What A Summer Stakes

Last updated
What A Summer Stakes
ClassUngraded Stakes
Location Laurel Park Racecourse,
Laurel, Maryland,
United States
Inaugurated1978
Race type ThoroughbredFlat racing
Website www.Laurelpark.com
Race information
Distance6 furlongs
SurfaceDirt
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFillies & Mares; Four-year-olds & up
WeightAssigned
PurseUS$100,000

The What A Summer Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in January at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. The race is open to fillies and mares four years old and up and is run at six furlongs on the dirt.

Contents

An ungraded stakes race, it offers a purse of $100,000. The race was restricted to Maryland-breds between 1978 and 1992. It was run for fillies and mares from age three and up from 1978 through 1985 and was run under handicap conditions during that same time. The race was restricted to two-year-olds from 1985 to 1992.

The race was named in honor of What A Summer, a gray mare by What Luck. She was an Eclipse Award winner and was named American Champion Sprint Horse in 1977. She was bred in Maryland by Milton Polinger. What A Summer was a foal in 1973 and won 18 of 31 starts in her career. She won the de facto second leg of the filly Triple Crown, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, won the Fall Highweight Handicap twice (carrying 134 pounds each time), the Silver Spoon Handicap twice, the Maskette Handicap and four other stakes. In addition to her 18 wins, she placed nine times with earnings of $479,161. That record of 27 first or second finishes in 31 starts at 87% is among the best in history. [1]

What A Summer was trained by Bud Delp while racing for Polinger. She was bought by Diana Firestone following Polinger's death in 1976. Mrs. Firestone turned the mare over to trainer LeRoy Jolley. She was named Maryland-bred horse of the year in 1977 and twice was named champion older mare. What A Summer was retired in 1878 and as a broodmare produced several graded stakes winners.

A venue of 1994 race was Gulfstream Park. [2]

Records

Speed record:

Most wins by an horse:

Most wins by an owner:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners of the What A Summer Stakes since 1978

Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
DistanceTimeGross Amount
2021Hello Beautiful4Brittany RussellMadaket Stables6 fur.1:10.67$100,000
2018Ms Locust Point4 Jorge Vargas Jr. John Servis Cash is King LLC6 fur.1:09.78$100,000
2017Sweet on Smokey5 Victor Carrasco Claudio Gonzalez BB Horses’6 fur.1:11.89$100,000
2016Sweet on Smokey4 Victor Carrasco Claudio Gonzalez Bruno La Banca6 fur.1:11.00$75,000
2015Lady Sabelia5 Horacio Karamanos Robin Graham Mrs. Frank Wright6 fur.1:12.01$100,000
2014Winning Image7 Anthony Black Micahel C Aro Martin Scafidi6 fur.1:10.37$100,000
2013Bold Affair5 Abel Castellano Howard Wolfendale Cha.Reed & Mike Zanella6 fur.1:10.61$125,000
2012No raceNo raceNo raceNo raceNo raceNo raceNo race
2011Aspenglow5 Travis Dunkelberger Gary Capuano Nancy L. Terhune6 fur.1:10.21$75,000
2010Sweet Goodbye5 J. D. Acosta Christopher W. Grove William R. Harris6 fur.1:11.02$70,000
2009Access Fee5 Jose Caraballo Larry MurraySondra Bender6 fur.1:10.31$60,000
2008 Silmaril 7 Jeremy Rose Christopher W. Grove Stephen E. Quick6 fur.1:10.20$90,000
2007 Silmaril 6 Ryan Fogelsonger Christopher W. Grove Stephen E. Quick6 fur.1:11.00$100,000
2006Flame of Love6 Jozbin Santana Scott A. Lake McCarty Racing6 fur.1:10.36$60,000
2005Sensibly Chic5 Steve Hamilton Timothy Tullock Jr. Lois S. Nervitt6 fur.1:09.80$50,000
2004Bronze Abe5Erick Rodriguez Grover G. Delp Samuel Bayard6 fur.1:10.40$75,000
2003 Xtra Heat 5 Rick Wilson John Salzman Kenneth Taylor6 fur.1:09.20$60,000
2002Outstanding Info4 Jose Caraballo Frank Generazio Jr. Patricia Generazio6 fur.1:10.20$50,000
2001Doc Calls Her Kate4 Roberto Alvarado Jr. Anthony Correnti Rhodyo Stable, Inc.6 fur.1:11.40$60,000
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994Swift and Classy2 John C. Kimmel Jerry D. Bailey Mutuel Share Stable6 fur.1:10.36$51,950
1993
1992Carnirainbow2 Greg Hutton John J. Robb Hal C. B. Clagett7 fur.1:26.80$60,000
1991Set to Fly2 Rick Wilson Ben W. Perkins Jr. Richard L. Golden7 fur.1:25.40$75,000
1990Gala Goldilocks2 Greg McCarron Bernard P. Bond Skip Leviton7 fur.1:23.80$75,000
1989Valay Maid2 Jorge Duarte Carlos A. Garcia Ginny Wright7 fur.1:25.80$75,000
1988Hard Headed Woman2 Mario Pino Robert Summers7 fur.1:25.00$75,000
1987Sham Say2 Ben Feliciano Eugene Ford Sr.7 fur.1:24.60$65,000
1986Wainee Church2 Donnie A. Miller Jr. 7 fur.1:26.20$36,500
1985Gala de Oro2 Ben Feliciano 7 fur.1:24.40$40,500
1984Artful Girl5 Paul Nicol Jr. 6 fur.1:11.80$16,500
1983Sea Siren5 Vincent Bracciale Jr. 7 fur.1:23.60$30,000
1982 Kattegat's Pride 3 Donnie A. Miller Jr. Stephen E. Quick7 fur.1:24.20$30,000
1981Privacy3 Carlos Barrera C. Oliver Goldsmith6 fur.1:12.00$30,000
1980Denim Gal3 Joe Imparato Chiquita Farm6 fur.1:12.00$30,000
1979Silver Ice3 Vincent Bracciale Jr. C. Oliver Goldsmith6 fur.1:11.00$30,000
1978Debby's Turn4 Greg McCarron 6 fur.1:10.80$28,100

See also

References

  1. 2007 Maryland Jockey Club Media Guide, page 466 on March 3, 2007.
  2. "Gulfstream Park Charts - March 12, 1994 / Race 7" . Retrieved 2023-10-20.