Wonder Again Stakes
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Elmont, New York, United States
| Class | Grade II |
|---|---|
| Location | Belmont Park Elmont, New York, United States |
| Inaugurated | 2014 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing – Inner Turf |
| Website | nyra.com |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄8 miles |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-old fillies |
| Purse | $200,000 (2023) |
The Wonder Again Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies aged three years old held over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles on the inner turf scheduled annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.[1][2] The event currently carries a purse of $200,000.[1][2]
The race is named after the Grade I winner Wonder Again, full sister to Grass Wonder (Japanese-trained), who won the GI Garden City Breeders' Cup (2002) and GI Diana Handicap (2004).[2][3]
The race was inaugurated in 25 May 2014 with a stakes purse of $200,000.[1]
In 2017 the event was classified as Grade III, and promoted to Grade II in 2022.[1]
The event is considered a preparatory race for the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes which is held in July.
In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, NYRA scheduled the event in their updated and shortened spring-summer meeting with a shorter distance of one mile.[4]
In 2024 the event was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park.[5]
In 2025 the event was moved to Saratoga and due to the inclement weather was held on a sloppy dirt track. In a three-horse event Nitrogen won by a stakes record 17 lengths.[6]
Records
Speed record:
- 1+1⁄8 miles – 1:46.34 Camber Parc (2019)
Largest margin of victory:
- 17 lengths – Nitrogen (2025)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 3 – Irad Ortiz Jr. (2014, 2015, 2024)
- 3 – José L. Ortiz (2019, 2020, 2025)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 6 – Chad C. Brown (2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Most wins by an owner:
- No owner has won this race more than once.