The Secretariat Stakes is a Grade II Thoroughbred race held annually at Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia, as part of the Festival of Racing. Contested at 1 mile on the turf exclusively for 3-year-olds, it is the most important junior turf race of the North American midsummer season and a key prep for the Breeders' Cup Turf and Breeders' Cup Mile. The race was established in 1974 at Arlington Park — one year and one day after the legendary Secretariat won the Arlington Invitational by nine lengths before a crowd of 41,223 — and is named in his honor. Secretariat was a 1-20 odds-on favorite when he won at Arlington, generating the largest minus pool in track history. The Secretariat Stakes was a Grade I event from 1984 until its downgrade to Grade II following Arlington Park's closure. The race was not run in 2022 due to issues with the Churchill Downs turf course, and was renamed the Bruce D. Stakes in 2021 honoring the late Bruce Duchossois at Arlington Park's final year. The stakes record of 1:34.92 at 1 mile was set by Trikari in 2024 at Colonial Downs. Javier Castellano leads all jockeys with three wins. Aidan O'Brien holds the trainer record with four wins.
The 2026 Secretariat Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, August 1 at Colonial Downs as part of the Festival of Racing alongside the Arlington Million and Beverly D. Stakes. Contested at 1 mile on the turf with a purse of $500,000, the race draws the top 3-year-old turf horses in the country targeting the Breeders' Cup Turf and Breeders' Cup Mile in the fall.
The Secretariat Stakes has produced a remarkable succession of champions in its Colonial Downs era. Giocoso gave trainer Keith Desormeaux and jockey Ben Curtis a brilliant 2025 victory for Rocker O Ranch in 1:35.36, the son of Oscar Performance sitting the rail in a perfect trip before powering clear to win by a length. Trikari set the current Colonial Downs course record of 1:34.92 in 2024 under John Velazquez for trainer Graham Motion and the partnership of Madaket Stables, Little Red Feather Racing, and William Strauss. Gigante set the original Colonial Downs course record of 1:35.10 in 2023 under Javier Castellano for trainer Steve Asmussen, the fastest one-mile turf time in the history of the Secretariat Stakes at any venue at the time. The 2022 race was not held due to issues with the Churchill Downs turf course. The 2021 edition was renamed the Bruce D. Stakes in honor of the late Bruce Duchossois and held at Arlington Park in its final year of racing — won by Point Me By under Luis Saez for trainer Eddie Kenneally in 1:37.70.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Giocoso | Ben Curtis | 1:35.36 |
| 2024 | Trikari | John R. Velazquez | 1:34.92 |
| 2023 | Gigante | Javier Castellano | 1:35.10* |
| 2022 | Not run — turf course unavailable at Churchill Downs | ||
| 2021 | Point Me By** | Luis Saez | 1.37.70 |
* Stakes record at 1 mile. ** Run as the Bruce D. Stakes at Arlington Park.
The Secretariat Stakes is the premier 3-year-old turf race of the North American midsummer season and a key stepping stone to the Breeders' Cup turf divisions each August at Colonial Downs.
