Inaugurated 1960 Surface Turf | Website www.nyra.com Purse 200,000 USD (2013–) | |
Location Belmont Park
Elmont, New York, United States Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing Distance 1 ⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) | ||
The Knickerbocker Stakes is an American Grade III race on turf for Thoroughbred horses run each year at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The Knickerbocker is open to three-year-olds and up, and set at a distance of 1 1⁄8 miles (nine furlong). Run in mid October, it currently offers a purse of $200,000.
The Knickerbocker is named for a fictional character, Diedrich Knickerbocker, from Washington Irving's Knickerbocker History of New York– a spoof on the imagined colony of New Netherland.
The race was originally run as the Knickerbocker Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack in late October or early November, although the 1962, 1995 and 2001 renewals were held at Belmont. The race was permanently moved to Belmont Park in 2008 and was changed from a handicap to allowance weight conditions in 2009.
The race has been run at a variety of distances over the years:
The Knickerbocker was run in two divisions in 1963, 1967, 1969, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1985. In 1977, 1992 and 1997, the race was switched from turf to dirt due to rain.
T.V. Lark won this race in its second running, 1961.
Jockey Jean Cruguet has won this race seven times: 1992, 1988, 1986, 1985, 1978, and both divisions in 1977.