The Deputy Minister Handicap was a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The race was open to horses age four and older and contested on dirt over a distance of six and one-half furlongs.
| Grade III race | |
| Location | Gulfstream Park Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1990 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 6.5 furlong sprint |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Four-years-old & up |
| Weight | Assigned |
| Purse | $100,000 |
The race was named in honor of Deputy Minister who raced in Florida and won Gulfstream Park's Donn Handicap. Deputy Minister was the 1981 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and the Canadian Two-Year Old Champion and Canadian Horse of the Year and was the Leading sire in North America in 1997 and 1998 and the Leading broodmare sire in North America in 2007.
Since inception, the event has been contested at different distances:
- 6 furlongs: 1994–1998
- 6.5 furlongs : 2000 to present
- 7 furlongs : 1990–1993, 1998–1999
The race is not on the 2008 list of stakes races at Gulfstream Park.
Records edit
Speed record: (at current distance of 6.5 furlongs)
- 1:15.17 – Native Heir (2003)
Winners since 2000 edit
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Keyed Entry | 4 | John Velazquez | Anthony J. Sciametta Jr. | Starlight Stable et al. | 1:15:72 |
| 2006 | Universal Form | 5 | Manoel Cruz | Elliston Rolle | Universal Xperience | 1:16.48 |
| 2005 | Medallist | 4 | José A. Santos | H. Allen Jerkens | Robert Clay | 1:15.62 |
| 2004 | Alke | 4 | John Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | K. D. English/A. Braun | 1:15.80 |
| 2003 | Native Heir | 5 | Cornelio Velásquez | Mark Shuman | Michael Gill | 1:15.17 |
| 2002 | Fappies Notebook | 5 | Jorge Chavez | Manny Tortora | Irving & Marjorie Cowan | 1:16.19 |
| 2001 | Istintaj | 5 | Jerry Bailey | Mark Hennig | Shadwell Racing | 1:16.08 |
| 2000 | Deep Gold | 4 | John Velazquez | Bernie Flint | N. Chowhan & J. L. Millan | 1:15.89 |
Earlier winners edit
- 1999 – Good And Tough
- 1998 – Irish Conquest
- 1997 – Templado
- 1996 – Jess C's Whirl
- 1995 – Chimes Band
- 1994 – I Can't Believe
- 1993 – Loach
- 1992 – Take Me Out
- 1991 – Unbridled
- 1990 – Beau Genius