Gotham Tops Aqueduct's $3.5M Winter Stakes Schedule

The New York Racing Association has announced the stakes schedule for the 2024 winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 47-day Aqueduct winter meet, which will feature 26 stakes races worth $3.5 million in purses, takes place from Jan. 1-March 30. Live racing will be conducted Thursday-Sunday for the first three weeks of January and Friday-Sunday from Jan. 26 through the first week of March. Aqueduct will host a Presidents' Day card Feb. 19. Four-day race weeks resume March 7.

The winter meet immediately follows the ongoing fall meet, which runs through Dec. 31.

A total of six stakes received a purse increase at the winter meet, topped by the listed $150,000 Interborough Stakes, which saw its purse improved by $50,000. Five other featured events received an increment of $25,000 in the $175,000 Toboggan Stakes (G3) and $175,000 Tom Fool Handicap (G3), along with three listed stakes now worth $150,000, including the Heavenly Prize Stakes, Stymie Stakes, and Excelsior Stakes.

The Aqueduct winter meet stakes action kicks off Jan. 6, with a pair of $150,000 stakes events, including the 1 1/8-mile Ladies Stakes for older fillies and mares and the one-mile Jerome, which will be the first of three Kentucky Derby (G1) prep races at the meet. The Jerome will offer 10-5-3-2-1 qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

The 1 1/8-mile, $100,000 Busanda Stakes for sophomore fillies Jan. 13 will provide 20-10-6-4-2 Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points to the top-five finishers. The following week will offer the listed $150,000 Interborough Stakes Jan. 20 as older fillies and mares sprint seven furlongs.

Graded action for the winter meet kicks off on Feb. 3 with the $250,000 Withers Stakes(G3) at 1 1/8 miles, offering 20-10-6-4-2 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and the $175,000 Toboggan Stakes (G3), a seven-furlong sprint for older horses. On Feb. 10, the listed $150,000 Heavenly Prize Stakes will see a field of older fillies and mares travel a one-turn mile.

The centerpiece of the March stakes calendar is the one-mile $300,000 Gotham Stakes (G3) on March 2, providing 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. The Gotham Day card includes the $175,000 Tom Fool Handicap for 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs, the listed $150,000 Stymie Stakes at one mile for older horses, and the listed one-mile $200,000 Busher Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, offering 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points.

The closing weekend of the winter meet will feature the listed 1 1/8-mile $150,000 Excelsior for older horses March 30.

For the complete winter meet stakes schedule, click here.