What is the Suburban Stakes?
The Suburban Stakes is a Grade II Thoroughbred race held annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, as part of the July 4th Racing Festival. Contested at 1¼ miles on the dirt for horses aged three and older, it is one of the most historic handicap races in American racing, tracing its roots back to 1884. Originally run at the Sheepshead Bay Race Track, the Suburban is the final leg of the New York Handicap Triple, following the Metropolitan Handicap and the Brooklyn Handicap. Only four horses in history have swept the Handicap Triple: Whisk Broom II (1913), Tom Fool (1953), Kelso (1961), and Fit to Fight (1984). The race has a who's who of champions on its winners list, including Salvator (1890), Beldame (1905), Triple Crown winner Assault (1947), the legendary Kelso (1961, 1963), Dr. Fager (1968), Forego (1975), and Easy Goer (1990). Trainer Todd Pletcher has dominated the modern era, winning three straight editions from 2022 to 2024.
When is the Suburban Stakes in 2026?
The 2026 Suburban Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, July 4 at Saratoga Race Course as part of the July 4th Racing Festival. Contested at 1¼ miles on the dirt with a purse of $350,000, the race draws the top older dirt horses in the country targeting the summer and fall championship circuit.
Suburban Stakes History & Notable Winners
The Suburban Stakes has produced a string of high-quality dirt horses for trainer Todd Pletcher in recent years. Phileas Fogg gave trainer Gustavo Rodriguez and jockey Kendrick Carmouche a 2025 victory, the gelding having been claimed into the barn the previous summer and never finishing worse than the exacta in his six starts since. Crupi gave Pletcher and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. his third straight Suburban win in 2024, rallying from last to first for owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable. Charge It gave Pletcher his second consecutive title in 2023, with Dynamic One completing the streak's start in 2022, all three sons of Tapit and Curlin bloodlines that have defined the modern Suburban. The race is the final of the New York Handicap Triple, following the Metropolitan Handicap and the Brooklyn Handicap, and remains one of the most prestigious handicap events in American racing.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Phileas Fogg | Kendrick Carmouche | Gustavo Rodriguez |
| 2024 | Crupi | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd Pletcher |
| 2023 | Charge It | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher |
| 2022 | Dynamic One | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd Pletcher |
| 2021 | Max Player | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steve Asmussen |
The Suburban Stakes is one of the most historic handicap races in American racing and the final leg of the prestigious New York Handicap Triple each July.
