| Class | Discontinued stakes |
|---|---|
| Location | Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Springs, New York, United States |
| Inaugurated | 1865 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+3⁄4 miles |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Three years and older |
The Saratoga Cup was an American Thoroughbred horse race open to horses of either sex age three and older although geldings were not eligible from 1865 through 1918. Between 1865 and 1955 it was hosted by Saratoga Race Course, in Saratoga Springs, New York with the exception of 1943 through 1945 when wartime restrictions were in place and the race was held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. [1] [2]
The race was not run from 1887 to 1890, from 1892 to 1900, in 1908, 1911, 1912, from 1956 to 1962, and from 1964 to 1993. The 75 editions of the race were contested at four different distances:
In 1963, track owner/operator New York Racing Association held a one-time only commemorative event they called "The seventy-sixth running Saratoga Cup 'The Centennial Season Running.'" It was run at a distance of 1 5/8 miles and was won by Fitz Eugene Dixon, Jr.'s three-year-old gelding, Will I Rule. [3]
During his Hall of Fame career James E. "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons won numerous top races more than five times each including the Belmont Stakes. With ten wins, the Saratoga Cup was most and the race was also among his most memorable as the 1914 edition marked his first important major race win as a trainer. [4]
Exterminator, the 1918 Kentucky Derby winner and a U. S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, won this race four years in row from 1919 to 1922. In his 1920 win, Exterminator set a world record of 2:56 4/5 for 1+3⁄4 miles on dirt. [5] Exterminator's owner Willis Sharpe Kilmer was a notoriously difficult employer and for each of the four wins, Exterminator had a different jockey and a different trainer.
In 1875 a very rare event in horse racing occurred when Preakness and Springbok together set a new American record for the 2 1/4 mile distance in winning the Saratoga Cup in a dead heat. [6]
There were three walkovers in the 75-year history of the Saratoga Cup. Long-distance races were declining in popularity and by the 1920s the number of entrants was regularly only four or five horses. As such, the first walkover came in 1921 when Exterminator's dominance in racing scared away the competition. [7] The second occurred in 1940 and was unique in that it involved two horses, Isolater and Fenelon. Both horses were owned by the powerful Belair Sud Stable who declared Isolater to win. [8] The third time there was a walkover happened in 1946 with Ethel Jacob's Stymie. The future U. S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee had won the 1945 edition of the Saratoga Cup with ease in a year when it was held at Belmont Park. [9] Stymie's continued dominance in racing saw his competition avoiding him in the race's return to Saratoga in 1946. [10]
On June 11, 1908, the Republican controlled New York Legislature under Governor Charles Evans Hughes passed the Hart–Agnew anti-betting legislation. [11] The owners of Saratoga Race Course, and other racing facilities in New York State, struggled to stay in business without income from betting. [12] In spite of strong opposition by prominent owners such as August Belmont Jr. and Harry Payne Whitney, reform legislators were not happy when they learned that betting was still going on at racetracks between individuals and they had further restrictive legislation passed by the New York Legislature in 1910. [13] The Agnew–Perkins Law, a series of four bills and recorded as the Executive Liability Act, made it possible for racetrack owners and members of its board of directors to be fined and imprisoned if anyone was found betting, even privately, anywhere on their premises. [14] After a 1911 amendment to the law that would limit the liability of owners and directors was defeated in the Legislature, every racetrack in New York State shut down. [15] As a result, the Saratoga Cup was not run in 1911 and 1912.
A February 21, 1913 ruling by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division saw horse racing return in 1913. [16] However, it was too late for some racing facilities and financial difficulties meant that Brighton Beach Race Course, Gravesend Race Track and Sheepshead Bay Race Track never reopened. [17]
Speed record:
Most wins:
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
Most wins by an owner:
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Dist. (Miles) | Time | Win$ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Chevation | 4 | Eric Guerin | Richard E. Handlen | Foxcatcher Farm | 13⁄4 | 3:02.60 | $10,525 |
| 1954 | Great Captain | 5 | Eddie Arcaro | James E. Fitzsimmons | Ogden Phipps | 13⁄4 | 3:02.60 | $11,075 |
| 1953 | Alerted | 5 | Conn McCreary | Ray De Stefano | Hampton Stable (Frank Stout) | 13⁄4 | 3:01.40 | $10,875 |
| 1952 | Busanda | 5 | Ted Atkinson | James E. Fitzsimmons | Ogden Phipps | 13⁄4 | 2:59.80 | $11,325 |
| 1951 | Busanda | 4 | Eric Guerin | James E. Fitzsimmons | Ogden Phipps | 13⁄4 | 2:59.00 | $10,950 |
| 1950 | Cochise | 4 | Eddie Arcaro | Virgil W. Raines | Brandywine Stable (Donald P. Ross | 13⁄4 | 2:57.60 | $11,900 |
| 1949 | Doubtless | 5 | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 13⁄4 | 2:57.40 | $11,650 |
| 1948 | Snow Goose | 4 | Job Dean Jessop | Oscar White | Walter M. Jeffords Sr. | 13⁄4 | 2:57.80 | $11,000 |
| 1947 | Talon | 5 | John Adams | Horatio Luro | Richard N. Ryan | 13⁄4 | 2:58.40 | $12,300 |
| 1946 | Stymie | 5 | Basil James | Hirsch Jacobs | Ethel D. Jacobs | 13⁄4 | 3:07.40 | $5,975 |
| 1945 | Stymie | 4 | Johnny Longden | Hirsch Jacobs | Ethel D. Jacobs | 13⁄4 | 2:58.00 | $18,700 |
| 1944 | Bolingbroke | 7 | Robert Permane | Walter Burrows | Townsend B. Martin | 13⁄4 | 2:57.60 | $18,000 |
| 1943 | Princequillo | 3 | Steve Brooks | Horatio Luro | Boone Hall Stable | 13⁄4 | 2:56.60 | $18,200 |
| 1942 | Bolingbroke | 5 | Herb Lindberg | Walter Burrows | Townsend B. Martin | 13⁄4 | 2:58.20 | $9,550 |
| 1941 | Dorimar | 4 | Conn McCreary | James W. Healy | Woodvale Farm (Royce G. Martin) | 13⁄4 | 2:58.40 | $9,850 |
| 1940 | Isolater | 7 | James Stout | James E. Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud Stable | 13⁄4 | 3:02.00 | $4,825 |
| 1939 | Isolater | 6 | James Stout | James E. Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud Stable | 13⁄4 | 2:56.20 | $6,400 |
| 1938 | War Admiral | 4 | Maurice Peters | George H. Conway | Glen Riddle Farm | 13⁄4 | 2:55.80 | $6,600 |
| 1937 | Count Arthur | 5 | Lester Balaski | Lon Johnson | Fannie Hertz | 13⁄4 | 3:02.20 | $6,425 |
| 1936 | Granville | 3 | James Stout | James E. Fitzsimmons | William Woodward Sr. | 13⁄4 | 3:00.80 | $6,520 |
| 1935 | Count Arthur | 3 | Wayne Wright | Frank S. Hackett | Fannie Hertz | 13⁄4 | 2:58.40 | $7,145 |
| 1934 | Dark Secret | 5 | Charles Kurtsinger | James E. Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 13⁄4 | 2:59.20 | $5,525 |
| 1933 | Equipoise | 5 | Raymond Workman | T. J. Healey | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney | 13⁄4 | 3:00.00 | $6,050 |
| 1932 | War Hero | 3 | John Gilbert | George H. Conway | Glen Riddle Farm | 13⁄4 | 2:59.20 | $7,825 |
| 1931 | Twenty Grand | 3 | Linus McAtee | James G. Rowe Jr. | Greentree Stable | 13⁄4 | 3:01.20 | $8,250 |
| 1930 | Gallant Fox | 3 | Earl Sande | James E. Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud Stable | 13⁄4 | 2:56.00 | $9,275 |
| 1929 | Diavolo | 4 | John Maiben | James E. Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 13⁄4 | 2:58.00 | $7,350 |
| 1928 | Reigh Count | 3 | Chick Lang | Bert S. Michell | Fannie Hertz | 13⁄4 | 2:55.00 | $6,500 |
| 1927 | Chance Play | 4 | John Maiben | John I. Smith | Log Cabin Stable | 13⁄4 | 3:03.60 | $6,850 |
| 1926 | Espino | 3 | Laverne Fator | William J. Speirs | William Ziegler Jr. | 13⁄4 | 3:00.40 | $7,650 |
| 1925 | Mad Play | 4 | Laverne Fator | Sam Hildreth | Rancocas Stable | 13⁄4 | 2:59.40 | $7,150 |
| 1924 | Mr. Mutt | 3 | Harold Thurber | Alex Gordon | Bud Fisher | 13⁄4 | 3:00.80 | $8,300 |
| 1923 | My Own | 3 | Earl Sande | William H. Brooks | Salubria Stable (Cary T. Grayson) | 13⁄4 | 2:57.20 | $6,850 |
| 1922 | Exterminator | 7 | Albert Johnson | Eugene Wayland | Willis Sharpe Kilmer | 13⁄4 | 3:00.40 | $6,550 |
| 1921 | Exterminator | 6 | Willie Kelsay | Willie Knapp | Willis Sharpe Kilmer | 13⁄4 | 3:04.60 | $4,500 |
| 1920 | Exterminator | 5 | Charles Fairbrother | J. Simon Healy | Willis Sharpe Kilmer | 13⁄4 | 2:56.80 | $4,950 |
| 1919 | Exterminator | 4 | Andy Schuttinger | Henry McDaniel | Willis Sharpe Kilmer | 13⁄4 | 2:58.00 | $5,350 |
| 1918 | Johren | 3 | Frank Robinson | Albert Simons | Harry Payne Whitney | 13⁄4 | 3:02.20 | $5,250 |
| 1917 | Omar Khayyam | 3 | James Butwell | Richard F. Carman Sr. | Wilfrid Viau | 13⁄4 | 3:07.60 | $5,050 |
| 1916 | Friar Rock | 3 | John McTaggart | Sam Hildreth | August Belmont Jr. | 13⁄4 | 3:03.00 | $3,375 |
| 1915 | Roamer | 4 | James Butwell | A. J. Goldsborough | Andrew Miller | 13⁄4 | 3:01.80 | $2,225 |
| 1914 | Star Gaze | 4 | Joe McCahey | James E. Fitzsimmons | Herbert L. Pratt | 13⁄4 | 3:10.00 | $1,925 |
| 1913 | Sam Jackson | 5 | Johnny Loftus | Jack L. McGinnis | V. M. McGinnis | 13⁄4 | 3:08.40 | $1,650 |
| 1912 | No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | |||||||
| 1911 | ||||||||
| 1910 | Countless | 3 | Vincent Powers | John W. May | John G. Greener | 13⁄4 | 2:58.60 | $3,850 |
| 1909 | Olambala | 3 | James Butwell | T. J. Healey | Montpelier Stable | 13⁄4 | 2:58.00 | $2,175 |
| 1908 | Race not held | |||||||
| 1907 | Running Water | 4 | Walter Miller | Thomas Welsh | Newcastle Stable | 13⁄4 | 3:06.20 | $6,050 |
| 1906 | Go Between | 5 | Willie Shaw | William Shields | Edward R. Thomas | 13⁄4 | 3:05.40 | $6,050 |
| 1905 | Caughnawaga | 6 | Arthur Redfern | Hubert H. Hyner | John Sanford | 13⁄4 | 3:00.80 | $5,800 |
| 1904 | Beldame | 3 | Frank O'Neill | Fred Burlew | Newton Bennington (Lessee) | 13⁄4 | 3:03.80 | $8,100 |
| 1903 | Africander | 3 | Grover Fuller | Richard O. Miller | Hampton Stable (Simon Deimel & Charles F. Dwyer) | 13⁄4 | 2:58.00 | $3,350 |
| 1902 | Advance Guard | 5 | Patrick A. McCue | Alexander Shields | James Carruthers & Alexander Shields | 13⁄4 | 3:01.80 | $3,350 |
| 1901 | Blues | 3 | Willie Shaw | Thomas Welsh | Frank J. Farrell | 15⁄8 | 2:52.40 | $3,350 |
| 1892 | - 1900 | Race not held | ||||||
| 1891 | Los Angeles | 6 | Isaac E. Lewis | Albert Cooper | Santa Anita Stable | 20⁄0 | 3:43.50 | $2,900 |
| 1887 | - 1990 | Race not held | ||||||
| 1886 | Volante | 4 | Isaac Burns Murphy | Albert Cooper | Santa Anita Stable | 21⁄4 | 4:25.00 | $1,700 |
| 1885 | Bob Miles | 4 | William J. Fitzpatrick | Abraham Perry | James T. Williams | 21⁄4 | 4:02.00 | $2,150 |
| 1884 | General Monroe | 6 | Harry Blaylock | Walter C. Rollins | Edward J. McElmeel | 21⁄4 | 4:05.00 | $1,650 |
| 1883 | General Monroe | 5 | William J. Fitzpatrick | Walter C. Rollins | Edward J. McElmeel | 21⁄4 | 4:21.50 | $1,950 |
| 1882 | Thora | 4 | Brophy | Charles Reed | 21⁄4 | 4:05.50 | $1,850 | |
| 1881 | Checkmate | 6 | Isaac Burns Murphy | James T. Williams | 21⁄4 | 4:09.75 | $1,800 | |
| 1880 | Long Taw | 5 | G. Wolfe | Green B. Morris | Green B. Morris | 21⁄4 | 4:08.00 | $1,300 |
| 1879 | Bramble | 4 | Jim McLaughlin | James G. Rowe Sr. | Dwyer Brothers Stable | 21⁄4 | 4:11.75 | $1,500 |
| 1878 | Parole | 5 | William Barrett | William Brown | Pierre Lorillard | 21⁄4 | 4:08.50 | $1,700 |
| 1877 | Parole | 4 | William Barrett | William Brown | Pierre Lorillard | 21⁄4 | 4:04.50 | $2,150 |
| 1876 | Tom Ochiltree | 4 | George Barbee | R. Wyndham Walden | George L. Lorillard | 21⁄4 | 4:06.50 | $1,850 |
| 1875 (DH) | Preakness Springbok | 6 5 | William Hayward Sr. W. Clark | Charles Littlefield Sr. David McDaniel | Milton H. Sanford David McDaniel | 21⁄4 21⁄4 | 3:56.25 3:56.25 | $1,125 $1,125 |
| 1874 | Springbok | 4 | George Barbee | David McDaniel | David McDaniel | 21⁄4 | 4:11.75 | $2,450 |
| 1873 | Joe Daniels | 4 | Frank McCabe | David McDaniel | David McDaniel | 21⁄4 | 4:10.75 | $1,700 |
| 1872 | Harry Bassett | 4 | James G. Rowe Sr. | David McDaniel | David McDaniel | 21⁄4 | 3:59.00 | $1,550 |
| 1871 | Longfellow | 4 | Robert Swim | John Harper | John Harper | 21⁄4 | 4:02.75 | $1,550 |
| 1870 | Helmbold | 4 | Robinson | W. R. Babcock | 21⁄4 | 4:03.75 | $1,850 | |
| 1869 | Bayonet | 4 | Miller | T. G. Moore | 21⁄4 | 4:10.00 | $2,250 | |
| 1868 | Lancaster | 5 | William Hayward Sr. | Milton H. Sanford | 21⁄4 | 4:14.00 | $1,950 | |
| 1867 | Muggins | 4 | Clark | Douglas & Co. | 21⁄4 | 4:03.00 | $1,850 | |
| 1866 | Kentucky | 5 | Charles Littlefield Sr. | A. Jackson Minor | Annieswood Stable (Belmont/Hunter/Jerome/Cameron/Travers) | 21⁄4 | 4:04.00 | $2,250 |
| 1865 | Kentucky | 4 | Gilbert W. Patrick | A. Jackson Minor | John Hunter, William R. Travers, George Osgood | 21⁄4 | 4:01.50 | $1,850 |