The Champagne Stakes is a major fall race for 2-year-olds annually held at Belmont Park. The Champagne serves as a "Win and You're In" qualifying prep race for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and often produces a favorite for that race. It was first run in 1867. Triple Crown winners Seattle Slew and Count Fleet won the Champagne as 2-year-olds, and eventual Triple Crown winner Secretariat won the race in 1972 but was disqualified to second behind Stop the Music.
The Champagne Stakes is a major fall race for 2-year-olds annually held at Belmont Park. The Champagne serves as a "Win and You're In" qualifying prep race for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and often produces a favorite for that race. It was first run in 1867. Triple Crown winners Seattle Slew and Count Fleet won the Champagne as 2-year-olds, and eventual Triple Crown winner Secretariat won the race in 1972 but was disqualified to second behind Stop the Music.
Other top horses that have won the race include Colin, Buckpasser, Riva Ridge, Foolish Pleasure, Alydar, Spectacular Bid, Forty Niner, Easy Goer, Uncle Mo, Union Rags and Shanghai Bobby. Owner Calumet Farm and jockey Braulio Baeza each have a record five wins in the race. Trainer Todd Pletcher has won six editions since 2000, including three in a row from 2012 to 2014.