Comely Stakes (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles The Comely Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Run in mid-April, since 1960 it has been open to three year old fillies who are willing to race one mile on the dirt track. The race is a Grade II event with a purse of $150,000 and has been a prep to the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing or the Kentucky Oaks. The race was named in honor of the filly Comely, who, in a remarkable performance as a two-year-old, defeated older male horses in winning the first running of the Fall Highweight Handicap in 1914. Inaugurated in 1945 at Jamaica Racetrack, it was raced there through 1951 and again in 1959. For 1952 and 1953 it was hosted by the Empire City Race Track in Yonkers and Belmont Park in 1976, 1981, 1984, and again in 1985. There was no race run from 1954 to 1958. Since inception, the Comely has been contested at a 11/16 miles for three-year-old fillies from 1945 through 1953 and again in 1993. In 1959, the race was restricted to two-year-olds and run as a five furlong sprint. From 1960 through 1990, it was run at seven furlongs.