Sprinting stars of the American turf often start their summer off in the Jaipur Stakes during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. On this page, we tell you everything you need to know about this famous horse racing event, which attracts some the fastest thoroughbreds to the East Coast.

What is the Jaipur Stakes?

The Jaipur is a Grade I thoroughbred race open to horses aged three-years-old and up. Run for much of its history over seven furlongs (1,400m), this event reverted to it original distance of six furlongs (1,200m) in 2006 and again in 2014.

Typically held at Belmont Park during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the 2024 and 2025 editions of this event will take place at Saratoga Race Course instead. This change is due to the redevelopment of the Jaipur’s home by the NYRA.

Consequently, all races from Belmont Stakes Day will be relocated to Saratoga. This year, the race distance is slightly shorter, set at an extended five furlongs (1,100 meters).

Jaipur Stakes History

Compared to some of the other races that are part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the Jaipur is an event with a relatively short history. Inaugurated in 1984, it became the Jaipur Handicap in 1996 before reverting to a conditions race in 2007.

From 2014 to 2019, it was known as the Jaipur Invitational Stakes. The event is named after 1962 Eclipse Award winner Jaipur, the outstanding three-year-old male horse of that season.

Jaipur won the Belmont Stakes and enjoyed a memorably close victory in the Travers Stakes. Sired by the Aga Khan’s Nasrullah, he was named after the capital of Indian state of Rajasthan.

The Japiur was originally held on dirt, quickly switching to turf in 1987. There have since been five occasions when wet weather has meant that it has made the move back from grass to dirt (1992, 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2013).

Repeat Winners in Recent Years

There have been three occasions when the race was oversubscribed and had to be split into two divisions. These instances came in 1986, 1994 and 1995. Race organizers, the NYRA, now have a balloting out process so this doesn’t happen.

The Jaipur did not achieve Grade I status until 2019. Three horses have won this race twice. They are Ecclesiastic in 2005 and 2007, Disco Partner in 2017 and 2018, and Casa Creed in 2021 and 2022.

When Disco Partner won it for the first time in 2017, he set a world record for the fastest race over six furlongs in a time of 1:05.67 The quickest time when the Jaipur had seven furlongs as its distance was the 1:20:06 by Nijinsky’s Gold in 1994.

To Freedom boasts the biggest margin of victory in 1992, when winning the race by a distance of six lengths. Jerry Bailey, meanwhile, is the most successful jockey in Jaipur history with six wins (1986, 1991, 1993, 1998, 2001, 2002). William I. Mott is the winningest trainer with five victories (1989, 1998, 2006, 2021, 2022).

Recent Jaipur Winners

Let’s take a look back at the details of the Jaipur Stakes results over recent years going back to 2014:

Jaipur Stakes 2025 Picks

The Jaipur should take place on Saturday, June 7 2025 at Saratoga on the undercard of the Belmont Stakes. Due to rain in Saratoga Springs, however, the race moves back 24 hours to Sunday, June 8 giving the turf track chance to dry out.

We now know which horses run with 10 entries. The Belmont Stakes Betting Sites handicappers use Morning Line odds and prices, plus other data like speed figures, to come up with their picks. Ahead of time, these are our expert picks for the Jaipur from our pro handicappers:

Think Big To Win

There is no doubt that the improving turf sprinter in American racing is Think Big for Godolphin. Michael Stidham’s four-year-old gelding by Twirling Candy has two Grade II wins from a springtime stay in Kentucky.

First landing the Shakertown Stakes around Keeneland, Think Big then followed-up under a penalty in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint on Kentucky Derby day. He now ships to Saratoga as the one to beat in the Jaipur Stakes.

Ag Bullet – Across The Board

Richard Baltas mare Ag Bullet ran the race of her leave when only beaten by a neck and making the show at the Breeders’ Cup in the fall. She shares a sire with the favorite Think Big and, provided she strips fitter for her return in the Unbridled Sidney Stakes, she looks his biggest danger here.

Ag Bullet had two graded wins over 1,300m, so she’s not lacking in speed for all she stretches out to a mile stamina wise. An Across The Board wager looks a smart play, just in case anything goes wrong in the run with Think Big.

Arzak To Show

Although he’s now a seven-year-old, Arzak chased home track record breaker Cogburn in last season’s Jaipur and returns to Saratoga for another go. While there’s no obvious reason why Ag Bullet shouldn’t confirm Breeders’ Cup form with him off the same terms, he represents the best from this race in 2024.

Arzak has been a terrific servant to the Michael Trombetta barn and, accepting he’s vulnerable to younger legs now, this has surely been a long-term target since last year. Like Our Shot, he’s better off at the weights with Think Big, but that still probably won’t be enough to stop the favorite.

Longshot Bet – My Boy Prince

Mark Casse has campaigned My Boy Prince in an unusual way, especially since he didn’t appear to stay a mile at the 2023 Breeders’ Cup as a juvenile. Sprinting could instead give this four-year-old Cairo Prince colt a new direction.

My Boy Prince landed the Elusive Quality Stakes from re-opposing pair Bold Journey and Alogon at Aqueduct. If building on that effort, then he might get in amongst those more favored in the market.

2025 Jaipur Stakes Post Position Draw

All the details relating to the Jaipur draw and post positions came in on the Monday before the race again in 2025. There is a field of 10 sprinters lining up in the gates Here are their Morning Line odds and posts:

1. Extendo (120lbs) – 20-1
2. Think Big (126lbs) – 6-5 fav
3. Our Shot (124lbs) – 8-1
4. My Boy Prince (120lbs) – 10-1
5. Arzak (124lbs) – 8-1
6. Vinsanity (120lbs) – 50-1
7. Bold Journey (120lbs) – 20-1
8. Alogon (120lbs) – 10-1
9. Ag Bullet (119lbs) – 7-2
10. Coppola (120lbs) – 12-1

Stats & Trends for the Jaipur

Let’s take a look back at the last ten years of the Jaipur, to see if there are any insights that could be relevant to the 2024 race.

The late Christophe Clement has been the most successful trainer during this period. From ten starts, his horses have won the race three times, finished second once and two others made the show. Yet the last of these winners came in 2018.

William Mott is the most successful trainer in the history of the Jaipur with five wins. Two of them came as recently as 2021 and 2022. From eight starts, Mott’s horses have not just had two wins, but also a second place finish and a third place spot.

The winner in 2023 was Brad H. Cox filly Caravel, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione. Cox now has one winner and one placed finisher from three starts, so he is another trainer to look out for in this race.

Check Favorites & Pedigrees

Irad Ortiz is the most successful jockey over the last ten years with two wins, one place and one show from eight rides. The last of those successes came in 2018. Since then, five different jockeys have won the Jaipur, all for the first time.

If you’re thinking about backing the favorite, then the omens are good. Though only four of the last ten Jaipur winners have been favorites, they all triumphed within the last six years.

When you’re examining the breeding of the contenders, keep an eye out for three names. Disco Rico, Jimmy Creed and Purim have all had progeny that have won this twice over the last ten years.

The age of the horses might also be worth taking note of when trying to predict the Jaipur result. A six-year-old has won it six times in the last ten years. Five-year-olds have won on three of the other four occasions.

FAQs

The Jaipur will occur on Saturday, June 7, 2025. This year, it will be part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga instead of its usual location at Belmont Park. The change is due to redevelopment work at Belmont Park, which has led to the entire Belmont Stakes schedule and other events being relocated to different NYRA tracks.

Can past Jaipur results tell us anything?

The favorite has won the Jaipur in four of the last six years and has finished in the top three in each of the last seven years. Over the last ten years of the Jaipur, a six-year-old has won on five occasions.

Who is the top trainer in Jaipur Stakes history?

William I. Mott has won the Jaipur more times than any other trainer, with five victories in 1989, 1998, 2006, 2021, 2022. Christophe Clement and H. Allen Jerkens have both had four wins. 

Where can I bet on the Jaipur Stakes online?

Any reliable bookmaker that covers US horse racing will provide betting for this race. Check out our recommended racebooks at Belmont Stakes Betting Sites, choose one that best fits your needs and place your bet on the Jaipur.