Comely Stakes

Comely Stakes
Grade II race
LocationAqueduct Racetrack
Queens, New York
Inaugurated1945
Race typeThoroughbred – Flat racing
WebsiteNYRA – Aqueduct Racetrack
Race information
Distance1 1/8 mile (9 furlongs)
TrackDirt, left-handed
QualificationThree-year-old fillies
WeightAssigned
Purse$200,000

The Comely Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Open to three year old fillies, it is raced on dirt over a distance of one mile. The Grade III event offers a purse of $200,000.[1]

The race was named in honor of the filly Comely, who, in a remarkable performance as a two-year-old, defeated older male horses in winning the first running of the Fall Highweight Handicap in 1914. Going into 2019, she remains the only two-year-old to win the Fall Highweight Handicap and one of only a few two-year-olds to defeat older horses in a major stakes race.[2]

Inaugurated in 1945 at Jamaica Race Course, it was raced there through 1951 and again in 1959. For 1952 and 1953 it was hosted by the Empire City Race Track in Yonkers and Belmont Park in 1976, 1981, 1984, and again in 1985. There was no race run from 1954 to 1958. When revived in 1959 the race was open to two-year-olds of either sex and won by the 1960 Preakness Stakes winner, Bally Ache.[3] On April 30, 1975 the superstar filly and future Hall of Fame inductee Ruffian won the Comely by eight lengths in stakes record time.[4]

On May 11, 1985, Abigail Fuller became the first female jockey to win the Comely Stakes. She was aboard Mom's Command, a future Hall of Fame filly bred and raced by her father, Peter Fuller.[5]

The Comely was run in two divisions in 1953, 1963, and 1970.

Records

Speed record:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
 Dist.
(Miles) 		Time
 Win$
 Gr.
2023 Raging Sea 3 Manny Franco Chad Brown Alpha Delta Stables 1+1⁄8 M $200,000 G3
2022 Sixtythreecaliber 3 Kendrick Carmouche Thomas M. Amoss My Racehorse Stable & Spendthrift Farm 1+1⁄8 M 1:53.89 $175,000 G3
2021 Bees and Honey 3 Jose Lezcano J. Reeve McGaughey Gainesway Farm & Andrew Rosen 1+1⁄8 M 1.54.41 $200,000 G3
2020 Mrs.Danvers 3 Jose Lezcano Claude R. McGaughey III Allen Stables Inc. 1+1⁄8 M 1.50.09 $100,000 G3
2019 Bellera 3 John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Mathis Stables 1+1⁄8 M 1:52.91 $110,000 G3
2018 Blamed 3 Julien Leparoux William I. Mott Cleber J. Massey 1+1⁄8 M 1:51.98 $120,000 G3
2017 Actress 3 José Ortiz Jason Servis Gary & Mary West 1+1⁄8 M 1:52.66 $150,000 G3
2016 Verve's Tale 3 Paco Lopez Barclay Tagg Charles E. Fipke 1+1⁄8 M 1:51.89 $150,000 G3
2015 Forever Unbridled 3 John R. Velazquez Dallas Stewart Charles E. Fipke 1+1⁄8 M 1:50.75 $180,000 G3
2014 Snowbell 3 Luis Saez Thomas Albertrani Godolphin Racing 1+1⁄8 M 1:52.59 $240,000 G3
2013 Wedding Toast 3 Javier Castellano Kiaran McLaughlin Godolphin Racing 1+1⁄8 M 1:49.92 $240,000 G3
2012 Broadway's Alibi 3 Javier Castellano Todd A. Pletcher E. Paul Robsham Stables 1 M 1:36.52 $150,000 G3
2011 Hot Summer 3 Luis Saez David J. Fawkes Harold L. Queen 1 M 1:35.58 $90,000 G3
2010 Touching Beauty 3 Mike Luzzi James A. Jerkens Gainesway Farm & Joseph M. Cornacchia 1 M 1:37.90 $60,000 G3
2009 Dream Play 3 Eddie Castro Kiaran McLaughlin Stewart Armstrong 1 M 1:39.51 $90,000 G2
2008 Sherine 3 Alan Garcia Anthony W. Dutrow Zayat Stables 1 M 1:37.25 $90,000 G2
2007 Boca Grande 3 Mike E. Smith Claude R. McGaughey III Phipps Stable 1 M 1:36.54 $90,000 G2
2006 Miraculous Miss 3 Kent Desormeaux Steve Klesaris Puglisi Stables & Steve Klesaris 1 M 1:36.67 $90,000 G2
2005 Acey Deucey 3 Diane Nelson John D. Morrison Jeffrey Tucker 1 M 1:35.95 $90,000 G2
2004 Society Selection 3 Jorge Chavez H. Allen Jerkens Irving & Majorie Cowan 1 M 1:35.89 $67,200 G3
2003 Cyber Secret 3 Shaun Bridgmohan Richard E. Dutrow Jr. Goldfarb et al. 1 M 1:35.97 $64,740 G3
2002 Bella Bellucci 3 Gary Stevens Neil D. Drysdale Michael Tabor 1 M 1:33.50 $64,920 G3
2001 Two Item Limit 3 Richard Migliore Stephen L. DiMauro Joseph Graffeo 1 M 1:36.17 $66,060 G3
2000 March Magic 3 Richard Migliore Richard Violette Jr. Ralph M. Evans 1 M 1:36.79 $65,460 G3
1999 Madison's Charm 3 Jean-Luc Samyn Thomas A. Hauswald Donald A. Adam 1 M 1:35.54 $65,520 G3
1998 Fantasy Angel 3 Jorge Chavez Martin D. Wolfson Martin L. Cherry 1 M 1:37.44 $69,300 G3
1997 Dixie Flag 3 Jean-Luc Samyn H. Allen Jerkens Bohemia Stable 1 M 1:36.96 $66,120 G3
1996 Little Miss Fast 3 Jorge Chavez Juan Serey James A. Riccio 1 M 1:36.58 $65,940 G3
1995 Nappelon 3 Jorge Chavez Rene Araya R Kay Stable 1 M 1:36.26 $64,440 G2
1994 Dixie Luck 3 Filiberto Leon H. Allen Jerkens Bohemia Stable 1 M 1:37.02 $66,240 G2
1993 Private Light 3 Robbie Davis Claude R. McGaughey III Ogden Mills Phipps 1+1⁄16 M 1:44.19 $68,280 G2
1992 Saratoga Dew 3 Herb McCauley Gary Sciacca Charles F. Engel 1 M 1:37.22 $69,480 G2
1991 Meadow Star 3 Chris Antley LeRoy Jolley Carl Icahn 1 M 1:38.00 $67,560 G2
1990 Fappaburst 3 Jacinto Vásquez Philip G. Johnson Susan Kaskel 7 F 1:21.60 $49,770 G2
1989 Surging 3 Ángel Cordero Jr. D. Wayne Lukas H. Joseph Allen 7 F 1:23.00 $52,290 G2
1988 Avie's Gal 3 Jorge Velásquez John J. Lenzini Jr. John Cioci 7 F 1:22.40 $95,550 G2
1987 Devil's Bride 3 Rafael Meza John Gosden Oak Cliff Stable 7 F 1:23.60 $65,790 G3
1986 Misty Drone 3 Jacinto Vásquez Alton H. Quanbeck Maud McDougald 7 F 1:24.00 $59,940 G3
1985 Mom's Command 3 Abigail Fuller Edward T. Allard Peter D. Fuller 7 F 1:22.20 $55,170 G3
1984 Wild Applause 3 Pat Day MacKenzie Miller Rokeby Stable 7 F 1:23.20 $52,110 G3
1983 Able Money 3 Antonio Graell Anthony Russo Faith Donnelly 7 F 1:23.80 $35,580 G3
1982 Nancy Huang 3 Jorge Velásquez Howard M. Tesher H. Joseph Allen 7 F 1:24.40 $34,860 G3
1981 Expressive Dance 3 Don MacBeth LeRoy Jolley Diana M. Firestone 7 F 1:23.40 $35,220 G3
1980 Cybele 3 Cash Asmussen LeRoy Jolley Diana M. Firestone 7 F 1:22.60 $27,225 G3
1979 Countess North 3 Ángel Cordero Jr. Stephen A. DiMauro Michael Rutherford 7 F 1:23.40 $25,725 G3
1978 Mashteen 3 Ruben Hernandez Laz Barrera Leslie Combs II 7 F 1:23.00 $25,665 G3
1977 Bring Out The Band 3 Don Brumfield James W. Murphy Hickory Tree Stable 7 F 1:23.60 $22,650 G3
1976 Tell Me All 3 John Ruane H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm 7 F 1:23.20 $22,080 G3
1975 Ruffian 3 Jacinto Vásquez Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. Locust Hill Farm 7 F 1:21.20 $16,755 G3
1974 Clear Copy 3 Daryl Montoya Jerome Hirsch Leon J. Hekimian 7 F 1:24.40 $17,670 G3
1973 Java Moon 3 Ángel Cordero Jr. Lou Rondinello Darby Dan Farm 7 F 1:22.80 $17,610 G3
1972 Stacey d'Ette 3 John Ruane Dave Erb Dave Erb 7 F 1:21.60 $16,290
1971 Forward Gal 3 Michael Hole Warren A. Croll Jr. Aisco Stable 7 F 1:23.40 $20,460
1970-1 Predictable 3 Robert Ussery Edward A. Neloy Wheatley Stable 7 F 1:24.00 $14,852
1970-2 Royal Signal 3 Braulio Baeza Stephen A. DiMauro Mrs. Lawrence W. Knapp Jr. 7 F 1:24.00 $15,015
1969 Ta Wee 3 Eddie Belmonte John A. Nerud Tartan Stable 7 F 1:22.60 $18,492
1968 Best In Show 3 Heliodoro Gustines John H. Skirvin Clearview Stable 7 F 1:22.40 $19,240
1967 Gala Honors 3 Braulio Baeza Clyde Troutt Ada L. Rice 7 F 1:25.00 $18,947
1966 Swift Lady 3 John L. Rotz Burley Parke Harbor View Farm 7 F 1:23.60 $18,785
1965 What a Treat 3 John L. Rotz Sylvester E. Veitch George D. Widener Jr. 7 F 1:24.80 $17,680
1964 Face The Facts 3 Manuel Ycaza James W. Maloney William Haggin Perry 7 F 1:23.80 $18,525
1963-1 Pams Ego 3 Milo Valenzuela J. P. "Sammy" Smith Clear Springs Stable 7 F 1:23.80 $11,456
1963-2 Lamb Chop 3 Braulio Baeza James W. Maloney William Haggin Perry 7 F 1:24.40 $11,326
1962 Upswept 3 Braulio Baeza Robert L. Dotter James Cox Brady Jr. 7 F 1:24.60 $15,438
1961 Seven Thirty 3 Hedley Woodhouse Bert Mulholland George D. Widener Jr. 7 F 1:24.20 $15,112
1960 Irish Jay 3 Eddie Arcaro James E. Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable 7 F 1:23.00 $18,680
1959 Bally Ache 2 David Erb Jimmy Pitt Leonard D. Fruchtman 5 F 0:59.20 $11,362
1954 –1958 Race not held
1953-1 La Corredora 4 Ira Hanford Carl Hanford Marian W. O'Connor 1+1⁄8 M 1:45.20 $18,987
1953-2 Home Made 3 Eric Guerin Bill Winfrey Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. 1+1⁄8 M 1:45.20 $19,237
1952 Devilkin 3 William Boland Max Hirsch John W. Hanes 1+1⁄8 M 1:44.60 $20,250
1951 Bed O' Roses 4 Eric Guerin Bill Winfrey Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. 1+1⁄8 M 1:44.60 $20,250
1950 Siama 3 Ovie Scurlock Moody Jolley Cain Hoy Stable 1+1⁄8 M 1:45.00 $20,700
1949 Lithe 3 Herb Lindberg Frank S. Barnett Hal Price Headley 1+1⁄8 M 1:45.20 $20,200
1948 Conniver 4 Eric Guerin William Post Harry La Montagne 1+1⁄8 M 1:45.00 $19,225
1947 Elpis 3 Larry Hansman Willie Booth William G. Helis Sr. 1+1⁄8 M 1:44.20 $16,700
1946 Bonnie Beryl 3 Hedley Woodhouse James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 1+1⁄8 M 1:44.20 $15,615
1945 Moon Maiden 7 Wayne D. Wright Hirsch Jacobs Isidor Bieber 1+1⁄8 M 1:45.40 $15,615

References

  1. ^ "Comely Stakes". New York Racing Association (NYRA). 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2018-12-16.
  2. ^ "History Challenge: Comely enjoyed remarkable season in 1914". Daily Racing Form (DRF). 2014-11-21. Retrieved 2018-12-22.
  3. ^ "Bally Ache Dies At Breeding Farm". New York Times. 1960-10-30. Retrieved 2018-12-22.
  4. ^ "On the 30th Anniversary of Ruffian's Last Race". Equus Magazine. 2005-07-05. Retrieved 2018-12-22.
  5. ^ "Mom's Command Takes Comely by 4½". New York Times. 1942-06-27. Retrieved 2018-12-22.