2023 Vosburgh Stakes Preview

Older sprint horses shine in the $250,000 Vosburgh Stakes (G2) on Saturday, September 30. Though the seven-furlong sprint race is traditionally contested at Belmont Park, the race is part of the Belmont at the Big A fall meet at Aqueduct, due to construction at its traditional location.

The race produced the Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner last year, as Elite Power won the 2022 Vosburgh Stakes in his stakes debut and went on to win the most important one-turn dirt race of the year. This year, however, the favorite in the field of six will be a far more proven horse: Cody’s Wish, who turns back to seven furlongs, the same distance at which he got his first-ever Grade 1 win last year in the Forego.

This history of the Vosburgh dates back to 1940, when Joe Schenck won the inaugural race. Some of the race’s greatest winners before the advent of the Breeders’ Cup include Bold Ruler (1957), Dr. Fager (1967-1968), Triple Bend (1972), and Forego (1974). More recent stars to win the race include Groovy (1987), Housebuster (1991), Ghostzapper (2003), Private Zone (2013-2014), and Imperial Hint (2018-2019). Only two horses have swept the Vosburgh Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint: Artax (1999) and the aforementioned Elite Power.

Vosburgh Stakes Information

• Race Date: Saturday, September 30
• Track: Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York
• Post Time: 1:09 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
• Distance: seven furlongs on the dirt
• Age/Sex: three-year-olds and up
• Where to Watch: TVG.com and Fox
• Where to Bet: TVG.com and FanDuel Racing

2023 Vosburgh Stakes Draw and Odds

These are the entrants in the 2023 Vosburgh Stakes, organized by post position. Morning-line odds will be added after Aqueduct releases them.

Vosburgh Stakes Prep Race Results

The six runners in the Vosburgh all come out of different last-out races. Just two runners, the pair from the Bill Mott barn, come out of graded stakes, and none has a last-out graded victory. Cody’s Wish, the likely favorite, tried to stretch to 1 ⅛ miles in the Whitney (G1) last out but finished a well-beaten third behind White Abarrio. High Oak, who made his first graded start in over a year in the Forego (G1) on August 26, was a well-beaten third behind Gunite.

The only other horse coming out of a stakes race is Great Navigator. He comes out of a 10-length victory against New Jersey-breds in the Charles Hesse III Handicap at Monmouth on September 4.

The three other runners were last seen racing in allowance-optional claiming company earlier this month. Cowan won over the two-turn, seven-furlong trip at Charles Town on September 22, while Accretive won going a mile at Saratoga on September 2. Sheriff Bianco cuts back from the one-turn mile at Aqueduct, a trip over which he finished second on September 21.

Vosburgh Stakes Contenders

These are the six entrants in the 2023 Vosburgh, organized by post position:

1. Great Navigator: This New Jersey-bred made good account the only other time he tried graded company: after thrashing a baby race last year at Monmouth he ran second behind Mo Strike in the Sanford (G3) at the Spa. However, he has been running mostly in allowance company since, with his only stakes try since the Sanford coming against New Jersey-breds last out. He beat them convincingly and did so in fast enough fashion to fit here if he repeats that. But, that was such a jump up from his previous form that he is a regression risk, especially against these tougher foes over this shorter distance.
2. Cowan: This five-year-old comes out of an allowance win at Charles Town, but has plenty of back class: he finished second in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2), also finished second in the Saudi Derby the next year, and even tried top-level older horses in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) at age three. He must have had some issues last year, as he was risked for $62,500 in May, got claimed, and was off over a year. But, he came back a winner over a two-turn seven furlongs and now tries the top level again. He needs to improve, but some of his dirt form late in his three-year-old year suggests some upside.
3. Sheriff Bianco: Trainer Linda Rice is having a banner year, and hopes to continue that with Sheriff Bianco. This New York-bred has not been much of a winner in recent times: his last score came at six furlongs in an off-turf allowance back in April. However, he hit the board in extended one-turn races over fast dirt on both September 15 and September 21, and trainer Linda Rice does well with racing horses frequently if they are in form and can handle it. He has tactical speed and has never run off the board in eleven races over the Aqueduct dirt, meaning he has a good chance to find one of his better races and get a piece again—especially since he might just have the earliest pace in this paceless short field.
4. Accretive: This Chad Brown trainee cedes experience to the rest of the field, with only five starts to his name. He does have some graded experience: last year, he finished second, beaten a neck to Gunite in the Amsterdam (G2) in only his second start, though he was a flat fifth in the Jerkens (G1) next out. This year, he has won a pair of short-field allowances over the main track at Saratoga, putting him in a nice third-off-the-lay part of his form cycle for this return to graded-stakes company. With a pair of good efforts at six and a half furlongs last year, odds are good that he can do well going seven furlongs, especially since he can be more forward than a lot of the closers in this short field.
5. High Oak: The first of the pair from trainer Bill Mott, he comes out of a third-place effort in the Forego. He was no match for Gunite or Elite Power that day, but he finished clear of the rest, and this field does not contain any proven world-beaters other than Cody’s Wish. The one question for him is pace, as he has become more of a closer as he has proceeded in his career. In a smaller field with no real speed horses, that could be a recipe for him to be an underneath type again; it is best to leave him there, especially since he has such a good chance of being a clear second betting choice.
6. Cody’s Wish: Cody’s Wish is probably a miler: probably, since he started poorly in the Whitney, and there could be an argument to try him again and see how he does going so long with a better start. But, we do know that he is a top-class horse going seven furlongs or a mile, and seven furlongs is what he gets here. The pace is unlikely to suit him, as this is a six-horse field with very little early gas. Even so? Looking through his six-win streak reveals several races in which the pace was sluggish, and he won anyway, meaning that if he brings back his best now that he returns to a proven distance, he should blow past them all.

Vosburgh Stakes FAQ

Q: When and where is the Vosburgh Stakes?

A: The Vosburgh Stakes happens Saturday, September 30, at 1:09 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race is the third on the 10-race card at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York.

Q: Which trainer has the most wins in the Vosburgh Stakes?

A: Trainer Flint Schilhofer is the all-time leader with four wins in the Vosburgh between 1969 and 1992. Among trainers with horses entered in the 2023 edition, the only one who has won it before is Bill Mott, who won the 2022 Vosburgh Stakes with Elite Power.

Q: Who is the favorite for the Vosburgh Stakes?

A: Cody’s Wish, 1-5 on the morning line, will be a heavy favorite in this year’s Vosburgh. Though he comes out of a third-place finish as the odds-on favorite in the Whitney, he had a poor start and cuts back to a proven distance, meaning the public will assume he will get back into his best form.

Q: Who is the best Vosburgh Stakes jockey?

A: Angel Cordero, Jr. is the all-time leader with six Vosburgh victories between 1973 and 1990. Among riders in this year’s race, Jose Ortiz is the only jockey who has won the race before. He takes the call on Sheriff Bianco for Linda Rice.

Q: Who won the 2022 Vosburgh Stakes?

A: Elite Power’s improving form led trainer Bill Mott to enter him in the Vosburgh for his stakes debut, and he responded with a sharp victory under jockey Jose Lezcano. Last year’s winner is still in training, but he does not return to defend his title. Mott entered both Cody’s Wish and High Oak; Lezcano does not ride in the race this year.