Saratoga Special Stakes

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First run in 1901, the Saratoga Special Stakes is a race for Thoroughbred horses run in early to mid August at Saratoga Race Course. The race is for two-year-olds willing to race six and a half furlongs on the dirt. It offers a purse of $150,000 and is a Grade II event.

Summer Squall won the Special in 1989, Gulch in 1986, Swale in 1983, Bold Forbes in 1975, Nearctic in 1956, Native Dancer in 1952, Whirlaway in 1940, Bimelech in 1939, Top Flight in 1931, Blue Larkspur in 1928, Regret in 1914, Roamer in 1913, Colin in 1907, and Sysonby in 1904.

The Saratoga Special was once a winner-take-all scramble for two-year-olds. Their owners could nominate their horses in sets of three for one fee. This meant that they were fairly sure of getting a horse in the race, but only one. In 1959, this all changed when the Special became a regular stakes race with individual nominations and entries.

The race was held at Belmont Park on the Widener Course in 1943, 1944, and 1945. It was not run in 1911 and 1912. In 1935, when it still winner take all, there was a dead heat for win. In 1953, Porterhouse finished first, but was disqualified and placed last. In 1969, only three horses started.

The Saratoga Special will be in its 103rd running in August of 2008.

[edit] Past winners

  • 2007 – Kodiak Kowboy (Shaun Bridgmohan)
  • 2006 – Chace City (Edgar Prado)
  • 2005 – Henny Hughes (Gary Stevens)
  • 2003 – Cuvee (Jerry Bailey)
  • 2002 – Zavata (Jerry Bailey)
  • 2001 – Jump Start (Pat Day)
  • 2000 – City Zip (Jose Santos)
  • 1999 – Bevo (Edgar Prado)
  • 1998 – Prime Directive (Jorge F. Chavez)
  • 1997 – Favorite Trick – (Pat Day)
  • 1996 – All Chatter (Jorge F. Chavez)
  • 1995 – Bright Launch (Jose Santos)
  • 1994 – Montreal Red (Jose Santos)
  • 1993 – Dehere (Eddie Maple)
  • 1992 – Tactical Advantage (Julie Krone)
  • 1991 – Caller I.D. (Jerry Bailey)
  • 1990 – To Freedom (Angel Cordero, Jr.)
  • 1989 – Summer Squall (Pat Day)
  • 1988 – Trapp Mountain (Jerry Bailey)
  • 1987 – Crusader Sword (Robbie Davis)
  • 1986 – Gulch (Angel Cordero, Jr.)
  • 1985 – Sovereign Don (Jorge Velasquez)
  • 1984 – Chief's Crown (Don MacBeth)
  • 1983 – Swale (Eddie Maple)
  • 1982 – Victorious (Angel Cordero, Jr.)
  • 1981 – Conquistador Cielo (Eddie Maple)
  • 1980 – Well Decorated (Michael Venezia)
  • 1979 – J.P. Brother (Eddie Maple)
  • 1978 – General Assembly (Darrel McHargue)
  • 1977 – Darby Creek Road (Angel Cordero, Jr.)
  • 1976 – Banquet Table (Jacinto Vasquez)
  • 1975 – Bold Forbes (Jorge Velasquez)
  • 1974 – Our Talisman (Michael Venezia)
  • 1973 – Az Igazi (Michael Venezia)
  • 1972 – Stop The Music (Jacinto Vasquez)
  • 1971 – Tarboosh (Eddie Maple)
  • 1970 – Three Martinis (Angel Cordero, Jr.)
  • 1969 – Pontifex (Pete Anderson)
  • 1968 – Reviewer (Braulio Baeza)
  • 1967 – Vitriolic (B. Baeza)
  • 1966 – Favorable Turn (Bobby Ussery)
  • 1965 – Impressive (B. Baeza)
  • 1964 – Sadair (Manuel Ycaza)
  • 1963 – Duel (B. Baeza)
  • 1962 – Mr. Cold Storage (Johnny Sellers)
  • 1961 – Battle Joined (M. Ycaza)
  • 1960 – Bronzerullah (R. York)
  • 1959 – Irish Lancer (Eddie Arcaro)
  • 1958 – First Landing (E. Arcaro)
  • 1957 – Grey Monarch (J. Nichols)
  • 1956 – Nearctic (G. Walker)
  • 1955 – Polly's Jet (E. Arcaro)
  • 1954 – Royal Coinage (E. Arcaro)
  • 1953 – Turn-To (Henry Moreno)
  • 1952 – Native Dancer – (Eric Guerin)
  • 1951 – Cousin (E. Guerin)
  • 1950 – Battlefield (E. Arcaro)
  • 1949 – More Sun (G. Glisson)
  • 1948 – Blue Peter (E. Guerin)
  • 1947 – Better Self (E. Arcaro)
  • 1946 – Grand Admiral (J.D. Jessop)
  • 1945 – Mist o'Gold (W.D. Wright)
  • 1944 – Payot (George Woolf)
  • 1943 – Cocopet (C. McCreary)
  • 1942 – Halberd (G. Woolf)
  • 1941 – Amphitheatre (A. Robertson)
  • 1940 – Whirlaway (Johnny Longden)
  • 1939 – Bimelech (F.A. Smith)
  • 1938 – El Chico (N. Wall)
  • 1937 – Pumpkin (J. Gilbert)
  • 1936 – Forty Winks (R. Workman)
  • 1935 – Red Rain (R. Workman)
  • 1934 – Boxthorn (D. Meade)
  • 1933 – Wise Daughter (L. Gilbert)
  • 1932 – Happy Gal (T. Malley)
  • 1931 – Top Flight (R. Workman)
  • 1930 – Jamestown (L. McAtee)
  • 1929 – Whichone (L. McAtee)
  • 1928 – Blue Larkspur (A. Pascuma)
  • 1927 – Ariel (L. Fator)
  • 1926 – Chance Shot (Earl Sande)
  • 1925 – Haste (E. Sande)
  • 1924 – Sunny Man (L. Fator)
  • 1923 – St. James (E. Sande)
  • 1922 – Goshawk (L. McAtee)
  • 1921 – Morvich (F. Keogh)
  • 1920 – Tryster (J. Rodriguez)
  • 1919 – Golden Broom (E. Ambrose)
  • 1918 – Hannibal (L. Ensor)
  • 1917 – Sun Briar (W. Knapp)
  • 1916 – Campfire (J. McTaggart)
  • 1915 – Dominant (J. McTaggart)
  • 1914 – Regret (Joe Notter)
  • 1913 – Roamer (G. Byrne)
  • 1910 – Novelty (C. Shilling)
  • 1909 – Waldo (D. Nicol)
  • 1908 – Sir Martin (C. Shilling)
  • 1907 – Colin (W. Miller)
  • 1906 – Salvidere (W. Sewell)
  • 1905 – Mohawk II (A. Redfern)
  • 1904 – Sysonby (A. Redfern)
  • 1903 – Aristocracy (F. O’Neill)
  • 1902 – Irish Lad (N. Turner)
  • 1901 – Goldsmith (N. Turner)