Personal Ensign Stakes

Last updated
Personal Ensign Stakes
ClassGrade I
Location Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Springs, New York, United States
Inaugurated1948
Race type ThoroughbredFlat racing
Website www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/stakes-schedule/personal-ensign/
Race information
Distance1+18 miles
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
Qualification Fillies & Mares, three-years-old & up
WeightAllowances
PurseUS$500,000 (since 2025) [1]

The Personal Ensign Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the third week of August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Open to fillies and Mares age three and older, it is contested at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on dirt.

Contents

Since 1997, this race has been named for U.S. Racing Hall of Fame filly, Personal Ensign. Undefeated in racing, Personal Ensign was also a great broodmare. Her granddaughter Storm Flag Flying won the race in 2004. [2]

Inaugurated at Jamaica Race Course in 1948 as the Firenze Handicap, it was named for the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame filly, Firenze. From 1986 through 1996 it was run as the John A. Morris Handicap, named to honor John Albert Morris, a prominent horseman who in 1889 built the Morris Park Racecourse in The Bronx, New York.

Since inception, the race has also been hosted by all three tracks operated by the New York Racing Association:

The race has been contested at various distances:

The Firenze Handicap was run on turf from 1972 to 1975 and run in two divisions in 1972 and 1974. The 1988 race was run for purse money only, no wagering, after being postponed for one day due to severe thunderstorms that forced cancellation of the remainder of the racing card at Saratoga Springs on Aug. 28, 1988.

Records

Speed record:

Most wins:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Time
2025 Thorpedo Anna 4 Brian Hernandez Jr. Kenneth G. McPeek Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Magdalena Racing, Mark Edwards & Judy B. Hicks1:49.18
2024 Raging Sea 4 Flavien Prat Chad C. Brown Alpha Delta Stables1:49.14
2023 Idiomatic 4 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox Juddmonte 1:49.12
2022 Malathaat 4 John Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Shadwell Racing 1:48.30
2021 Letruska 5 Irad Ortiz Jr. Fausto GutierrezSt. George Stable1:49.15
2020 Vexatious 6 Jose Lezcano Jack SistersonJames C. Weigel & Giant's Causeway Syndicate, LLC1:48.82
2019 Midnight Bisou 4 Mike E. Smith Steve Asmussen Bloom Racing Stable, LLC, Madaket Stables LLC and Allen Racing LLC.1:47.92
2018 Abel Tasman 4 Mike E. Smith Bob Baffert China Horse Club International Ltd. and Clearsky Farms1:47.19
2017 Forever Unbridled 5 Joel Rosario Dallas Stewart Charles E. Fipke 1:49.16
2016 Cavorting 4 Javier Castellano Kiaran McLaughlin Stonestreet Stables 1:48.61
2015 Sheer Drama 5 Joe Bravo David Fawkes Harold L. Queen1:49.05
2014 Close Hatches 4 Joel Rosario William I. Mott Juddmonte Farms 1:50.62
2013 Royal Delta 5 Mike E. Smith William I. Mott Besilu Stables 1:48.34
2012Love and Pride4 John Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Green Hills Farm1:49.22
2011Ask the Moon6 Javier Castellano Marty Wolfson Farnsworth Stables2:04.21
2010Persistently4 Alan Garcia C. R. McGaughey III Phipps Stable 2:04.49
2009Icon Project4 Julien Leparoux Martin D. Wolfson Andrew Rosen2:02.37
2008 Ginger Punch 5 Rafael Bejarano Robert J. Frankel Stronach Stables 2:03.37
2007Miss Shop4 Javier Castellano H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm 2:03.48
2006Fleet Indian5 José A. Santos Todd A. Pletcher Paul Saylor2:03.87
2005Shadow Cast4 Robby Albarado Neil J. Howard William S. Farish IV 2:02.07
2004 Storm Flag Flying 4 John Velazquez C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Mills Phipps et al.2:03.63
2003Passing Shot4 José A. Santos H. Allen Jerkens Joseph V. Shields Jr.2:03.33
2002Summer Colony4 John Velazquez Mark A. Hennig Edward P. Evans 2:03.15
2001Pompeii4 Richard Migliore John C. Kimmel WinStar Farm, LLC.2:04.60
2000 Beautiful Pleasure 5 Jorge Chavez John T. Ward Jr. John C. Oxley 2:03.77
1999 Beautiful Pleasure 4 Jorge Chavez John T. Ward Jr. John C. Oxley 2:02.57
1998Tomisue's Delight4 Pat Day Neil J. Howard Stephen C. Hilbert2:04.08
1997Clear Mandate5 Mike E. Smith George R. Arnold II G. Watts Humphrey Jr. 2:03.71
1996Urbane4 Alex Solis Randy Bradshaw Siegel Family2:03.05
1995 Heavenly Prize 4 Pat Day C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps 2:04.16
1994Link River4 Julie Krone William I Mott Sheikh Mohammed 1:50.46
1993You'd Be Surprised4 Jerry Bailey MacKenzie Miller Rokeby Stable 1:48.59
1992Quick Mischief6 Craig Perret Charles Carlesimo Jr. Greg G. Mordas1:47.96
1991Fit to Scout4 Chris Antley Jack C. Van Berg Robert M. Snell1:50.20
1990Personal Business4 Chris Antley C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps 1:51.20
1989Colonial Waters4 Ángel Cordero Jr. Ross Pearce Buckland Farm 1:50.00
1988Rose's Cantina4 José A. Santos LeRoy Jolley Carl Icahn 1:49.80
1987Coup De Fusil5 Ángel Cordero Jr. Jan H. Nerud Tartan Stable 1:49.20
1986 Shocker T. 4 Gene St. Leon George Gianos Thomasina Caporella1:50.00
1985Lady On The Run3 Ángel Cordero Jr. Bruce N. Levine Peter Montemarano1:52.00
1984Solar Halo3 Robbie Davis J. Elliott Burch James F. Edwards1:49.20
1983Chieftain's Command4 Ángel Cordero Jr. John Parisella Theodore Sabarese1:51.60
1982Number3 Eddie Maple Woody Stephens Claiborne Farm 1:51.40
1981Tina Tina Too3 Don MacBeth Richard T. DeStasio Albert Fried Jr.1:51.00
1980 Relaxing 4 Jorge Velásquez Angel Penna Sr. Ogden Phipps 1:49.20
1979Catherine's Bet4 Daryl Montoya James P. Conway Adele L. Rand 1:50.20
1978Mrs. Warren4 Jorge Velásquez Woody Stephens Newstead Farm 1:51.40
1977Water Malone3 Jean-Luc Samyn Philip G. Johnson Mrs. Morton Rosenthal1:50.40
1976Sugar Plum Time4 Ángel Cordero Jr. John W. Russell Cynthia Phipps 1:51.00
1975Lie Low4 Jorge Velásquez MacKenzie Miller Cragwood Stables 2:15.20
1974†Lie Low3 Jorge Velásquez MacKenzie Miller Cragwood Stables 1:49.00
Twixt5 William J. Passmore Katharine Voss Mrs. John M. Franklin1:49.80
1973Aglimmer4 Michael Venezia Willard C. Freeman John A. Bell III 1:49.40
1972†Manta6 Ángel Cordero Jr. Victor J. Nickerson Elmendorf Farm 1:50.00
Aladancer4 Ángel Cordero Jr. Stephen A. DiMauro Albert Clay1:50.80
1971Kittiwake3 Heliodoro Gustines Woody Stephens Mrs. Taylor Hardin1:50.20
1970 Obeah 5 John L. Rotz Henry S. Clark Christiana Stable 1:51.20
1969Amerigo Lady5 Jorge Velásquez J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stable 1:50.00
1968 Politely 5 Ángel Cordero Jr. George M. Baker Bohemia Stable 1:49.60
1967 Politely 4 Braulio Baeza George M. Baker Bohemia Stable 1:53.00
1966Straight Deal II4 Bobby Ussery Hirsch Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs 1:49.60
1965Sailor Princess3 Gary Mineau Burley Parke Harbor View Farm 1:51.20
1964Steeple Jill3 John Ruane Sylvester Veitch George D. Widener Jr. 1:51.80
1963 Lamb Chop 3 Manuel Ycaza James W. Maloney William Haggin Perry 1:49.80
1962Pocosaba5 William Boland H. Allen Jerkens George H. Bostwick 1:52.00
1961Oil Royalty3 Hedley Woodhouse Edward A. Neloy Elmendorf Farm 1:36.60
1960Clear Road3 Raymond York Pete Mosconi Edward Seinfeld1:36.40
1959Polamby4 Pete Anderson MacKenzie Miller Ned W. Brent1:50.80
1958Hoosier Honey4 John Ruane Not foundRoy R. Hunt1:45.40
1957Gay Life4 John Ruane Not foundMorty Freedman1:50.40
1956Blue Banner4 William Boland Jack Skinner Rokeby Stable 1:49.40
1955Rare Treat3 Ray Mikkonen Bert Mulholland George D. Widener Jr. 1:50.80
1954 Parlo 3 Ted Atkinson Richard E. Handlen Foxcatcher Farm 1:53.40
1953 Kiss Me Kate 5 Dave Gorman Oscar White Walter M. Jeffords 1:50.80
1952 Next Move 5 Eric Guerin William C. Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt II 1:51.20
1951Renew4B. Green Max Hirsch King Ranch 1:50.60
1950Red Camelia4 Patterson Milligan John B. Theall Joe W. Brown 1:45.40
1949But Why Not5 Dave Gorman Max Hirsch King Ranch 1:44.80
1948Carolyn A.4 Charles LeBlanc James P. Conway Florence Whitaker 1:46.80
† The race was run in two divisions in 1972 and 1974.

References

  1. "Personal Ensign Stakes Profile". Equibase. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  2. Mitchell, Ron. "It's All in the Family in Personal Ensign". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 25 August 2016.