Governor Stakes

Last updated
Governor Stakes
Discontinued Grade 1 stakes race
Location Belmont Park,
Elmont, New York,
United States
Inaugurated1969
Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Race information
Distance1 1/8 miles
SurfaceDirt
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-year-olds and up

The Governor Stakes was an American Grade 1 Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, Long Island, New York. Held in early September, the race was open to horses age three and older and was contested on dirt over a distance of one and one-eighth miles (9 furlongs).

Contents

Inaugurated in 1969, the event was run as the Governor Nicholls Stakes for its first two years. [1] The colonial governor was honored as the man who in 1665 established a horse racing track on Long Island's Hempstead Plains. The trophy presentation to the winning owner of the inaugural running was made by Frederick Fitzpatrick Rainsford, deputy Consul-General of the British consulate. [2]

New York's Roosevelt Raceway also honored the Colonial Governor with a harness racing event named the Governor Richard Nicholls Pace. [3]

Following the 1973 implementation of the Thoroughbred graded stakes race system in North America, the Governor Stakes was awarded Grade 1 status, giving it the highest ranking possible which was maintained until the race was discontinued following the 1975 edition.

Historical notes

The September 2, 1969 inaugural running offered a purse of $100,000 added and saw both attendance and wagering set a Belmont Park record for a Labor Day program. The race was won by Verbatim. Owned by the Elmendorf Farm of Maxwell Gluck, Verbatim was trained by future Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Jerry Meyer and ridden by Pete Anderson. [4]

Big Spruce won the 1974 Governor Stakes and went on to win Belmont Park's very important Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap, a race that was a precursor to the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Wajima and the final Governor Stakes

Trained by Stephen DiMauro, in 1975 Wajima won what would prove to be the final edition of the Governor Stakes. A son of Bold Ruler, one of America's greatest Champion sires, Wajima was purchased as a yearling by James A. Scully for an unheard of $600,000. He in turn sold America greatest shares to Harold I. Snyder, James Welch, and Japan's preeminent breeder, Zenya Yoshida. Members of the racing industry and fans would watch closely, many believing that Wajima was an overpriced risk. In July 1975, the respected Louisville, Kentucky Courier-Journal published a story about the chances for success with such expensive Thoroughbred purchases titled "Is untried horseflesh worth that much?". [5]

Raced by the owners under the nom de course East-West Stable, in 1974 Wajima won two of fours starts in his first year of racing but without a stakes win. He ended the year having won just $40,387. [6] At age three the $600,000 colt was hampered early by leg problems and could not attempt a run at the U.S. Triple Crown series. Back in competition, on July 19, 1975, Wajima began to show what was to come with a win in the Marylander Handicap that broke the Bowie Race Track's record time for a mile and one-eighth. [7] Within a few weeks Wajima was competing and winning in Grade 1 events. On September 1, in a race open to older horses, the three-year-old Wajima won a hard-fought Governor Stakes by a head over runner-up Foolish Pleasure, that year's Kentucky Derby winner. Also in the field was the legendary Hall of Famer Forego plus other very good runners including Stop The Music and another future Hall of Fame inductee, Ancient Title. [8]

On September 13, Wajima won Belmont Park's rich Grade 1 Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap. [9] The New York Times report on the race carried the headline "Wajima Now Rated A $600,000 Bargain." [10] A few weeks later, Wajima was syndicated for $7.2 million. [11]

Records

Speed record:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

YearWinnerAgeJockeyTrainerOwner
 Dist.
(Miles)		TimeWin $ Gr.
1975 Wajima 3 Braulio Baeza Stephen A. DiMauro East-West Stable (Zenya Yoshida et al.)1-1/8 m1:47.20$69,180G1
1974 Big Spruce 5 Michael Hole Victor J. Nickerson Elmendorf Farm 1-1/8 m1:46.20$70,020G1
1973 Tentam 4 Jorge Velásquez MacKenzie Miller Cragwood Stables 1-1/8 m1:46.80$69,060G1
1972Loud5 Jacinto Vásquez James W. Maloney William Haggin Perry 1-1/8 m1:48.20$71,160
1971Farewell Party3 Robert Woodhouse J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stable 1-1/8 m1:47.20$68,460
1970Distinctive4 Walter Blum Eugene Jacobs Herbert A. Allen, Sr. 1-1/8 m1:48.00$75,920
1969 Verbatim 4 Pete Anderson Jerry C. Meyer Elmendorf Farm 1-1/8 m1:48.40$70,110

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Henry (horse)</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

John Henry was an American champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by Ole Bob Bowers out of Once Double. John Henry had 39 wins with $6,591,860 in earnings, was twice voted the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year, and was listed as #23 on Blood Horse magazine's Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saratoga Race Course</span> Horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York

Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actually the fourth oldest racetrack in the U.S.. In 1857 the Empire Race Course was opened on an island in the Hudson River near Albany, but was in operation only a short time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles E. Whittingham</span> American racehorse trainer (1913–1999)

Charles Edward Whittingham was an American Thoroughbred race horse trainer who is one of the most acclaimed trainers in U.S. racing history.

The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile", is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile. Starting in 2014, it is now run on the same day as the Belmont Stakes in early June.

The Woodward Stakes is an American Grade Il stakes race and is one of the premier races for older thoroughbred horses in the United States. It is named for prominent racehorse owner William Woodward.

The Forego Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses four years old and older over the distance of seven furlongs on the dirt, scheduled annually in August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The event currently carries a purse of $500,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooklyn Stakes</span> Horse race

The Brooklyn Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on Long Island. It currently is a Grade II event open to four-year-olds and up willing to race one and one-half miles on dirt. It was a Grade 1 race prior to 1993.

The Belmont Derby is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred race horse run over a distance of 1+1⁄4 miles on the turf at Belmont Park in July. The purse for the 2023 race is US$750,000.

The New York Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged four-years-old and older run over a distance of one and one-quarter miles on the turf scheduled annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The current purse is $600,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forego</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Forego was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that won eight Eclipse Awards including Horse of the Year, Champion Handicap Horse and Champion Sprinter.

Harry Allen Jerkens was an American thoroughbred race horse Hall of Fame trainer.

Go for Gin was an American thoroughbred racehorse best known as the winner of the 1994 Kentucky Derby. He was sired by Cormorant out of the dam Never Knock. He was ridden in the Derby by Chris McCarron, who had previously won the race on Alysheba.

Donald R. Pierce is a retired U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.

Ancient Title was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wajima (horse)</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Wajima was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse.

Big Spruce (1969–2001) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was an outstanding middle to longer distance runner on both dirt and grass called "one of North America's leading runners in the early 1970s" by the Thoroughbred Times

Prince John was an American Thoroughbred racehorse called "one of the greatest broodmare sires of all time" by Bloodhorse magazine. Bred in Kentucky, he was sired by Princequillo, a two-time leading sire in North America and a nine-time leading broodmare sire. He was out of the mare Not Afraid, a daughter of 1943 U.S. Triple Crown winner and Hall of Fame inductee Count Fleet. Prince John was a full brother to Brave Lad.

Groovy (1983–2006) was an American Thoroughbred Champion sprint racehorse known for his love of jelly donuts. He is the only horse to break the 130 Beyer Speed Figure, accomplishing that milestone in his first two starts of 1987. In the Roseben Handicap at Belmont Racetrack, he earned a 131 rating, which he followed up with a 134 in the True North Handicap.

Caucasus was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who won major races on both sides of the Atlantic. As a young horse he was sent to race in Ireland where he won four of his five races as a three-year-old in 1975 including the Ulster Derby and Irish St. Leger. He then returned to America where he had considerable success in the next two years, winning five races including the Sunset Handicap, Manhattan Handicap, Arcadia Handicap and San Luis Rey Handicap. He had some success as a breeding stallion.

Jerome C. "Jerry" Meyer was a Canadian national champion trainer and Hall of Fame inductee in Thoroughbred racing.

References

  1. ↑ "A roundup of the sports information of the week - Horse Racing". Sports Illustrated (vault). 1970-09-21. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  2. ↑ "52,792 See Verbatim, $15.40, Score at Belmont; $4,906,217 Is Bet for Track Mark". New York Times, page 52. 1969-09-02. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  3. ↑ "Racing Secretary to Get Busy at Westbury Today". New York Times, page 34. 1964-02-17. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  4. ↑ "52,792 See Verbatim, $15.40, Score at Belmont; $4,906,217 Is Bet for Track Mark". New York Times, page 52. 1969-09-02. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  5. ↑ "Is untried horseflesh worth that much?". The Courier-Journal, page 146. 1975-07-19. Archived from the original on 2020-05-06. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  6. ↑ "Wajima, $11.40, Beats Forego by a Head". New York Times, page 189. 1975-09-14. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  7. ↑ "Wajima First by A Neck". New York Times, page 159. 1975-08-03. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  8. ↑ "Foolish Pleasure Runs 2d to Wajima". New York Times, page 39. 1975-09-02. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  9. ↑ "Get Lost, Cinderella, Wajima's In Front". Sports Illustrated . September 22, 1975.
  10. ↑ "Wajima Now Rated A $600,000 Bargain". New York Times, page 196. 1975-09-14. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
  11. ↑ "Grass Cutter". The New Yorker . 1975-10-13. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.