Remsen

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA 10-5-3-2-1
December 2, 2023

Remsen Stakes Race History 

The historic Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct ranks as a unique race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Held over 1 18 miles, it is the longest juvenile race on the annual schedule, offering a stiff test of speed and stamina for up-and-coming classic contenders. 

Unique it might be, but the Remsen wasn’t always such a testing race. First run in 1904 at long-gone Jamaica Racecourse, the Remsen was originally conducted as a sprint. When Johnstown swept the Remsen/Kentucky Derby double in 1938-39, the Remsen was held over a mere six furlongs.

The race distance changed several times through the 1940s and 1950s, settling for a time at one mile when the race was moved to Aqueduct in 1959. This middle distance made the Remsen a solid but less strenuous test of stamina for lightly-raced youngsters, and the change produced a pair of Derby winners as Carry Back (1960-61) and Northern Dancer (1963-64) both parlayed Remsen victories into glory on the first Saturday in May.

The Remsen distance finally shifted to 1 18 miles around two turns in 1973, after which the purse rose steadily and the race grew in prominence. Kentucky Derby winners Pleasant Colony (1981), Go for Gin (1994), and Thunder Gulch (1995) all thrived over the extended distance of the Remsen, foreshadowing their victories at Churchill Downs with triumphs at Aqueduct. And while 1977 Remsen winner Believe It failed to win a classic, his performance at Aqueduct was unmistakably high-quality as he beat future Hall of Famer Alydar in the stakes-record time of 1:47.80.

Despite the glory of the 1980s and 1990s, the first two decades of the 21st century saw the Remsen enter a significant dry spell. Between 2000 and 2019, only three Remsen starters managed to crack the trifecta in the Kentucky Derby, with none reaching the winner’s circle.

But this dry spell applied only to the Derby, for the Remsen continued to crank out an abundance of future Grade 1 winners, including champions and/or Breeders’ Cup winners Honor Code, Mucho Macho Man, and Court Vision. It’s easy to understand why—with its early December calendar slot, the Remsen is a logical year-end target for late-maturing juveniles with a strong chance to progress during their 3-year-old seasons.

And with a total of 17 Kentucky Derby qualification points up for grabs among the top four finishers, you can bet the Remsen will retain its prominent place on the national racing calendar.

By J. Keeler Johnson

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Entries

Jockey

Owner

Trainer

Current odds

Wagers

1

Le Dom Bro

Jose Antonio Gomez

Vincente Stella Stables LLC

Eniel Cordero

2

Domestic Product

Manuel Franco

Klaravich Stables, Inc.

Chad Brown

3

Dornoch

Luis Saez

West Paces Racing LLC, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, LLC, Two Eight Racing, LLC and Pine Racing Stables

Danny Gargan

4

Moonlight

Irad Ortiz Jr.

Town and Country Racing, LLC and Madaket Stables LLC

Brad Cox

5

Drum Roll Please

Javier Castellano

Gold Square LLC

Brad Cox

6

Billal

Junior Alvarado

Repole Stables

William Mott

7

Sierra Leone

Jose Ortiz

Magnier, Mrs. John, Tabor, Michael B., Smith, Derrick, Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing, LLC and Brant, Peter M.

Chad Brown

8

Where's Chris

Isaac Castillo

Nice Guys Stables

Richard Dutrow Jr.

9

Cooper Tax

Kendrick Carmouche

Rose Petal Stables

Gary Capuano

10

Private Desire

Jose Lezcano

Stephen Brunetti Jr.

Todd Pletcher

Road to the Kentucky Derby

Demoiselle

December 2, 2023

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points10-5-3-2-1

Remsen

December 2, 2023

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points10-5-3-2-1

Starlet

December 9, 2023

Los Alamitos • Cypress, CA, USA

Points10-5-3-2-1

Los Alamitos Futurity (GII)

December 9, 2023

Los Alamitos • Cypress, CA, USA

Points10-5-3-2-1

Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun

December 13, 2023

Kawasaki • Kawaski, Japan, JRA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Springboard Mile

December 15, 2023

Remington Park • Oklahoma City, OK, USA

Points10-5-3-2-1

Untapable

December 23, 2023

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points10-5-3-2-1

Gun Runner

December 23, 2023

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points10-5-3-2-1

Smarty Jones

January 1, 2024

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points10-5-3-2-1

Jerome

January 6, 2024

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points10-5-3-2-1

Santa Ynez

January 7, 2024

Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points10-5-3-2-1

Sham (GIII)

January 7, 2024

Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points10-5-3-2-1

Busanda

January 13, 2024

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Silverbulletday

January 20, 2024

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Lecomte (GIII)

January 20, 2024

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Las Virgenes

January 27, 2024

Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Martha Washington

January 27, 2024

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Southwest (GIII)

January 27, 2024

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Forward Gal

February 3, 2024

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Robert B. Lewis (GIII)

February 3, 2024

Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Holy Bull (GIII)

February 3, 2024

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Suncoast

February 10, 2024

Tampa Bay Downs • Tampa, FL, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Sam F. Davis (GIII)

February 10, 2024

Tampa Bay Downs • Tampa, FL, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Withers (GIII)

February 10, 2024

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

UAE Oaks

February 16, 2024

Meydan Racecourse • Dubai, UAE

Points50-25-15-10-5

Rachel Alexandra

February 17, 2024

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points50-25-15-10-5

Risen Star (GII)

February 17, 2024

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points50-25-15-10-5

Hyacinth

February 18, 2024

Tokyo • Tokyo, Japan

Points30-15-9-6-3

Honeybee

February 24, 2024

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points50-25-15-10-5

Rebel (GII)

February 24, 2024

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points50-25-15-10-5

Patton

March 1, 2024

Dundalk • Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland

Points20-10-6-4-2

Busher

March 2, 2024

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points50-25-15-10-5

Davona Dale

March 2, 2024

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA

Points50-25-15-10-5

Cincinnati Trophy

March 2, 2024

Turfway Park • Florence, KY, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Fountain of Youth (GII)

March 2, 2024

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA

Points50-25-15-10-5

John Battaglia Memorial

March 2, 2024

Turfway Park • Florence, KY, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

San Felipe (GII)

March 2, 2024

Santa Anita • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points50-25-15-10-5

Gotham (GIII)

March 2, 2024

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points50-25-15-10-5

Santa Ysabel

March 3, 2024

Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points50-25-15-10-5

Tampa Bay Derby (GII)

March 9, 2024

Tampa Bay Downs • Tampa, FL, USA

Points50-25-15-10-5

Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes

March 13, 2024

Kempton • Sunbury-on-Thames, England, UK

Points20-10-6-4-2

Bourbonette Oaks

March 23, 2024

Turfway Park • Florence, KY, USA

Points50-25-15-10-5

Fair Grounds Oaks

March 23, 2024

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

Fukuryu

March 23, 2024

Nakayama • Funabashi, Chiba, Japan, JRA

Points40-20-12-8-4

Louisiana Derby (GII)

March 23, 2024

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII)

March 23, 2024

Turfway Park • Florence, KY, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

Sunland Park Oaks

March 24, 2024

Sunland Park • Sunland Park, NM, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Sunland Derby (GIII)

March 24, 2024

Sunland Park • Sunland Park, NM, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

Fantasy

March 30, 2024

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

Gulfstream Park Oaks

March 30, 2024

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

UAE Derby (GII)

March 30, 2024

Meydan Racecourse • Dubai, UAE

Points100-50-25-15-10

Arkansas Derby (GI)

March 30, 2024

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

Florida Derby (GI)

March 30, 2024

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

Cardinal Condition Stakes

March 30, 2024

Chelmsford City • Chelmsford, England, UK

Points30-15-9-6-3

Ashland

April 5, 2024

Keeneland • Lexington, KY, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

Santa Anita Oaks

April 6, 2024

Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

Gazelle

April 6, 2024

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

Santa Anita Derby (GI)

April 6, 2024

Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

Blue Grass (GI)

April 6, 2024

Keeneland • Lexington, KY, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

Wood Memorial (GII)

April 6, 2024

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points100-50-25-15-10

Lexington (GIII)

April 13, 2024

Keeneland • Lexington, KY, USA

Points20-10-6-4-2

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