In the Acorn Stakes 2025, three-year-old fillies strut their stuff during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. On this page, we have everything you need to know about this Grade I race usually run at Belmont Park. There’s a twist this year, though.

What is the Acorn Stakes?

The Acorn is a Grade I stakes race only open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It normally takes place at Belmont Park in New York, as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

In 2024 and 2025, however, this race will instead be held at Saratoga Race Course. This is because there is major redevelopment work going on at Belmont Park, that is not due to be completed until 2026.

This year’s edition of the Acorn is scheduled for Friday, June 6, 2025. It serves as both the first and final leg of the Triple Tiara races. On a national scale in American thoroughbred racing, it takes place after the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs and the Black Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

At the same time, the Acorn is the opening race of the New York Triple Tiara. Successful fillies may race on in the Coaching Club American Oaks and the Alabama Stakes, both of which are run at Saratoga.

Acorn Stakes History

Inaugurated in 1931, Baba Kenney was its first-ever winner. Eddie Arcaro was a jockey that started a dominant run, beginning in 1945 and ended with his sixth victory in 1961. Along with Mike Smith and John Velazquez, Arcaro is the joint record holder of the most wins in this race.

James Fitzsimmons is the most successful trainer with six victories between 1933 and 1960. Amongst modern trainers, Bob Baffert has been the most consistent force, training five winners between 2009 and 2020.

There have only been two dead heats and they came within two years of each other. In 1954 they couldn’t separate Riverina and Happy Mood. Then in 1956, Beyond and Princess Turia crossed the wire together.

In 1951, 1970 and 1974, there were also two winners of the race, but for a different reason. In those years, the race was oversubscribed, leading to two divisions being run. This can’t happen these days, thanks to race organizers NYRA having a balloting out process.

Saratoga Third Venue for Race

When the race takes place at Saratoga, it will be the third course to have hosted it. Along with Belmont Park, it has also taken place at Aqueduct Racetrack from 1960 to 1967 and then again between 1969 to 1975.

In 1985, Abigail Fuller became the first female jockey to win the race, aboard Mom’s Command. The only other woman to ride the winner of the Acorn was Rosie Napravnik in 2013.

The speed record for this race is held by Gamine, who recorded a time of 1:32:55 in 2020. This was achieved over a distance of one mile (1,600 meters), which was the race length until 2023. The NYRA then extended the distance to a mile and an extended distance of 1,700 meters. When the Acorn is held at Saratoga, the race will cover a distance of one mile and a furlong (1,800 meters).

Recent Acorn Stakes Winners

Acorn Stakes results from recent years can give you an insight into the likely result of the 2026 race. Here are the details of the winners from 2025 back to 2016.

Acorn Stakes Picks & Contenders 2025

With the Morning Line odds as a guide and pari-mutuel betting pools available, there are seven fillies vying for glory in the Acorn. Our expert handicappers assess the main contenders in the feature race for Friday, June 6 at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival:

Good Cheer

Unbeaten Godolphin filly by Medaglia d’Oro, owner-breeders with two wins in the last three editions of the Acorn. Now concedes weight all-round to the field after easy Kentucky Oaks victory latest.

Looks capable of doing that, however, and the Brad Cox barn has had two Acorn Stakes winners since 2018. Good Cheer is the filly they all have to beat in Saratoga on known form.

Bless The Broken

Never nearer third to Good Cheer in the Kentucky Oaks and previously made the show behind her. William Walden’s Laoban filly is now better off at the weights with the favourite, however, and still improving.

Off the revised terms, Bless The Broken looks a good Across The Board bet against the favourite and on how she shaped at Churchill Downs. Another top three finish beckons.

Shred The Gnar – SCRATCHED

Dark horse in the field for Brian Lynch and by Into Mischief, a sire who has done so well with his progeny in this. Won minor race at the Kentucky Derby meet nicely, but the Acorn demands a lot more.

Further progress from Shred The Gnar can’t be ruled out, however, and she’s a new opponent for Good Cheer to contend with. She’s also less exposed than the favorite’s old rivals, so could be placed.

La Cara

Disappointing ninth in Kentucky Oaks latest, finishing behind Good Cheer, Bless The Broken and Quickick. Worth another chance of making the show, if judged on previous Grade I success in Ashland Stakes around Keeneland, however.

Belmont Stakes Betting Sites handicappers found bettors both the winner and second in 2024 with main bet Thorpedo Anna triumphing. Leslie’s Rose, a top 3 finish wager, also made the show in second place. La Cara, our show bet in 2025, meanwhile, also won.

Acorn Stakes Post Position Draw

The Acorn will be run on Friday, June 6 2025 with the post position draw made the weekend before. There are seven entries running this year with one late scratching (two fewer than 2024). Here is all the information about the Acorn Stakes post positions draw including weights for every competing filly:

1. Scottish Lassie (120lbs) – 12-1
2. Good Cheer (122lbs) – 1-2 fav
3. La Cara (120lbs) – 10-1
4. Shred The Gnar (118lbs) – 3-1 SCRATCHED
5. Bless The Broken (118lbs) – 10-1
6. Look Forward (120lbs) – 15-1
7. Quickick (118lbs) – 20-1

Effective Acorn Stakes Betting Strategies

Before you place a bet on the Acorn, consider these strategies that will give you an edge.

Favorites Have Strong Record

Over the last nine editions, the favorite has won on seven occasions. That is a better than 75 percent success rate for the favored filly. The 2024 race saw the hot favorite Thorpedo Anna enhance the market leader’s record. Though you can never rule out a longshot winning this race, recent results suggest that it pays to focus on fancied runners.

Consider Class

Make sure that you consider the class of the fillies involved in the Acorn and that of their jockeys and trainers. The likes of Brad H. Cox, Chad Brown and Bob Baffert have been successful trainers in this race over recent years. John Velazquez, meanwhile, is a jockey with a great record. When it comes to the pedigree of a horse, look carefully at their breeding. Both the 2023 winner Pretty Mischievous and the 2020 heroine Gamine were daughters of prolific stallion Into Mischief.

Study the Form

Once you know the fillies running in the Acorn field at Saratoga, take a deep dive into their form. Examine contenders and discover if any have winning records, and where they have been successful. The 2023 winner, Pretty Mischievous, landed the Kentucky Oaks the month prior. Seven of the last ten winners of the Acorn ran at Churchill Downs in their previous race.

Key Acorn Stakes Stats & Trends

A look back at some of the stats and trends in the more recent editions of this race for fillies, can give us an insight into what we might expect to happen in 2025.

Prior to that, the Acorn saw Thorpedo Anna win in 2024. She was trained by Kenneth McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernandez.

Before 2023, there was six-year run in which the winner of this race was trained by either Brad Cox, Chad Brown or Bob Baffert, who all enjoyed two wins over this period. Baffert has won the Acorn on five occasions in total; so, keep your eye out for any fillies from these barns.

Two of the three jockeys that have won this race on the most occasions, are still active and could be going for a sixth victory. Mike Smith has five wins, with his most recent success coming in 2017. John Velazquez also has five wins, the last of which was in 2020.

The Acorn forms part on an unofficial fillies’ Triple Crown, along with the Kentucky Oaks and Black Eyed Susan Stakes. In recent years, the Kentucky Oaks has proved to be a decent indicator for success at the Acorn.

Thorpedo Anna and Pretty Mischievous won both of these races in 2024 and 2023. So did Monomoy Girl in 2018 and Abel Tasman in 2017.

Prior to winning the Kentucky Oaks, Pretty Mischievous had won the Rachel Alexandra Stakes in February and finished second in the Fair Ground Oaks in March.

FAQs

When is the Acorn Stakes?

The Acorn will take place on Friday, June 6 2025, scheduled on day 3 of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival this year. Unlike normal, the race will be held at Saratoga again this year due to construction work taking place at the regular venue, Belmont Park.

Who won the Acorn Stakes?

In 2025, the Acorn was won by La Cara in a time of 1:49.20. Ridden by the jockey Dylan Davis, she represented Canadian-based trainer Mark Casse.

Where can I bet on the Acorn Stakes 2025?

Any bookmaker covering US horse racing with give you the opportunity to bet on this race. Our recommended racebooks at Belmont Stakes Betting Sites will all cover the Acorn, with a variety of markets and good value odds.

Who is the top trainer in the Acorn Stakes?

James Fitzsimmons is the most successful trainer in the history of this famous race, with six victories. His horses won in 1933, 1934, 1936, 1939, 1955 and 1960. More recently Bob Baffert has enjoyed five wins, in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2020.