stakes race
noun
: a horse race in which the prize offered is made up at least in part of money (such as entry fees) put up by the owners of the horses entered
called also stake race
Examples of stakes race in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Democrats now know who their candidates will be this fall in two high stakes races to decide control of the powerful Georgia Public Service Commission, the state’s top utility regulator.
—
Kristi Swartz, AJC.com, 20 May 2026
The third stakes race of the afternoon was dominated by the Ortiz brothers.
—Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 16 May 2026
The day before the Kentucky Derby each year is known as Ladies’ Day, with several stakes races for fillies and mares, highlighted by the Kentucky Oaks.
—Jay Posner, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
In the wake of the successful Artemis II mission, the two companies are refining their designs for landers in what has become a high-stakes race to provide the vehicle that will put humans on the Moon for the first time since 1972.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stakes race
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Kristi Swartz, AJC.com, 20 May 2026
The third stakes race of the afternoon was dominated by the Ortiz brothers.
—Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 16 May 2026
The day before the Kentucky Derby each year is known as Ladies’ Day, with several stakes races for fillies and mares, highlighted by the Kentucky Oaks.
—Jay Posner, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
In the wake of the successful Artemis II mission, the two companies are refining their designs for landers in what has become a high-stakes race to provide the vehicle that will put humans on the Moon for the first time since 1972.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stakes race
Cite this Entry
“Stakes race.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stakes%20race. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
