The Poker Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four years old and older held over a distance of one mile (8 furlongs) on the turf held annually in mid June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
The event is named in honor of Poker[1] who defeated champions Assagai and his stablemate Buckpasser in the 1967 Bowling Green Handicap at Belmont Park.
[2] The inaugural running of the Poker Stakes was on 25 September 1983 and was won by the Gasper S. Moshera trained Freon in a time of 2:031⁄5 over the distance of a mile and a quarter on the turf.
Also Kip Deville winner of the Breeders' Cup Mile in 2007 featured in this event 2008 winning easily as the short odds on favorite and giving up to eleven pounds to his competitors.
[7] In 2024 the event was moved to Saratoga Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park.