Scarsdale Handicap

The Scarsdale Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race open to horses age three and older first run on October 16, 1918 over a mile and seventy yards on dirt at Empire City Race Track in Yonkers, New York.

Scarsdale Handicap
Discontined stakes race
LocationEmpire City Race Track
Yonkers, New York, USA
Inaugurated1918-1947
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Website
Race information
Distance1 mile, 70 yards (8.32 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-year-olds and up

Historical notes

In its second year, the Scarsdale Handicap was run as the Westchester Handicap before reverting to its original name in 1920.

In 1942, Empire City Racetrack terminated flat racing and the facility reverted to hosting only harness racing events. After that, the Scarsdale Handicap was run at Jamaica Race Course in Jamaica, Queens, New York.

Race moments

The 1918 inaugural running was won by War Cloud, a three-year-old colt who had finished fourth in that year's Kentucky Derby, won the Preakness Stakes and ran second in the Belmont Stakes. Two months earlier future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Roamer had broken Salvator's record for the mile that had stood for twenty-eight years. As such, bettors sent War Cloud off as the 7-5 second choice behind 4-5 favorite Roamer.[1]

The recently acquired Seabiscuit got his first stakes race win for new owner Charles Howard's on September 7, 1936 in the Governor's Handicap at the Detroit Fairgrounds Racetrack and then won the Hendrie Handicap at the same track on September 26. The colt continued to show his real talent under the care of trainer Tom Smith and jockey Red Pollard with his win in the Scarsdale Handicap on October 24, 1936.[2]

Purchased for $100 by owner/trainer Tommy Heard,[3] in 1942 Boysy became the first horse to win the Scarsdale twice. He came back the next year to capture the race for the third straight time, going wire-to-wire in winning by three lengths.[4]

In the 1946 Scarsdale, Albert Snider, one of the most promising young riders of the time, rode Polynesian to victory.[5] Snider would go on to become a first-string jockey with Calumet Farm and in 1948 was the regular jockey for the great Citation. He was scheduled to ride Citation in the U.S. Triple Crown series but disappeared on March 5, 1948 while fishing off the coast of Florida with two friends. Despite a lengthy and intensive search, their bodies were never recovered. Snider's death opened the door for Eddie Arcaro to ride Citation to win the Triple Crown.[6]

The Scarsdale Handicap's twenty-eighth and final running in 1947 was won by With Pleasure who defeated a stellar field that included two future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductees and the previous year's American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse. It was Gallorette who finished second, with Double Jay in third, Donor fourth, and Stymie, the then richest racehorse in United States history who finished sixth.[7]

Race distances
  • 1 mile, 70 yards : 1918, 1925-1947
  • 1 mile : 1919-1924

Records

Speed record:

  • 1 mile : 1:38 1/5 - Tryster (1922) (New track record)
  • 1 mile, 70 yards : 1:41 3/5 - Seven Hearts (1944) at Jamaica
  • 1 mile, 70 yards : 1:42 0/0 - Psychic Bid (1935) at Empire City

Most wins:

  • 3 - Boysy (1941, 1942, 1943)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

  • 3 - Tommy Heard (1941, 1942, 1943)

Most wins by an owner:

  • 3 - Tommy Heard (1941, 1942, 1943)

Winners
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
 Dist.
(Miles)		 Time
1947 With Pleasure 4 Jack Westrope Thomas P. Fleming Brolite Farm (Oscar E. Breault) 1M, 70Yds 1:44.60
1946 Polynesian 4 Albert Snider Morris H. Dixon Gertrude T. Widener 1M, 70Yds 1:42.20
1945 Buzfuz 3 Tommy Luther Joseph B. Rosen Sunshine Stable (Dan Chappell/Moze Rauzin) 1M, 70Yds 1:41.80
1944 Seven Hearts 4 Paul Keiper W. Graves Sparks J. Graham Brown 1M, 70Yds 1:41.60
1943 Boysy 7 Steve Brooks Tommy Heard Tommy Heard 1M, 70Yds 1:43.00
1942 Boysy 6 Darrell Clingman Tommy Heard Tommy Heard 1M, 70Yds 1:44.60
1941 Boysy 5 Jack Westrope Tommy Heard Tommy Heard 1M, 70Yds 1:42.20
1940 Parasang 3 Leon Haas James W. Healy C. V. Whitney 1M, 70Yds 1:42.60
1939 War Dog 3 Johnny Longden Jack McPherson Falaise Stable 1M, 70Yds 1:44.80
1938 Clodion 4 Jack Westrope Walter A. Carter Walter A. Carter 1M, 70Yds 1:44.20
1937 Esposa 5 Nick Wall Matthew P. Brady William Ziegler Jr. 1M, 70Yds 1:45.00
1936 Seabiscuit 3 Red Pollard Tom Smith Charles S. Howard 1M, 70Yds 1:44.00
1935 Psychic Bid 3 Mike Corona Robert A. Smith Brookmeade Stable 1M, 70Yds 1:42.00
1934 King Saxon 3 Tommy Malley Pat Knebelkamp Pat Knebelkamp 1M, 70Yds 1:43.20
1932 - 1933 Race not held
1931 Hibala 3 Willie Kelsay Fred E. Kraft Fred E. Kraft 1M, 70Yds 1:47.60
1930 Questionnaire 3 Charles Kurtsinger Andy Schuttinger James Butler 1M, 70Yds 1:45.20
1929 Polydor 3 Mack Garner William J. Spiers William Ziegler Jr. 1M, 70Yds 1:43.80
1928 Genie 3 Willie Kelsay Henry McDaniel Gifford A. Cochran 1M, 70Yds 1:44.60
1927 Black Panther 3 John Maiben T. J. Healey Walter J. Salmon Sr. 1M, 70Yds 1:45.60
1926 Cloudland 4 John Maiben Frank E. Brown Frank E. Brown 1M, 70Yds 1:46.60
1925 Blind Play 4 Clarence Kummer Louis Feustel Log Cabin Stable 1M, 70Yds 1:43.60
1924 Lucky Play 3 Clarence Kummer Louis Feustel August Belmont Jr. 1M 1:39.40
1923 Exodus 5 Frank Coltiletti Scott P. Harlan Greentree Stable 1M 1:38.80
1922 Tryster 4 Lawrence Lyke Scott P. Harlan Westmont Stable (Lawrence Waterbury II/J. Leonard Replogie) 1M 1:38.20
1921 Yellow Hand 4 C. H. Miller A. J. Goldsborough Charles A. Stoneham 1M 1:39.60
1920 Cirrus 4 Lavelle Ensor Sam Hildreth Sam Hildreth 1M 1:39.80
1919 Hannibal 3 James Butwell T. J. Healey Richard T. Wilson Jr. 1M 1:40.40
1918 War Cloud 3 Johnny Loftus Walter B. Jennings A. Kingsley Macomber 1M, 70Yds 1:43.00
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References
  1. New York Tribune October 17, 1918, Page 17 article titled "Gallant Old Roamer bows to War Cloud" Retrieved August 31, 2018
  2. Amazon.com, New York Times October 25, 1936 article clip titled "Seabiscuit First By Nose At Empire Retrieved August 31, 2018
  3. New York Times August 2, 1942 article titled "Boysy Captures Camden Feature" Retrieved September 1, 2018
  4. New York Times October 31, 1943 article titled "Boysy Takes Stake Third Year In A Row" Retrieved September 1, 2018
  5. Corpus Christi Caller Times November 3, 1946 Retrieved August 31, 2018
  6. Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel April 30, 1998 article titled "Without A Trace" Retrieved August 31, 2018
  7. Joplin Globe (Missouri) November 2, 1947 article titled "With Pleasure Wins Scarsdale Handicap" Retrieved August 31, 2018
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