What is the Bed O' Roses Stakes?
The Bed O' Roses Stakes is a Grade II Thoroughbred race held annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Contested at 7 furlongs on the dirt for fillies and mares aged four and older, it is one of the premier distaff sprint tests in the Northeast and a key early-summer benchmark for older fillies and mares targeting summer championship events. Inaugurated in 1957 at Jamaica Race Course, the race is named in honor of Bed O' Roses, the brilliant Hall of Fame filly owned by Alfred G. Vanderbilt II who was named American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly in 1949 and American Champion Older Female Horse in 1951. A Grade II event since 2022, the Bed O' Roses has been dominated by trainer Chad Brown in the modern era, who has won four of the last five editions with fillies and mares primarily owned by Klaravich Stables and Juddmonte Farm. H. Allen Jerkens holds the all-time record with seven wins.
When is the Bed O' Roses Stakes in 2026?
The 2026 Bed O' Roses Stakes is scheduled for Thursday, June 4 at Saratoga Race Course as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Contested at 7 furlongs on the dirt with a purse of $300,000, the race draws the top older fillies and mares targeting the summer distaff sprint championship circuit.
Bed O' Roses Stakes History & Notable Winners
Chad Brown has turned the Bed O' Roses into a personal showcase, winning four of the last five editions. Ways and Means equaled the stakes record of 1:21.11 in 2025 under Flavien Prat, winning by 7¾ lengths for the largest margin in the race's modern history. Accede gave Juddmonte Farm and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. a 2024 win in 1:22.83 at Aqueduct, then went on to earn champion older filly honors later that year. Goodnight Olive gave Brown his third Bed O' Roses title in 2023 under Ortiz in 1:22.39. Bella Sofia provided the lone upset of the run in 2022, with trainer Rudy Rodriguez and jockey Luis Saez combining to win in 1:21.36 for a field of South American-bred connections. Estilo Talentoso gave trainer Juan Arriagada a surprise 2021 score under Javier Castellano in 1:22.96 when the race was still Grade III.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ways and Means | Flavien Prat | 1:21.11* |
| 2024 | Accede | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 1:22.83 |
| 2023 | Goodnight Olive | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 1:22.39 |
| 2022 | Bella Sofia | Luis Saez | 1:21.36 |
| 2021 | Estilo Talentoso | Javier Castellano | 1:22.96 |
* Equals stakes record.
The Bed O' Roses Stakes is one of the most competitive distaff sprints on the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival card and a key early-summer test for older fillies and mares in the Northeast.
