Demoiselle Stakes
The Demoiselle Stakes is a stakes race for thoroughbred horses open to two-year-old fillies who are willing to race the one and one-eighth miles on dirt. The Grade II event is run at Aqueduct Racetrack every November for a current purse of $250,000.
| Grade II race | |
| Location | Aqueduct Racetrack Queens, New York |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1908 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Two-year-old fillies |
| Weight | Assigned |
| Purse | $250,000 |
The Demoiselle is part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, a points system developed by Churchill Downs to determine eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks. The Demoiselle is one of the most important races for juvenile fillies, rivalling the Spinaway Stakes, the Oak Leaf Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in establishing the early favorite for the Oaks.
The Demoiselle, named for the French word for young woman, was run at Empire City Race Track at its inauguration in 1908, then in 1910, 1914, and from 1917 to 1942. It then moved to Jamaica Racetrack from 1943 to 1953 and from there to Aqueduct. Since inception, the Demoiselle Stakes has been contested at various distances:
- 5.5 furlongs: 1908–1936
- 5.75 furlongs: 1936–1942
- 6 furlongs: 1943–1947
- 7 furlongs: 1958–1959
- 8.5 furlongs: 1948–1953
- 8 furlongs: 1963–1974
- 9 furlongs: 1975–present