The Bill Hartack Memorial Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois in the early spring of the year. The ungraded stakes race is for horses three-year-olds and older, and is set at a distance of one and one-eighth of a mile. The race offers a purse of $200,000. [1]
In 2009, the race was downgraded from a Grade III event to ungraded status, but as of 2015 had once again been awarded Grade III status. [2]
Formerly known as the National Jockey Club Handicap, the race was inaugurated as the Bill Hartack Memorial Handicap in 2008 to honor the Hall of Fame jockey Bill Hartack who died in November 2007. Hartack won the Kentucky Derby fives times: 1957 on Iron Liege, 1960 on Venetian Way, 1962 on Decidedly, 1964 on Northern Dancer, and 1969 on Majestic Prince.
(In 2000, 2001 and 2002, the race was held at Sportsman's Park Racetrack in Cicero, Illinois.)
Arlington International Racecourse was a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago region had been a popular sport since the early days of the city in the 1830s, and at one time Chicago had more horse racing tracks (six) than any other major metropolitan area. Arlington International was the site of the first thoroughbred race with a million-dollar purse in 1981. It was located near the Illinois Route 53 expressway. It was serviced by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad.
The Massachusetts Handicap, frequently referred to as the "MassCap", was a flat thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up held annually at Suffolk Downs in East Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was an ungraded stakes race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt. The race received Grade III status by the American Graded Stakes Committee for 2009, but the race was never held. The MassCap was stripped of its graded status in 2011 as a result of not being run for two consecutive years.
Hawthorne Race Course is a racetrack for horse racing in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois, near Chicago.
Fair Grounds Race Course, often known as New Orleans Fair Grounds, is a thoroughbred racetrack and racino in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is operated by Churchill Downs Louisiana Horseracing Company, LLC.
The Ballerina Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are three years old or older over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt track scheduled annually in August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The event currently carries a purse of $500,000.
The Gallant Bloom Handicap is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are three years old and older run over a distance of 6+1⁄2 furlongs on the dirt held annually in late September at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
The Sanford Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the third week of July at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. A six furlong sprint race, the Grade III event is open to two-year-old horses.
The Bayakoa Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age three and older run over a distance of one and one sixteenth miles on the dirt held annually in early December at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, California. The event currently offers a purse of $100,000.
The Fourstardave Handicap is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses that are three years old or older over a distance of one mile on the turf course scheduled annually in August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The event currently carries a purse of $400,000.
John R. Velazquez is an American jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. He began his career in Puerto Rico and moved to New York in 1990. In 2004 and 2005 he was the United States Champion Jockey by earnings and both years was given the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey. He was inducted into the Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2012, rode his 5,000th winner in 2013, and became the leading money-earning jockey in the history of the sport in 2014.
The Salvator Mile Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in June or July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt at a distance of one mile. A Grade III event, it currently offers a purse of $100,000. This race is named for U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Salvator.
The Everglades Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Hialeah Park in Hialeah, Florida. For three-year-old horses, the 1+1⁄8 mile race was run on dirt until 1994 when it was converted to a race on turf. It was elevated to Grade III status in 1999.
The Oh So Sharp Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs, and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.
The Hawthorne Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in May from 1974 thru 2008 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. The race was open to fillies and mares age three and older and regularly drew from the West Coast's top female runners.
The Lone Star Derby is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. It is currently an Ungraded stakes race run over a distance of 8.5 furlongs on turf.
The Gravesend Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York late in the year. In its 61st running in December 2017, the Gravesend was downgraded from a Grade III event to ungraded status. This race is for three-year-olds and up and set at a distance of six furlongs. It offers a purse of $100,000 added.
The Allaire DuPont Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age three and older over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles run annually in mid May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Royal Delta Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are four years old or older, over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles on the dirt held annually in February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The event currently carries a purse of $100,000.
The Memorial Day Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1971 through 2014 at Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, Florida. Held on Memorial Day, it was an ungraded stakes race that had earned Grade III status in 2002–2007 and 2009–2010. The race was open to horses age three and older and was last raced on dirt over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles.
The Lincoln Heritage Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois. An ungraded stakes raced on turf open to fillies and Mares, age three and older, it is contested over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles.