The John A. Nerud Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred race for four-year-olds and older contested over six furlongs on the dirt at Belmont At The Big A in Ozone Park, New York. Named in honor of Hall of Fame trainer and owner John A. Nerud, it’s a key early-summer sprint that often draws top older sprinters.
The 2026 John A. Nerud Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, May 9th, during Belmont Park’s spring/summer meet.
Past winners include top dirt sprinters such as Mullikin, Whatchatalkinabout, and A. P. Indian, who often go on to compete at the highest levels later in the season. Because of its position on the calendar and quality fields, the race is watched closely by bettors and handicappers alike.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Whatchatalkinabout | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | Wesley A. Ward | 1:09.30 |
| 2024 | Mullikin | Flavien Prat | Rodolphe Brisset | 1:20.54 |
| 2023 | Three Technique | Javier Castellano | Jason G. Cook | 1:22.88 |
| 2022 | Life Is Good | Flavien Prat | Todd A. Pletcher | 1:21.70 |
| 2021 | Mind Control | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | 1:21.94 |
| 2020 | The race was not held | |||
