) and an official prep race for the Kentucky Derby (GI.) A number of Derby winners have competed in this race including Triple Crown winner Secretarial.

The event was inaugurated in 1953 at Jamaica Racetrack, but following the facility's closure was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack for the 1960 season. In 1958, the race was restricted to horses, four years of age and older. Since inception it has been competed at various distances:

• 1  1/16 miles (8.5 furlongs) : 1953-1959, 1977, 1979, 2006 to present
• 1 mile : 1960-1976, 1978, 1980-2002, 2004-2005
• 1 mile, 70 yards : 1984, 2003