A field of nine fillies and mares have been entered for the G1 New York Stakes, set to be run at Saratoga on Friday.
This turf contest, run for a $750 000 purse this year, was originally run as the New York Handicap (it was first run in 1940) when open to horses of either sex until 1962. In 1972, the race was restricted to three-year-old fillies before being open to females of all ages.
Past winners of the New York Stakes include such star performers as Drumtop, Just A Game, Mairzy Doates, Sabin, Perfect Sting, Soaring Softly, and She Feels Pretty.
Influential broodmares to have won the New York Stakes include Princess Pout, Annie Edge, Anka Germania, and Aquilegia.
Below is a brief description of each runner in the 2026 New York Stakes.
PORTFOLIO DURATION: 4 f Night Of Thunder -Shemya
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Flavien Prat
A lightly raced four-year-old, Portfolio Duration has made just four starts. After finishing second on debut, the Night Of Thunder filly went on to win her next two starts, with Portfolio Duration breaking her maiden by five and three quarter lengths before going on to win an allowance by four and three quarter lengths. She was then just beaten a neck when second in the G2 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes. By champion sire Night Of Thunder, Portfolio Duration’s dam Shemya is also the dam of G3 winner Cormorant (by Kingman).
BELLEZZA: 5 m Siyouni -Terrific
Trainer: Miguel Clement
Jockey: Jaime Rodriguez
Winner of the 2025 G2 Flower Bowl Stakes and G3 Sheepshead Bay Stakes, the five-year-old had a rough trip when finishing sixth, of seven runners, in the 2026 G3 Orchid Stakes. The Orchid Stakes is Bellezze’s sole start this year.
By dual Champion French sire Siyouni, Bellezza is out of the stakes placed Galileo mare Terrific and is bred on the same cross as G1 winners St Mark’s Basilica and Sottsass.
SPEED SHOPPER: 5 m Quality Road -Fast Retailing
Trainer: Will Walden
Jockey: Manny Franco
The daughter of Quality Road has done little wrong in 2026, with Speed Shopper winning both the G3 Christophe Clement Stakes and G3 Bewitch Stakes Presented by Keeneland Sales. Speed Shopper overcame a wide trip to win the Bewitch Stakes by a length and a quarter, with Speed Shopper landing the Christophe Clement Stakes by a length and three quarters. Sandwiched between those two wins, was a third place finish in the G3 Orchid Stakes where she suffered a rough trip.
By the sire of champions Abel Tasman, Corniche and Caledonia Road, Speed Shopper’s dam is a half-sister to G1 FrontRunner Stakes winner Power Broker and to the dam of G1 Preakness Stakes winner Seize The Grey.
LAURELIN: 4 f Zarak -Bari
Trainer: Graham Motion
Jockey: Kendricke Carmouche
Purchased by Form Bloodstock for 160,000 euros at the 2023 Goffs Orby Sale Book 1, Laurelin won her first five starts. Her winning streak culminated in a one and three quarter length win in the G2 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes. Laurelin subsequently went on to finish runner up in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup and G3 Jockey Club Oaks. She ran third, in the G3 Beaugay Stakes, on her sole start this year.
By one of Dubawi’s best sire sons, Laurelin is out of the winning Cape Cross mare Bari, and this is the family of English Oaks winner Bireme and Talent as well as the top-class half-sisters Dreamloper and Santorini Star.
PRETTY PICTURE: 4 f Munnings -Farofa
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Dylan Davis
A lightly raced sort, Pretty Picture has won three of just five starts and was victorious on her only outing in 2026. Runner up in the 2025 G2 Mrs Revere Stakes (beaten half a length by G1 winner Lush Lips), Pretty Picture made the perfect start to her four-year-old campaign when she won an allowance at Keeneland.
By Speightstown’s high-class sire son Munnings, Pretty Picture is out of the unraced Farofa, a daughter of Tiznow and dual G1 winner Pure Clan.
CANKOURA: 4 f Persian King -Candarliya
Trainer: Francis -Henri Graffard
Jockey: Clement Lecoeuvre
The French filly is set to make her first start in North America. Third in last year’s G1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks), Cankoura went on to win the G3 Sky Sports Racing Prix de Psyche -Fonds Europeen de L’Elevage. Ran fourth, beaten a length and a half, in the G3 Prix Allez France on her four-year-old debut.
By Kingman’s French classic winning son Persian King, Cankoura is a half-sister to G3 winner Candala (by Frankel), and the stakes placed Carini (by Siyouni).
CITY GIRL: 5 m City Light -Nimpheas
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Irad Ortiz
The French bred mare has won two of three starts since joining Chad Brown. City Girl ran third at Tampa Bay on her US debut, before winning an allowance optional claiming race by two and a half lengths. She went on to claim the biggest race of her career thus far when victorious in the 2026 G3 Beaugay Stakes (with Laurelin beaten two and three quarter lengths into third spot).
By a G3 winning son of Siyouni, City Girl is out of the Smart Strike mare Nimpheas, and hails from the family of G1 winners Groom Dancer, Aventure, Left Hand, and Double Major.
KATHYNMARISSA:5 m American Pharoah -La Dalila
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Winner of five of 12 starts, Kathynmarissa has already earned more than $1.5 million in stakes.
Winner of the 2024 Pepsi Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational Stakes, the daughter of US Triple Crown winner American Pharoah has won her last two starts, and comes into Friday’s contest off a win in the G3 Modesty Stakes. That race saw her defeat Gezora by a length and a quarter, although she was receiving five lbs from the champion.
Out of Chilean G1 winner La Dalila, Kathynmarissa is from the same family as outstanding sire Habitat.
GEZORA: 4 f Almanzor -Germance
Trainer: Bill Mott
Jockey: John Velazquez
A G3 winner at two, Gezora showed top-class form in France at three. Not only did she win the G1 Prix de Diane Longines (French Oaks) and G2 Auguste Rodin Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary, but Gezora also ran second in the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille.
She went on to win the 2025 G1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, where Gezora accounted for such top-class performers as She Feels Pretty, See The Fire and Be Your Best.
She ran second, while giving weight away to the winner, in the G3 Modesty Stakes on her only start in 2026 thus far.
