| Class | Grade II |
|---|---|
| Location | Belmont Park Elmont, New York, United States |
| Inaugurated | 1954 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds and up |
| Weight | Allowance |
| Purse | $500,000 (2020)[1] |
The Woodward Stakes is an American Grade Il stakes race and is one of the premier races for older thoroughbred horses in the United States. It is named for prominent racehorse owner William Woodward.
The race was first run in 1954 at Aqueduct Racetrack and then at Belmont Park in late September. In 2006, the Woodward was moved to Saratoga Race Course where it was run on the final Saturday of the meet until 2020. The race was moved back to Belmont Park in 2021.[2]
The Woodward was run as a handicap in 1954, 1955, and in 1976 and 1977. From 1957 through 1975 it was a weight-for-age event, and was run as an allowance stakes from 1977 through 1987. The race returned to being a handicap event in 1988, 1989, and 1990 then reverted to a weight-for-age race in 1991. In 2014, it was changed to allowance weights, meaning horses that do not meet certain conditions carry less weight.[3] In 2020, it was returned to a handicap basis.
- ^ "Woodward Stakes Profile". Equibase. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ Grening, David (19 February 2021). "Jockey Club Gold Cup, Flower Bowl being shifted to Saratoga". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ "Woodward result leaves some players jaded, raises weighty issues". www.twinspires.com. Retrieved 6 September 2016.