Scarsdale Handicap

Last updated
Scarsdale Handicap
Discontinued stakes race
Location Empire City Race Track
Yonkers, New York, USA
Inaugurated1918-1947
Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website
Race information
Distance1 mile, 70 yards (8.32 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-year-olds and up

The Scarsdale Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race open to horses age three and older first run on October 16, 1918, over a mile and seventy yards on dirt at Empire City Race Track in Yonkers, New York.

Contents

Historical notes

In its second year, the Scarsdale Handicap was run as the Westchester Handicap before reverting to its original name in 1920.

In 1942, Empire City Racetrack terminated flat racing and the facility reverted to hosting only harness racing events. After that, the Scarsdale Handicap was run at Jamaica Race Course in Jamaica, Queens, New York.

Race moments

The 1918 inaugural running was won by War Cloud, a three-year-old colt who had finished fourth in that year's Kentucky Derby, won the Preakness Stakes and ran second in the Belmont Stakes. Two months earlier future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Roamer had broken Salvator's record for the mile that had stood for twenty-eight years. As such, bettors sent War Cloud off as the 7-5 second choice behind 4-5 favorite Roamer. [1]

The recently acquired Seabiscuit got his first stakes race win for new owner Charles Howard's on September 7, 1936, in the Governor's Handicap at the Detroit Fairgrounds Racetrack and then won the Hendrie Handicap at the same track on September 26. The colt continued to show his real talent under the care of trainer Tom Smith and jockey Red Pollard with his win in the Scarsdale Handicap on October 24, 1936. [2]

Purchased for $100 by owner/trainer Tommy Heard, [3] in 1942 Boysy became the first horse to win the Scarsdale twice. He came back the next year to capture the race for the third straight time, going wire-to-wire in winning by three lengths. [4]

In the 1946 Scarsdale, Albert Snider, one of the most promising young riders of the time, rode Polynesian to victory. [5] Snider would go on to become a first-string jockey with Calumet Farm and in 1948 was the regular jockey for the great Citation. He was scheduled to ride Citation in the U.S. Triple Crown series but disappeared on March 5, 1948, while fishing off the coast of Florida with two friends. Despite a lengthy and intensive search, their bodies were never recovered. Snider's death opened the door for Eddie Arcaro to ride Citation to win the Triple Crown. [6]

The Scarsdale Handicap's twenty-eighth and final running in 1947 was won by With Pleasure who defeated a stellar field that included two future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductees and the previous year's American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse. It was Gallorette who finished second, with Double Jay in third, Donor fourth, and Stymie, the then richest racehorse in United States history who finished sixth. [7]

Race distances

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
Dist.
(Miles)
Time
1947With Pleasure4 Jack Westrope Thomas P. FlemingBrolite Farm (Oscar E. Breault)1M, 70Yds1:44.60
1946 Polynesian 4 Albert Snider Morris H. Dixon Gertrude T. Widener 1M, 70Yds1:42.20
1945Buzfuz3 Tommy Luther Joseph B. RosenSunshine Stable (Dan Chappell/Moze Rauzin)1M, 70Yds1:41.80
1944Seven Hearts4Paul KeiperW. Graves SparksJ. Graham Brown1M, 70Yds1:41.60
1943 Boysy 7 Steve Brooks Tommy Heard Tommy Heard1M, 70Yds1:43.00
1942Boysy6Darrell ClingmanTommy HeardTommy Heard1M, 70Yds1:44.60
1941Boysy5Jack WestropeTommy HeardTommy Heard1M, 70Yds1:42.20
1940Parasang3 Leon Haas James W. Healy C. V. Whitney 1M, 70Yds1:42.60
1939War Dog3 Johnny Longden Jack McPherson Falaise Stable 1M, 70Yds1:44.80
1938Clodion4Jack WestropeWalter A. CarterWalter A. Carter1M, 70Yds1:44.20
1937 Esposa 5 Nick Wall Matthew P. Brady William Ziegler Jr. 1M, 70Yds1:45.00
1936 Seabiscuit 3 Red Pollard Tom Smith Charles S. Howard 1M, 70Yds1:44.00
1935Psychic Bid3Mike Corona Robert A. Smith Brookmeade Stable 1M, 70Yds1:42.00
1934 King Saxon 3 Tommy Malley Pat KnebelkampPat Knebelkamp1M, 70Yds1:43.20
1932- 1933Race not held
1931Hibala3 Willie Kelsay Fred E. KraftFred E. Kraft1M, 70Yds1:47.60
1930 Questionnaire 3 Charles Kurtsinger Andy Schuttinger James Butler 1M, 70Yds1:45.20
1929Polydor3 Mack Garner William J. Spiers William Ziegler Jr. 1M, 70Yds1:43.80
1928Genie3Willie Kelsay Henry McDaniel Gifford A. Cochran 1M, 70Yds1:44.60
1927Black Panther3 John Maiben T. J. Healey Walter J. Salmon Sr. 1M, 70Yds1:45.60
1926Cloudland4John MaibenFrank E. BrownFrank E. Brown1M, 70Yds1:46.60
1925Blind Play4 Clarence Kummer Louis Feustel Log Cabin Stable 1M, 70Yds1:43.60
1924Lucky Play3Clarence KummerLouis Feustel August Belmont Jr. 1M1:39.40
1923Exodus5 Frank Coltiletti Scott P. Harlan Greentree Stable 1M1:38.80
1922 Tryster 4 Lawrence Lyke Scott P. HarlanWestmont Stable (Lawrence Waterbury II/J. Leonard Replogie)1M1:38.20
1921Yellow Hand4C. H. Miller A. J. Goldsborough Charles A. Stoneham 1M1:39.60
1920Cirrus4 Lavelle Ensor Sam Hildreth Sam Hildreth1M1:39.80
1919Hannibal3 James Butwell T. J. Healey Richard T. Wilson Jr. 1M1:40.40
1918 War Cloud 3 Johnny Loftus Walter B. Jennings A. Kingsley Macomber 1M, 70Yds1:43.00

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References