NY Stallion Stakes – Bid

Purse $150.00 – For Three-Year-Olds Foaled In NY

6 Furlongs – Turf

Aqueduct – June 20, 2026

The New York Stallion Stakes Series will be on display this weekend as a group of eight sophomore turf sprinters line up in the starting gate for the “Bid”. This stakes has always been held at Belmont Park, but due to construction it’s changed venue to Aqueduct. It has also changed distance from seven furlongs to now six furlongs. TwinTowersRacing and Serengeti Creeper set the stakes record two years ago in wire-to-wire fashion, stopping the clock in 1:08.33. No stable has had more success in the NY Stallion Stakes – Bid than D J C Racing Stables, with three victories from 2013, 2014, and 2016. Although this is a race for three-year-olds, this year’s edition should be interesting because no horse in the field is a graded stakes winner. There’s not too much speed entered this year, so will we see the winner come from off the pace? Let’s take a closer look at each contender and see if anyone stands out.

1. Wild Waters – (Spb Racing, E A. Ellingwood) It was a pretty good two-year-old season for this son of Breath Of The Wild, winning a stake and making the starting gate for the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Now in 2026, he has yet to find the winner’s circle in five starts. Wild Waters has been sprinting on the grass against allowance company and hasn’t been making much of an impact. Wild Waters’ best result came in April at Santa Anita. He came from way off the pace on soft ground as the favorite and ended up closing quickly for a good second. It feels like this guy needs a drop in class, but maybe the connections have something rolled up their sleeve?

2. Cracked Ginger – (The Sidley Stud, E. Cancel) A homebred for The Sidley Stud who won on debut. Cracked Ginger went straight into stakes company and found that the competition was too much for this gelding. There were some equipment/footing changes, but nothing seemed to be working. Connections then decided to geld the son of Ginger Haggis at the end of the year and stretch him out to two-turns. It proved to be a good move as Cracked Ginger closed from last to get second by a half-length. He found the winner’s circle in April in an N1X, where he ended up sitting closer to the pace. For this entry, I’m not sure how I feel about the cutback in distance.

3. Ginger Beer – (La Canada Racehorses, E O. Robles) Has exclusively been running in turf sprints and working his way up the ranks. This gelding broke his maiden in an MSW at Parx in a four-horse field. Ginger Beer ended 2025 with a win in an N2L, winning by a length as the favorite. Connections then made the jump into stakes company and took two tries to knock out his first allowance condition. He has really been well campaigned and has not been running over his head. Ginger Beer comes into the NY Stallion Stakes – Bid off a sixth-place effort. He was three lengths off the pace and only made up two lengths in the stretch. A step up is needed to turn the tables.

4. Santino Corleone – (Happy Tuesday, F. Prat) The most lightly raced horse entered this year with only two career starts. This son of The Godfather was bought at auction for a hefty price tag of $1.00. Connections took him to Tampa Bay Downs a month later to run in a five-furlong maiden claimer on the turf. It was a good first outing, just missing at the wire to finish second. It was clear this gelding could run some, so Santino Corleone jumped into a state-bred MSW. He took the early lead by two lengths and made every pole a winning one, earning a 91 SRF figure. It’s definitely impressive to see a jump in class like this, especially being bought for peanuts. One to watch.

5. Matthews – (Alydar Stables, K. Carmouche) Broke his maiden in start #2 at Aqueduct against State-Breds. He was then entered in an N2L and Alydar Stables made a smart decision and claimed Matthews off of Royalty Stables for $15.00. This son of Heretowinthisfight was gelded two months later and also removed Lasix for his first start with his new barn. He came very close to winning on the rail but ended up getting second by a head. Matthews went back to New York to run against State-Breds last time out. Thankfully, he had a better post this time and went straight to the lead by three lengths. John Velazquez kept him in front and won impressively. My top pick.

6. Drummer Boy – (D J C Racing Stables, D. Davis) Trying to get back to his winning ways after a very productive two-year-old season. This homebred for D J C Racing Stables had three wins both sprinting and routing on the grass. Connections ended up gelding this son of Quality Road at the start of the year. Not only that, but Drummer Boy was trying to get on the Kentucky Derby Trail, making an appearance in the Lewis Stakes. It was a six-place finish, so he went back on the sod in an allowance as the favorite. Things didn’t pan out in that race either. Drummer Boy was then stretched out to two turns in the Grade One American Turf, finishing last. Hard to endorse.

7. Gentle Charmer – (Sheffler Stables, G. Kocakaya) An interesting runner who has only been off the board once in five starts. He won at Penn National on debut and went straight into allowance company. Gentle Charmer faded badly that day and got last. Connections made the switch to turf at that point and won an N2L. After a heartbreaking loss routing on the grass, Red Fox Farms sold this New York-bred for $10.00. Sheffler Stables immediately gelded him and entered in an N1X at Parx. Gentle Charmer settled nicely off the early speed, coming with a strong rally down the stretch to win by a head. There’s no question a step up is needed here, but this is my longshot pick.

8. New Yorks Finest – (Big Jd Racing, K. Davis) The highest earner in the field with $242.66 in purse money won. He certainly has a mix of sprint and route starts, but New Yorks Finest’s best numbers have come from sprinting. He has actually never finished off the board around one turn on the turf. His breakthrough/maiden victory came in The Bongard Stakes last year–displaying an impressive turn of foot at the six-furlong distance. Anytime a horse breaks his maiden in a stakes, It’s definitely a noteworthy accomplishment. However, this son of State Police has recently been running around a route of ground in his past five races. This is a live horse who is certainly capable of winning here.

– AJM

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded