Matchmaker Stakes

The Matchmaker Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. The Grade III race is open to Fillies and Mares, Three-years-old & up and is run on turf over a distance of 1�...> miles (9 furlongs).

Inaugurated in 1967 at Atlantic City Race Course, the race was run on dirt from 1967 to 1978 and again in 1983. Run at 1 3/16 miles from 1967 through 1996, the race was moved to Monmouth Park in 1997. Until 2004, it was known as the Matchmaker Handicap and was run in mid June until being made part of the Haskell Invitational day held on the first Sunday in August. Taylor Made Stallions has sponsored the Matchmaker since 2005.

Only one horse has ever won this race twice. Allaire du Pont's filly, Politely, accomplished the feat with back-to-back victories in the first two runnings. In 2009, the Matchmaker was taken off the turf because of heavy rain in New Jersey earlier in the day. Originally carded as a grade III event, the Matchmaker loses its graded status pending a final decision by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

Bet on the Matchmaker Stakes at Off Track Betting

Monmouth Park Graded Stakes Races

Stakes Race	Grade	Purse
Violet Stakes	III	$150,000
Monmouth Stakes	III	$250,000
Pegasus Stakes	III	$200,000
Boiling Springs Stakes	III	$155,000
Salvator Mile Stakes	III	$200,000
United Nations Stakes	I	$765,000
Jersey Shore Stakes	III	$150,000
Matchmaker Stakes	III	$200,000
Oceanport Stakes	III	$200,000
Haskell Invitational Handicap	I	$1,000,000
Monmouth Oaks	III	$150,000
Philip H. Iselin Stakes	III	$250,000
Molly Pitcher Stakes	II	$250,000
Sapling Stakes	III	$150,000
Cliff Hanger Stakes	III	$150,000
Eatontown Stakes	III	$150,000
Monmouth Cup Stakes	II	$300,000
Red Bank Stakes	III	$200,000