Messenger Stakes
The Messenger Stakes is an American harness racing event for 3-year-old pacing horses. It was organized in 1956 at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury, New York to join with the Cane Pace and the Little Brown Jug to create the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers. The race is named in honor of Messenger, a horse foaled in England and later brought to the United States. As a sire, virtually all harness horses in the U.S. can be traced back to Messenger.
One of the preeminent events for harness racing horses in North America, the race was held annually at Roosevelt Raceway until it closed down in 1988. From 1988 to 1994, the race changed locations several times, from Yonkers Raceway to Freestate Raceway to Rosecroft Raceway. In 1995, it moved to The Meadows Racetrack in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. In 2004, the race was supposed to be moved back to Yonkers Raceway. However, due to construction at the track, the race was moved to Harrington Raceway in Delaware, where the event was held in 2004 and '05. The race moved back to Yonkers Raceway in November 2006. The 2015 edition was raced at Yonkers on September 5 for a total purse of US$500,000.
Much like the Little Brown Jug, the Messenger was raced in heat events, meaning a horse had to win an elimination heat and the final on the same day to be declared the winner. Starting from 2006 at Yonkers, there will be eliminations, if necessary, one week prior to the event.
Locations
- 1956–1987 - Roosevelt Raceway
- 1988, 2006–present - Yonkers Raceway
- 1989 - Freestate Raceway
- 1990–1994 - Rosecroft Raceway
- 1995–2003 - The Meadows Racetrack and Casino
- 2004–2005 - Harrington Raceway & Casino
Records
- 8 – John Campbell
- 8 – Billy Haughton
- 1:50 3/5 – Allamerican Ingot
Messenger Stakes winners
| Year | Winner | Driver | Trainer | Owner | Time | Purse |
| 2019 | American Mercury | Tyler Buter | Chris Oakes | Crawford Racing, Northfork Racing, Pompey & Bice | 1:51 3/5 | $500,000 |
| 2018 | Stay Hungry | Doug McNair | Tony Alagna | Bradley Grant & Irwin Samelman | 1:52 1/5 | $500,000 |
| 2017 | Downbytheseaside | Brian Sears | Brian Brown | Country Club Acres, Sbrocco, Lombardo & Diamond Creek | 1:52 1/5 | $500,000 |
| 2016 | Racing Hill | Brett Miller | Tony Alagna | Tom Hill | 1:53 0/0 | $500,000 |
| 2015 | Revenge Shark | Yannick Gingras | Tony Alagna | Alagna Racing & Bradley Grant | 1:53 1/5 | $500,000 |
| 2014 | All Bets Off | Matt Kakaley | Ron Burke | Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, et al. | 1:51 1/5 | $500,000 |
| 2013 | Ronny Bugatti | Jason Bartlett | Allan Johnson | Eric Prevost, Bridget McNeese, Tom Haughton | 1:51 4/5 | $450,000 |
| 2012 | Bolt The Duer | Mark J. MacDonald | Peter Foley | All Star Racing Inc. | 1:51 2/5 | $415,820 |
| 2011 | Roll With Joe | Ronald Pierce | Edward Hart | Winbak Farm, Blue Chip Bloodstock, et al. | 1:52 4/5 | $401,000 |
| 2010 | Rock N Roll Heaven | Daniel Dubé | Bruce Saunders | Frank Bellino | 1:51 4/5 | $437,100 |
| 2009 | If I Can Dream | Tim Tetrick | Tracy Brainard | Bulletproof Enterprises | 1:52 2/5 | $542,060 |
| 2008 | Somebeachsomewhere | Paul MacDonell | Brent MacGrath | Schooner Stables | 1:52 1/5 | $650,000 |
| 2007 | Always A Virgin | Brian Sears | Joe Holloway | Bluestone Farms, et al. | 1:52 0/0 | $725,480 |
| 2006 | Palone Ranger | Ronald Pierce | Gregory Peck | Four Friends & Perretti Racing Stables LLC | 1:54 3/5 | $546,830 |
| 2005 | Gryffindor | David Miller | Brendan Johnson | Jim Winske, Bill Donovan, Milt Leeman | 1:52 0/0 | $218,475 |
| 2004 | Metropolitan | John Campbell | Christopher J. Ryder | Norman &Gerald Smiley | 1:52 2/5 | $340,950 |
| 2003 | No Pan Intended | David Miller | Ivan Sugg | Peter Pan Stables Inc. | 1:52 4/5 | $252,945 |
| 2002 | Allamerican Ingot | David Miller | Robert McIntosh | Robert Waxman | 1:50 3/5 | $260,610 |
| 2001 | Bagel Beach Boy | Luc Ouellette | Jim Campbell | Lloyd F. Arnold | 1:52 1/5 | $254,385 |
| 2000 | Ain't No Stoppin' Him | John Campbell | Joe Holloway | John & Patricia Celli | 1:52 3/5 | $323,421 |
| 1999 | Blissfull Hall | Ronald Pierce | Benjamin Wallace | Daniel Plouffe | 1:51 1/5 | $347,760 |
| 1998 | Fit For Life | John Campbell | Brett Pelling | Brittany Farms & Val D'Or Farms | 1:52 2/5 | $387,380 |
| 1997 | Western Dreamer | Michel Lachance | Nathaniel C. Varty | Matthew, Patrick & Daniel Daly | 1:51 3/5 | $331,300 |
| 1996 | Go For Grins | Dave Palone | Christopher J. Ryder | 1:52 2/5 | $333,080 | |
| 1995 | David's Pass | John Campbell | Brett Pelling | RJS Stable | 1:52 4/5 | $328,825 |
| 1994 | Cam's Card Shark | John Campbell | William G. Robinson | Jeffrey S. Snyder | 1:51 0/0 | $342,595 |
| 1993 | Riyadh | Jim Morrill, Jr. | William G. Robinson | R. Peter Heffering | 1:52 2/5 | $328,305 |
| 1992 | Western Hanover | William Fahy | Gene Riegle | George Segal | 1:53 1/5 | $366,750 |
| 1991 | Die Laughing | Richard Silverman | Roger Goldstein | Alnoff Stable & Val D'Or Farms | 1:51 1/5 | $475,000 |
| 1990 | Jake And Elwood | John Campbell | Ken Seeber | Louis P. Guida | 1:52 3/5 | $444,371 |
| 1989 | Sandman Hanover | Bill O'Donnell | Ken Seeber | LPG Standardbred & MRF Racing Stable | 1:53 2/5 | $451,069 |
| 1988 | Matt's Scooter | Michel Lachance | Harry J. Poulton | Gordon & Illa Rumpel, Charles Juravinski | 1:56 3/5 | $461,310 |
| 1987 | Redskin | John Campbell | Jerry Smith | Jerry Smith | 1:58 0/0 | $447,310 |
| 1986 | Amity Chef | John Campbell | Blair Burgess | Cantario Farms, Blair Burgess, Bland & Baugh | 1:55 4/5 | $363,762 |
| 1985 | Pershing Square | Bill O'Donnell | Billy Haughton | Louis P. Guida | 1:55 2/5 | $483,560 |
| 1984 | Troublemaker | Bill O'Donnell | Gene Riegle | George Segal | 1:57 3/5 | $379,343 |
| 1983 | Ralph Hanover | Ron Waples | Stewart Firlotte | Ron Waples, Pointsetta Stables, Grants Direct Stables | 1:57 0/0 | $379,004 |
| 1982 | Cam Fella | Pat Crowe | Pat Crowe | Norman Clements & Norman Faulkner | 1:57 3/5 | $259,578 |
| 1981 | Seahawk Hanover | Ben Webster | Samuel Lewis | Dave Harris, Samuel Lewis, et al. | 1:58 0/0 | $224,955 |
| 1980 | Niatross | Clint Galbraith | Clint Galbraith | Niatross Syndicate | 1:59 3/5 | $173,522 |
| 1979 | Hot Hitter | Henri Filion | Louis Meittinis | Solomon Katz, S A J & Alterman Stables | 1:59 4/5 | $180,225 |
| 1978 | Abercrombie | Glen Garnsey | Glen Garnsey | L. Keith Bulen & Shirley A. Mitchell | 1:58 2/5 | $167,682 |
| 1977 | Governor Skipper | John Chapman | H. "Bucky" Norris | Ivanhoe Stable | 1:59 1/5 | $159,155 |
| 1976 | Windshield Wiper | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton | Irving G. Liverman | 2:00 0/0 | $161,920 |
| 1975 | Bret's Champ | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton | Edward W. Andrews | 1:59 1/5 | $154,222 |
| 1974 | Armbro Omaha | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton | J. Elgin Armstrong | 1:59 3/5 | $151,043 |
| 1973 | Valiant Bret | Lucien Fontaine | Harry Tudor | P.G. & Jere Gray | 2:00 3/5 | $122,732 |
| 1972 | Silent Majority | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton | Irving G. Liverman & Aline White | 2:01 4/5 | $154,733 |
| 1971 | Albatross | Stanley Dancer | Stanley Dancer | Amicable Stable | 2:00 2/5 | $114,977 |
| 1970 | Most Happy Fella | Stanley Dancer | Stanley Dancer | Egyptian Acres Stable | 2:02 3/5 | $123,450 |
| 1969 | Bye Bye Sam | Stanley Dancer | Stanley Dancer | Jane Falley Galt | 2:02 3/5 | $182,976 |
| 1968 | Rum Customer | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton | Louis & Connie Manucuso & Kennilworth Farm | 2:01 4/5 | $189,018 |
| 1967 | Romulus Hanover | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton | Farmstead Acres Farm | 1:59 1/5 | $178,064 |
| 1966 | Romeo Hanover | George Sholty | Jerry Silverman | Lucky Star Stables & Morton Finder | 2:01 0/0 | $169,885 |
| 1965 | Bret Hanover | Frank Ervin | Frank Ervin | Richard Downing | 2:02 0/0 | $151,252 |
| 1964 | Race Time | Ralph N. Baldwin | Ralph N. Baldwin | Castleton Farm | 2:01 2/5 | $150,960 |
| 1963 | Overtrick | John F. Patterson, Sr. | John F. Patterson, Sr. | Allwood Stable | 2:00 4/5 | $146,324 |
| 1962 | Thor Hanover | John F. Simpson, Sr. | John F. Simpson, Sr. | J. F. Simpson, Sr., T. W. Murphy, Lawrence B. & C. N. Shepherd | 2:01 1/5 | $169,430 |
| 1961 | Adios Don | Robert Camper | Robert Camper | Harold Large | 2:02 4/5 | $145,377 |
| 1960 | Countess Adios | Delvin Miller | Delvin Miller | J. Elgin & Ted Armstrong & Hugh A. Grant, Sr. | 2:02 1/5 | $142,786 |
| 1959 | Adios Butler | Clint Hodgins | Clint Hodgins | Paige West & Angelo Pellillo | 2:00 1/5 | $110,994 |
| 1958 | O'Brien Hanover | James W. Jordan | Delvin Miller | Hugh A. Grant, Sr. | 2:01 4/5 | $108,565 |
| 1957 | Meadow Lands | Delvin Miller | Delvin Miller | Hugh A. Grant, Sr. & Del Miller | 2:04 4/5 | $100,084 |
| 1956 | Belle Action | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton | Billy Haughton | 2:01 2/5 | $71,500 |