Tom Fool Handicap

The Tom Fool Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early March at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, New York. It was formerly held at Belmont Park. The race is a Grade III event open to horses age four and up who are willing to race the six furlongs distance on dirt.

Tom Fool Handicap

Grade III race
Location	Aqueduct Racetrack Ozone Park, New York, United States
Inaugurated	1975
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	Tom Fool Handicap - NYRA
Race information
Distance	6 furlongs
Surface	Dirt
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Four-years-old & up
Weight	Assigned[1]
Purse	$200,000 (since 2012)[2]

History

The race is named for U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Tom Fool who was champion two-year-old of 1951 and U.S. Horse of the Year in 1953. He is one of four horses to win the New York Handicap Triple which consists of the Metropolitan Handicap, the Suburban Handicap and the Brooklyn Handicap.[3]

The race was originally run at Belmont Park in July at a distance of seven furlongs and was open to three-year-olds and up. In 2011, it was moved to Aqueduct where it is run in March and is open to four-year-olds and up. From 2011 to 2017, it was run on the inner track but is now run on the main track.[2]

Records

Speed record:

• 1:08.77 - Do Share (2019)
• 1:20.17 - Left Bank (2002) (at former distance of 7 furlongs)

Most wins:

• 2 - Salutos Amigos (2015, 2016)
• 2 - Calibrachoa (2011, 2012)
• 2 - Rise Jim (1981, 1982)
• 2 - Groovy (1986, 1987)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 7 - Angel Cordero Jr. (1976, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 5 - Todd Pletcher (2000, 2002, 2009, 2011, 2012)
• 5 - H. Allen Jerkens (1975, 1984, 1994, 1998, 2005)

Most wins by an owner:

• 2 - William H. Grinold (1981, 1982)
• 2 - Hobeau Farm (1975, 2005)
• 2 - Shadwell Racing (1996, 2008)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2020	Mind Control	4	Junior Alvarado	Gregory D. Sacco	Red Oak Stable & Madaket Stables	1:10.88
2019	Do Share	6	Reylu Gutierrez	Michael J. Maker	Three Diamonds Farm	1:08.77
2018	Skyler's Scramjet	4	Trevor McCarthy	Michelle Nevin	SJB Stable and Micozzi, Marcello	1:11.38
2017	Spartiatis	7	Rajiv Maragh	Leon J. Blusiewicz	Constantine Peter Beler	1:11.23
2016	Salutos Amigos	6	Cornelio Velasquez	David Jacobson	Jacobson/Southern Equine Stable	1:10.17
2015	Salutos Amigos	5	Cornelio Velasquez	David Jacobson	Jacobson/Southern Equine Stable	1:09.61
2014	Strapping Groom	7	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	David Jacobson	Drawing Away Stable/Jacobson	1:09.85
2013	Comma to the Top	5	Joel Rosario	Peter Miller	Gary Barber	1:10.26
2012	Calibrachoa	5	Cornelio Velasquez	Todd Pletcher	Mike Repole	1:09.07
2011	Calibrachoa	4	Ramon Dominguez	Todd Pletcher	Repole Stable	1:09.67
2010	Race not run
2009	Munnings	3	John Velazquez	Todd Pletcher	Tabor & partners/Magnier/Smith	1:21.08
2008	Lucky Island	4	Alan Garcia	Kiaran McLaughlin	Shadwell Racing	1:22.73
2007	High Finance	4	John Velazquez	Richard Violette, Jr.	West Point Stable	1:21.81
2006	Silver Train	4	Edgar Prado	Richard E. Dutrow, Jr.	Four Roses Thoroughbreds	1:21.66
2005	Smokume	4	Chantal Sutherland	H. Allen Jerkens	Hobeau Farm	1:21.92
2004	Ghostzapper	4	Javier Castellano	Robert J. Frankel	Stronach Stables	1:20.42
2003	Aldebaran	5	Jerry Bailey	Robert J. Frankel	Flaxman Stable	1:22.54
2002	Left Bank	5	John Velazquez	Todd A. Pletcher	Michael B. Tabor	1:20.17
2001	Exchange Rate	4	Jerry Bailey	D. Wayne Lukas	Padua Stables	1:21.24
2000	Trippi	3	Jerry Bailey	Todd A. Pletcher	Dogwood Stable	1:21.69
1999	Crafty Friend	6	Richard Migliore	John C. Kimmel	the Thoroughbred Corporation	1:20.62
1998	Banker's Gold	4	Jorge F. Chavez	H. Allen Jerkens	Georgia E. Hofmann	1:21.04
1997	Diligence	4	José A. Santos	Nick Zito	Kinsman Stable	1:22.40
1996	Kayrawan	4	Richard Migliore	Kiaran McLaughlin	Shadwell Racing	1:22.95
1995	Lite the Fuse	4	Julie Krone	Richard Dutrow, Sr.	Richard Dutrow, Sr.	1:21.72
1994	Virginia Rapids	4	Jean-Luc Samyn	H. Allen Jerkens	Middletown Stables	1:22.27
1993	Birdonthewire	4	Craig Perret	Philip Serpe	Robert Kaufman	1:20.93
1992	Rubiano	5	Julie Krone	Flint S. Schulhofer	Centennial Farm	1:21.70
1991	Mr. Nasty	4	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Guadalupe Preciado	Hidden Lane Farm	1:21.60
1990	Quick Call	6	Jorge F. Chavez	Sidney Watters, Jr.	Lynda B. Stokes	1:21.57
1989	Sewickley	4	Randy Romero	Flint S. Schulhofer	Robert S. Evans	1:24.00
1988	King's Swan	8	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Richard Dutrow, Sr.	Alvin Akman	1:22.40
1987	Groovy	4	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Jose A. Martin	Lone Star Stable	1:22.40
1986	Groovy	3	José A. Santos	Jose A. Martin	John A. Ballis	1:21.60
1985	Track Barron	4	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Leroy Jolley	Peter M. Brant	1:22.00
1984	Believe The Queen	4	Jorge Velasquez	H. Allen Jerkens	Bohemia Stable	1:22.40
1983	Deputy Minister	4	Don MacBeth	Reynaldo Nobles	Robert E. Brennan	1:22.20
1982	Rise Jim	6	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Joseph O'Shea	William H. Grinold	1:23.80
1981	Rise Jim	5	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Joseph O'Shea	William H. Grinold	1:21.20
1980	Plugged Nickle	3	Jeffrey Fell	Thomas J. Kelly	John M. Schiff	1:22.20
1979	Cox's Ridge	5	Eddie Maple	Joseph B. Cantey	Loblolly Stable	1:22.20
1978	J. O. Tobin	4	Jeffrey Fell	Laz Barrera	George A. Pope, Jr.	1:20.80
1977	Mexican General	4	Craig Perret	J. Bowes Bond	Mrs. A. H. Lowenthal	1:22.00
1976	El Pitirre	4	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Laz Barrera	Enrique Ubarri	1:24.40
1975	Kinsman Hope	5	John Ruane	H. Allen Jerkens	Hobeau Farm	1:21.40

References

1. "Chart of the 2020 Tom Fool". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
2. "Stakes profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
3. Hunter, Avalyn. "Tom Fool (horse)". American Classic Pedigrees. Retrieved 5 June 2020.