The Great American Stakes is a discontinued American Thoroughbred horse race last run annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Raced on dirt and open to two-year-old horses only, it was last run at a distance of five and a half furlongs.

Great American Stakes
Discontinued stakes race
LocationBelmont Park, Elmont NY
Inaugurated1889–1992
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Race information
Distancefurlongs
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationTwo-years-old

Historical notes

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The race was inaugurated as a five furlong event at the Gravesend Race Track at Gravesend on Coney Island, New York. Passage off the Hart–Agnew Law that banned parimutuel betting. Enacted by the Republican controlled New York Legislature under Governor Charles Evans Hughes, left owners of Gravesend Race Track and other racing facilities in New York State struggling to stay in business without income from betting.[1] Further restrictive legislation was passed by the New York Legislature in 1910 which deepened the financial crisis for track operators and led to a complete shut down of racing across the state during 1911 and 1912.[2] [3] When a February 21, 1913 ruling by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division saw horse racing return in 1913, the Great American Stakes was revived and over the years would be hosted by three different New York racetracks. While at Aqueduct Racetrack, the Great American Stakes earned Grade 3 status in 1973 and 1974.[4][5][6][7]

Success and failure of some Hall of Fame greats

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While at Gravesend, the Great American Stakes attracted many of the top two-year-olds of the day including 1893 winner and future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Domino.[8]

Over the years there were a number of upsets in the running of the Great American Stakes. In 1936, Fairy Hill defeated War Admiral and in 1977, in what became one of the great rivalries in the history of American racing, Alydar easily beat Affirmed.[9][10]

Chronology of racetracks:

Records

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Speed record:

  • 5 furlongs: 1:00.20 – Snark (1935)
  • 5+12 furlongs: 1:03.80 – Laus' Cause (1982)
  • 6 furlongs: 1:12.00 – Getthere Jack (1955)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

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Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Dist.
(Furlongs)
Time
1982 Laus' Cause 2 Jorge Tejeira Reynaldo H. Nobles Robert E. Brennan 5.5 F 1:03.80
1981 Full Venture 2 Donald Brumfield Benjamin W. Perkins Jr. Elkcam Stables (Mackle brothers) 5.5 F 1:04.60
1979 J. P. Brother 2 Joe Imparato John P. Campo John P. Campo 5.5 F 1:05.60
1978 Jose Binn 2 Ángel Cordero Jr. Jose A. Martin Morton Binn 5.5 F 1:04.00
1977 Alydar 2 Eddie Maple John M. Veitch Calumet Farm 5.5 F 1:03.60
1976 Banquet Table 2 Jean Cruguet George T. Poole Jr. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney 5.5 F 1:04.60
1975 Great Contractor 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Roger Laurin Howard P. Wilson 8.5 F 1:47.00
1974 I'm In Business 2 Vincent Bracciale Jr. James J. Toner Brookfield Farm 8.5 F 1:45.00
1973 Cannonade 2 Pete Anderson Woody Stephens John M. Olin 8 F 1:34.60
1972 Decimator 2 Ron Turcotte John P. Campo Buckland Farm 8 F 1:37.00
1971 Chevron Flight 2 Martin Fromin Thomas H. Heard Jr. Caesar P. Kimmel 5.5 F 1:04.40
1970 Three Martinis 2 Rudy Turcotte Roger Laurin Edward Sawyer 5.5 F 1:04.20
1969 Hagley 2 Manuel Ycaza J. Woods Garth Hickory Tree Stable 5.5 F 1:04.20
1968 Prevailing 2 Ray Broussard Warren A. Croll Jr. Aisco Stable 5.5 F 1:03.80
1967 Subpet 2 Ray Broussard Warren A. Croll Jr. Thomas Leclair 5.5 F 1:04.00
1966 Native Prince 2 Ray Broussard Raymond F. Metcalf Edward R. Scharps 5.5 F 1:04.40
1965 Our Michael 2 Johnny Sellers Jimmy Pitt Edgehill Farm (Leonard & Morris Fruchtman) 5.5 F 1:03.60
1964 Time Tested 2 Braulio Baeza Bill Winfrey Ogden Mills Phipps 5.5 F 1:05.00
1963 Raise A Native 2 Manuel Ycaza Burley Parke Louis Wolfson 5.5 F 1:02.60
1962 Ahoy 2 Herb Hinojosa J. Bowes Bond Leon Levy 5.5 F 1:04.60
1961 Sir Gaylord 2 Ismael Valenzuela Casey Hayes Christopher Chenery 5.5 F 1:04.00
1960 Hail To Reason 2 Bobby Ussery Hirsch Jacobs Patrice Jacobs 5.5 F 1:05.00
1959 Bally Ache 2 Sam Boulmetis Sr. Jimmy Pitt Edgehill Farm (Leonard & Morris Fruchtman) 5.5 F 1:04.40
1958 First Landing 2 Eddie Arcaro Casey Hayes Christopher Chenery 5.5 F 1:04.00
1957 Li'L Fella 2 Bobby Ussery J. Bowes Bond Jaclyn Stable (William S. Paley & Leon Levy) 5.5 F 1:05.40
1956 King Hairan 2 Eddie Arcaro Leonard H. Hunt Leo Edwards & Harry B. Massey 5.5 F 1:04.40
1955 Getthere Jack 2 Hedley Woodhouse John J. Weipert Jr. Lily-Ann Stable 6 F 1:12.00
1954 Royal Coinage 2 Jack Skelly Anthony J. Pupino Clearwater Stable (F.L. Leatherbury & E.A. Roberts) 6 F 1:12.20
1953 Fisherman 2 Claude Erickson Sylvester Veitch Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney 6 F 1:12.20
1952 Bradley 2 Ted Atkinson William Post Hope Iselin 6 F 1:11.20
1951 Cousin 2 Nick Combest Bill Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt II 6 F 1:13.00
1950 Silver Wings 2 Glenn Laswell Tom Smith Maine Chance Farm 6 F 1:10.80
1949 Navy Chief 2 Eddie Arcaro Albert E. "Bert" Alexandra E. P. Taylor 6 F 1:11.20
1948 Prince Quest 2 Charles Leblanc James Conway Ben F. Whitaker 6 F 1:12.40
1947 Star Bout 2 Ted Atkinson John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 6 F 1:11.00
1946 I Will 2 Eric Guerin George M. Odom Jay Paley 6 F 1:13.20
1945 Mist o' Gold 2 Wayne D. Wright Don Cameron Vera S. Bragg 6 F 1:12.80
1944 Fighting Don 2 Ferrill Zufelt William O. Hicks Gertrude Donovan 6 F 1:11.80
1943 Lucky Draw 2 Conn McCreary Bert Mulholland George D. Widener Jr. 6 F 1:12.00
1942 Breezing Home 2 Vincent Nodarse Matthew P. Brady William Ziegler Jr. 6 F 1:11.60
1941 Requested 2 Eddie Arcaro J. H. "Blackie" McCoole Ben F. Whitaker 6 F 1:12.40
1940 Omission 2 Don Meade J. P. "Sammy" Smith Victor Emanuel 6 F 1:13.00
1939 Johnnie J. 2 Sam Renick Edward J. Legere Carrie Hardin 6 F 1:11.80
1938 El Chico 2 Nick Wall Matthew P. Brady William Ziegler Jr. 6 F 1:13.20
1937 Maetall 2 Eddie Arcaro George E. Phillips Maemere Farm Stable (Dewitt Page) 6 F 1:13.00
1936 Fairy Hill 2 Maurice Peters Richard E. Handlen Foxcatcher Farm 6 F 1:12.60
1935 Snark 2 Francis Horn James E. Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable 5 F 1:00.20
1934 Dasher 2 Charles Kurtsinger James E. Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable 5 F 1:00.40
1933 Slapdash 2 Hank Mills James E. Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable 5 F 1:01.20
1932 Puchero 2 Buddy Hanford Clyde Phillips William Ziegler Jr. 5 F 1:00.40
1931 Osculator 2 Pete Walls Bennett W. Creech William R. Coe 5 F 1:00.20
1930 Equipoise 2 Raymond Workman Fred Hopkins Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney 5 F 1:00.20
1929 Grattan 2 Earl Steffen Sam Hildreth Rancocas Stable 5 F 1:00.00
1928 Soul of Honor 2 George Fields Robert A. Smith Audley Farm Stable 5 F 0:59.40
1927 Dice 2 Danny McAuliffe James E. Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable 5 F 1:00.00
1926 Pantella 2 Linus McAtee James G. Rowe Sr. Harry Payne Whitney 5 F 0:59.80
1925 Navigator 2 Earl Sande Clyde Phillips Greentree Stable 5 F 1:00.00
1924 Swope 2 Clarence Turner Albert B. "Alex" Gordon Bud Fisher 5 F 1:00.40
1923 Rustic 2 George W. Carroll Robert J. Walden Alfred Hennen Morris 5 F 0:58.80
1922 Goshawk 2 Lewis Morris Fred Hopkins Harry Payne Whitney 5 F 0:59.20
1921 Broomster 2 Leslie Penman James G. Rowe Sr. Harry Payne Whitney 5 F 0:59.60
1920 Touch Me Not 2 Clarence Kummer William R. Midgley Greentree Stable 5 F 0:59.20
1919 Bonnie Mary 2 Willie Knapp William Hogan Philip A. Clark 5 F 0:58.40
1918 Dunboyne 2 George Byrne William Hogan Philip A. Clark 5 F 0:59.60
1917 Sun Briar 2 Willie Knapp Henry McDaniel Willis Sharpe Kilmer 5 F 1:01.40
1916 Campfire 2 John McTaggart T. J. Healey Richard T. Wilson Jr. 5 F 1:00.00
1915 Ormesdale 2 Joe McCahey T. J. Healey Richard T. Wilson Jr. 5 F 1:01.80
1914 Lady Barbary 2 Clarence Turner Richard F. Carman Richard F. Carman 5 F 1:01.60
1913 Gainer 2 John Wilson H. I. Marshall James L. Holland 5 F 0:59.60
1912 No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law.
1911
1910 Babbler 2 Eddie Dugan John Whalen August Belmont Jr. 5 F 1:02.20
1909 Starbottle 2 Eddie Dugan A. Jack Joyner August Belmont Jr. 5 F 1:02.80
1908 Sir Martin 2 James Lee John E. Madden John E. Madden 5 F 1:00.60
1907 Cohort 2 R. Lowe William H. Karrick Oneck Stable 5 F 1:00.00
1906 Water Pearl 2 Joseph A. Jones A. Jack Joyner Sydney Paget 5 F 1:01.00
1905 Burgomaster 2 Lucien Lyne John W. Rogers Harry Payne Whitney 5 F 1:01.00
1904 Song and Wine 2 Frank O'Neill Fred Burlew Newton Bennington 5 F 1:02.60
1903 Broomstick 2 George M. Odom Peter Wimmer Samuel S. Brown 5 F 1:00.00
1902 Dalesman 2 Willie Shaw James G. Rowe Sr. J. R. & F. P. Keene 5 F 1:00.00
1901 Blue Girl 2 Tommy Burns John E. Madden John E. Madden 5 F 1:02.80
1900 Prince Charles 2 Nash Turner John W. Rogers William C. Whitney 5 F 1:02.20
1899 Vulcain 2 Nash Turner H. Eugene Leigh H. Eugene Leigh 5 F 1:02.60
1898 Jean Bereaud 2 Tod Sloan Sam Hildreth David Gideon & John Daly 5 F 1:01.75
1897 Previous 2 Tod Sloan Hardy Campbell Jr. Michael F. Dwyer 5 F 1:01.75
1896 George Kessler 2 Fred Taral Matthew Byrnes Matthew Byrnes 5 F 1:02.25
1895 Applegate 2 John J. McCafferty John J. McCafferty John J. McCafferty 5 F 1:02.00
1894 Waltzer 2 Henry Griffin John Hyland David Gideon & John Daly 5 F 1:04.25
1893 Domino 2 Fred Taral William Lakeland J. R. & F. P. Keene 5 F 1:01.75
1892 Sir Walter 2 Edward Garrison Walter C. Rollins Oneck Stable 5 F 1:01.25
1891 St. Florian 2 George Taylor R. Wyndham Walden John A. & Alfred H. Morris 5 F 1:03.50
1890 Russell 2 Edward Garrison R. Wyndham Walden John A. & Alfred H. Morris 5 F 1:02.00
1889 St. Carlo 2 Edward Garrison James G. Rowe Sr. August Belmont 5 F 1:02.25
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References

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  1. ^ "Keep Up Betting Ban". New York Times. 1908-09-01. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
  2. ^ "Race Track Bill Defeated In Senate; Measure Modifying Directors' Liability for Gambling Fails of Passage". The New York Times. July 14, 1911. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  3. ^ "Penalties in the New York Bills". Daily Racing Form. 1908-01-18. Retrieved 2018-10-26 – via University of Kentucky Archives.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Destruction Wrought by Hughes". Daily Racing Form. 1908-12-15. Retrieved 2018-11-30 – via University of Kentucky Archives.
  5. ^ "Famous Old Track is Sold". Daily Racing Form. 1914-11-17. Retrieved 2018-11-30 – via University of Kentucky Archives.
  6. ^ "I'm In Business". Equibase.com. 2019-02-21. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
  7. ^ "Cannonade". Equibase.com. 2019-02-21. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
  8. ^ "Domino". Racingmuseum.org. 1955-01-01. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
  9. ^ "Derby Wins of Triple Crown Victors: War Admiral". Bloodhorse.com. 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
  10. ^ "Affirmed the last to wear the Crown". ESPN. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
  11. ^ "Condensed History Of The Great American Stakes". Daily Racing Form. 1909-06-05. Retrieved 2019-02-22 – via University of Kentucky Archives.
  12. ^ "Future Stake Races". Daily Racing Form. 1913-06-11. Retrieved 2019-01-22 – via University of Kentucky Archives.
  13. ^ "Cruguet Comes Back to Warm Greeting". New York Times. 1982-06-21. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
  14. ^ "Aqueduct's Attractive Program". Daily Racing Form. 1914-06-13. Retrieved 2019-02-22 – via University of Kentucky Archives.
  15. ^ "Hail To Reason (horse)". Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees. 2019-02-22. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
  16. ^ "King Hairan Outraces Beauguerre to Win Great American Stakes at Jamaica". New York Times. 1956-07-26. Retrieved 2019-02-21.