The Twin City Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race first run in 1884 at Sheepshead Bay Race Track in Sheepshead Bay, New York where it continued annually through 1909.[1] Following passage by the New York State Legislature of the Hart–Agnew Law anti-wagering bill that resulted in the closure of all racetracks in the state of New York.[2] The devastation to the horse racing industry was such that the Sheepshead Bay Race Track never reopened.[3] On September 2, 1909 Olambala won what would prove to be the final running of the Twin City Handicap at the Sheepshead Bay track.[4]

Twin City Handicap
Discontinued stakes race
LocationBelmont Park
Elmont, New York, United States
Inaugurated1884 - 1930
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Race information
Distance1+14 miles (10 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationThree-years-old and up

In 1917 the Coney Island Jockey Club, operators of the Sheepshead Bay Race Track, transferred their race titles to The Jockey Club.[5] As a result, in 1924 Belmont Park revived the Twin City Handicap. Won by Spot Cash, the first event at Belmont Park was run on a track made sloppy by a heavy rainstorm that the jockeys and their horses had to endure.[6] Although the next few years saw the race continue to attract top level runners, the Wall Street Crash of October 29, 1929 and ensuing Great Depression brought further setbacks to horse racing and the race would be canceled. The final running of the Twin City Handicap took place on September 11, 1930, when future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Raymond Workman guided James Butler's three-year-old colt Questionnaire to a two-length victory while being eased up.[7]

Records edit

Speed record:

Most wins:

  • 3 - Exile (1888, 1889)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners edit

Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Dist.
(Furlongs)
Time
Win
$
1930 Questionnaire 3 Raymond Workman Andy Schuttinger James Butler 10 F 2:02.80 $3,875
1929 Petee-Wrack 4 Steve O'Donnell William M. Booth John R. Macomber 10 F 2:03.60 $4,173
1928 Sortie 2 George Schreiner Max Hirsch Charles Schwartz 10 F 2:04.60 $4,550
1927 Whiskery 3 Raymond Workman Fred Hopkins Harry Payne Whitney 10 F 2:04.00 $4,925
1926 Black Maria 3 Laverne Fator William H. Karrick William R. Coe 10 F 2:02.80 $4,575
1925 Aga Khan 4 Earl Sande James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 10 F 2:04.00 $5,200
1924 Spot Cash 4 Edward Scobie James W. Healy Albert C. Bostwick Jr. 10 F 2:05.60 $5,850
1910 - 1923 Race not held
1909 Olambala 3 James Butwell T. J. Healey Montpelier Stable 10 F 2:05.00 $2,300
1908 Dorante 3 James Lee Raleigh Colston Fred A. Forsythe 10 F 2:03.40 $2,300
1907 Nealon 4 Willie Knapp Frank M. Taylor Patchogue Stable (William DuBois) 10 F 2:05.60 $12,800
1906 Fine Cloth 3 Guy Garner Barry D. Wood Thomas L. Watt 10 F 2:07.00 $14,055
1905 Wild Mint 3 David Nicol James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene 10 F 2:06.80 $6,122
1904 Caughnawaga 5 Tommy Burns Hubert H. Hyner John Sanford 10 F 2:05.00 $12,400
1903 McChesney 4 Grover Fuller Frank M. Taylor Edward E. Smathers 10 F 2:04.60 $6,250
1902 Gunfire 3 Harry Cochran John E. Madden William C. Whitney 10 F 2:05.20 $6,000
1901 Herbert 4 Lewis Smith Walter C. Rollins Walter C. Rollins 10 F 2:07.00 $5,300
1900 Ethelbert 4 Henry Spencer A. Jack Joyner Perry Belmont & Anthony L. Aste 10 F 2:07.00 $4,600
1899 Previous 4 Winfield O'Connor Julius Bauer Bromley & Co. (Joseph E. Bromley & Arthur Featherstone) 10 F 2:10.00 $5,050
1898 The Friar 4 Fred Littlefield R. Wyndham Walden Alfred H. & Dave H. Morris 10 F 2:07.40 $3,850
1897 Ornament 3 Fred Taral Charles T. Patterson Charles T. Patterson 10 F 2:05.40 $3,850
1896 Requital 3 Alonzo Clayton James G. Rowe Sr. Brookdale Stable 10 F 2:10.20 $1,675
1895 Rey El Santa Anita 4 Fred Taral Henry McDaniel Lucky Baldwin 10 F 2:07.00 $1,635
1894 Dorian 3 Anthony Hamilton John W. Rogers John W. Rogers 10 F 2:08.20 $2,475
1893 Galindo 4 E. Morris Dow L. Williams Lucky Baldwin 10 F 2:09.00 $2,580
1892 Lamplighter 3 Anthony Hamilton John Huggins Pierre Lorillard IV 10 F 2:09.20 $7,350
1891 Strathmeath 3 George Covington Green B. Morris Green B. Morris 10 F 2:10.60 $3,390
1890 Firenze 6 Edward Garrison Matthew Byrnes James Ben Ali Haggin 10 F 2:07.00 $3,735
1889 Exile 7 Anthony Hamilton William Lakeland William Lakeland 10 F 2:09.80 $4,725
1888 Exile 6 Anthony Hamilton William Lakeland William Lakeland 10 F 2:08.00 $4,460
1887 Elkwood 4 William J. Fitzpatrick James B. Dyer Walter Gratz 10 F 2:08.00 $4,420
1886 Louisette 5 Anthony Hamilton Locust Stable 10 F 2:12.25 $4,245
1885 Bersan 3 William J. Fitzpatrick Green B. Morris Green B. Morris & James D. Patton 10 F 2:12.50 $4,402
1884 Tom Martin 3 George Church Peter C. Fox 10 F 2:10.25 $4,367

References edit

  1. ^ "The Twin City Handicap". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1909-09-02. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  2. ^ "RACING FUNDS FOR THE CLERGY; Amasa Thernton Got $250 on Account to interest Friendly Ministers. MUTUAL BANK LEDGER LOST In It Was the Expense Account of the Bookmakers for the Year of the Bribery Scandal. BELMONT STIRRED TO WRATH Insists That Linn Bruce of Committee's Counsel Is Trying to Trip Him and Declines to Answer Questions. RACING FUNDS FOR THE CLERGY" (PDF). NYTimes.com. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  3. ^ "Twin City Handicap Cut To $3,000". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1908-07-17. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
  4. ^ "Olambala Triumphs over Hildreth Crack in Twin City Handicap". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1909-09-03. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  5. ^ "Donate Title to Old Stakes". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1917-08-17. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
  6. ^ "Spot Cash In Front: Races through Heavy Rainstorm". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1924-09-10. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  7. ^ "Questionnaire Rounds Out Ninth Victory by Winning Twin City 'Cap". Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) Page 26. 1930-09-12. Retrieved 2017-06-05.