The Garden State Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid November at the now defunct Garden State Park Racetrack in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. A futurity event for two-year-olds, it is sometimes referred to as the Garden State Futurity. By 1956, the total purse offered was more than $300,000 (including all nomination and starting fees), making it the richest horse race in the world.[1]
| Discontinued horse race | |
| Location | Garden State Park Racetrack Cherry Hill, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| Distance | various |
| Surface | Dirt and Turf |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Two-years-old |
The race was contested on dirt until 1994 when it was changed to a race on turf. It was raced at various distances:
- On dirt:
- Inception – 1952: 6 furlongs on dirt
- 1953–1972, 1993: 1+1⁄16 miles on dirt
- 1985–1992: 1+1⁄8 miles on dirt
- 1998 : 1 mile on dirt (1998 race switched from turf due to heavy rains)
- On turf:
- 1994–1995 : 1+1⁄16 miles on turf
- 1996–1997, 1999 : 1 mile on turf
In 1955, the racetrack created a counterpart for fillies called the Gardenia Stakes.[2]
The Garden State Stakes was placed on hiatus in 1973 and after a fire destroyed the racetrack on April 14, 1977[3] it would not be run again until a new track was built by International Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. through its wholly owned subsidiary, Garden State Race Track, Inc. headed by Robert E. Brennan that opened on April 1, 1985.[4] The March 18, 2000 issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Garden State Stakes had been cancelled for financial reasons.[5]
Winners edit
| Year |
Winner |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Dist. (Furlongs) |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Judges' View | Jesus Castanon | Luis Collazo | Lee A. Rogalski | 8 F | 1:39.10 |
| 1998 | Who Did It and Run | Felix Ortiz | Debra Sones | Debra Sones | 8 F | 1:36.51 |
| 1997 | Keep it Strait | Charles C. Lopez | Joseph H. Pierce Jr. | M. Delfiner & A. Gilman | 8 F | 1:43.05 |
| 1996 | Fitz | Victor Molina | Edward Colettti Jr. | Ken and Sarah Ramsey | 8 F | 1:40.69 |
| 1995 | Claramount Hill | Julie Krone | Philip M. Serpe | Double R. Stable | 8.5 F | 1:44.26 |
| 1994 | Alleged Impression | Mario Verge | Eddie Gaudet | Morris Bailey | 8.5 F | 1:44.56 |
| 1993 | Tri For The Gold | Matthew Vigliotti | Robert Seeger | Plumstead Stables | 8.5 F | 1:45.02 |
| 1992 | Fling | Nick Santagata | Ronald Glorioso | Prescott & Pamela McCardell | 9 F | 1:53.58 |
| 1991 | Tank | Rick Wilson | Benjamin W. Perkins Jr. | Bohemia Stable | 9 F | 1:51.03 |
| 1990 | Killer Diller | James Bruin | Frank A. Alexander | Barry K. Schwartz | 9 F | 1:52.40 |
| 1989 | Faultless Ensign | Chris DeCarlo | Benjamin W. Perkins Jr. | B. W. Perkins Sr./Anthony Tornetta | 9 F | 1:51.20 |
| 1988 | Tsarbaby | Herb McCauley | D. Wayne Lukas | Peter M. Brant | 9 F | 1:52.20 |
| 1987 | Mister S M | Frank Lovato Jr. | Stephen L. DiMauro | Samuel F. Morrell | 9 F | 1:49.80 |
| 1986 | Fobby Forbes | Randy Romero | Carlos Garcia | Due Process Stable | 9 F | 1:51.00 |
| 1985 | Spend a Buck | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Cam Gambolati | Hunter Farm | 9 F | 1:45.80 |
| 1972 | Secretariat | Ron Turcotte | Lucien Laurin | Meadow Stable | 8.5 F | 1:44.40 |
| 1971 | Riva Ridge | Ron Turcotte | Lucien Laurin | Meadow Stable | 8.5 F | 1:43.60 |
| 1970 | Run the Gantlet | John L. Rotz | J. Elliott Burch | Rokeby Stable | 8.5 F | 1:45.00 |
| 1969 | Forum | Walter Blum | Eugene Jacobs | Herbert A. Allen Sr. | 8.5 F | 1:44.40 |
| 1968 | Beau Brummel | Braulio Baeza | Edward A. Neloy | Ogden Mills Phipps | 8.5 F | 1:44.60 |
| 1967 | Bugged | Eddie Belmonte | Ivor G. Balding | C. V. Whitney | 8.5 F | 1:44.80 |
| 1966 | Successor | Braulio Baeza | Edward A. Neloy | Wheatley Stable | 8.5 F | 1:44.20 |
| 1965 | Prince Saim | Joe Culmone | Al Pepino | Pepino brothers | 8.5 F | 1.42.80 |
| 1964 | Sadair | Manuel Ycaza | Les Lear | North Forty Stable | 8.5 F | 1:41.00 |
| 1963 | Hurry to Market | W. C. Cook | David Erb | Roger Wilson/Mrs. T. P. Hull Jr. | 8.5 F | 1:45.20 |
| 1962 | Crewman | Bill Shoemaker | Winbert F. Mulholland | George D. Widener Jr. | 8.5 F | 1:44.00 |
| 1961 | Crimson Satan | Bill Shoemaker | Gordon R. Potter | Crimson King Farm | 8.5 F | 1:44.20 |
| 1960 | Carry Back | Johnny Sellers | Jack A. Price | Mrs. Katherine Price | 8.5 F | 1:46.40 |
| 1959 | Warfare | Ismael Valenzuela | Hack Ross | Bellehurst Stable (Clifton Jones Jr.) | 8.5 F | 1:42.80 |
| 1958 | First Landing | Eddie Arcaro | Casey Hayes | Christopher Chenery | 8.5 F | 1:46.40 |
| 1957 | Nadir | Bill Hartack | Moody Jolley | Claiborne Farm | 8.5 F | 1:44.20 |
| 1956 | Barbizon | Bill Hartack | Horace A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 8.5 F | 1:44.80 |
| 1955 | Prince John | Angel Valenzuela | Walter A. Kelley | Elmendorf Farm | 8.5 F | 1:42.60 |
| 1954 | Summer Tan | Eric Guerin | Sherrill W. Ward | Dorothy Firestone | 8.5 F | 1:46.20 |
| 1953 | Turn-To | Henry Moreno | Eddie Hayward | Cain Hoy Stable | 8.5 F | 1:46.20 |
| 1952 | Laffango | Nick Shuk | Merritt A. Buxton | Trio Stable | 6 F | 1:11.40 |
| 1951 | Candle Wood | Chris Rogers | Lyman A. Brusie | Robert C. Hanna | 6 F | 1:11.80 |
| 1950 | Iswas | Joe Culmone | Dan W. Kerns | Brookfield Farm | 6 F | 1:11.40 |
| 1949 | Cornwall | Bob Strange | B. Frank Christmas | Abram S. Hewitt | 6 F | 1:11.40 |
| 1948 | Blue Peter | Wayne Wright | Andy Schuttinger | Joseph M. Roebling | 5 F | 1:00.80 |
| 1947 | Itsabet | Don Padgett | Dan W. Kerns | Brookfield Farm | 6 F | 1:11.60 |
| 1946 | Double Jay | Johnny Breen | Walter L. McCue | Ridgewood Stable | 6 F | 1:11.00 |
| 1945 | Air Rate | Harry Pratt | Ralph Lentini | Frederick Wyse | 6 F | 1:13.20 |
| 1944 | Alexis | John A. Healey | Christiana Stable | 6 F |