Top Flight Handicap

The Top Flight Invitational Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The Grade III event is run in the early spring and is open to fillies and mares, age three and older. It is contested over a distance of one and one sixteenth miles on the dirt and currently offers a purse of $200,000.[1]

Top Flight Invitational Stakes

Listed race
Location	Aqueduct Racetrack Queens, New York, United States
Inaugurated	1940
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.nyra.com/index_aqueduct.html
Race information
Distance	​1 ^1⁄8 mile
Surface	Dirt
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Fillies & Mares, 4-years-old & up
Weight	Assigned
Purse	$200,000 (2013)

The Top Flight Handicap was run at Belmont Park at a mile and a sixteenth prior to 1961. From 1961 to 1993, it was run at a mile and an eighth. Again in 2012, the race was run at a mile and a sixteenth. In 2015 it reverted to a mile and an eighth.

The race in named for Top Flight, ranked in the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century at #66. Top Flight was never beaten by a member of her own sex.

Records

Speed record: (at distance of 1 mile)

• 1:34.96 - Educated Risk (1994)

Most wins:

• 2 - Amerigo Lady (1968, 1969)
• 2 - Shuvee (1970, 1971)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 6 - Jerry Bailey (1990, 1993, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 3 - Hirsch Jacobs (1956, 1965, 1967)
• 3 - J. Elliott Burch (1959, 1968, 1969)
• 3 - H. Allen Jerkens (1973, 1985, 1997)
• 3 - John C. Kimmel (1995, 1996, 1998)
• 4 - C. R. McGaughey III (1994, 2001, 2004, 2016)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - Ethel D. Jacobs (1956, 1965, 1967)
• 3 - Rokeby Stable (1968, 1969, 1993)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2019	Another Broad	4	Manuel Franco	Todd Pletcher	Madaket Stables LLC/Elayne Stables/Brian Martin	1:52.99
2018	Blue Prize	4	Jose L. Ortiz	Ignacio Correas IV	Merriebelle Stable	1:51.48
2017	Mo' Green	4	Irad Ortiz Jr.	John Servis	Leonard C. Green	1:51.79
2016	Carrumba	4	Jose L. Ortiz	C. R. McGaughey III	Phipps Stable	1:50.26
2015	House Rules	4	Junior Alvarado	James A. Jerkens	Joseph V. Shields Jr.	1:52.41
2014	Teen Pauline	4	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Todd Pletcher	Stonestreet Stables	1:45.04
2013	Summer Applause	4	John Velazquez	Chad Brown	G.S.Campbell/Greenwood Lodge Farm/D.Clark/G.Skoda	1:44.10
2012	It's Tricky	4	Ramon Dominguez	Kiaran McLaughlin	Godolphin Racing	1:45.30
2011	Race not held
2010	Spacy Tracy	5	Jeremy Rose	Anthony W. Dutrow	Mercedes Stable	1:35.28
2008	Leah's Secret	5	Eibar Coa	Todd Pletcher	WinStar Farm	1:36.40
2007	Mini Sermon	3	Eibar Coa	Todd Pletcher	Edward P. Evans	1:37.29
2006	Rahy's Appeal	4	Alan Garcia	James K. Chapman	John & Martha Mullholland	1:36.15
2005	Stellar Jayne	4	Jerry Bailey	Saeed bin Suroor	Godolphin Racing	1:35.94
2004	Daydreaming	3	Jerry Bailey	C. R. McGaughey III	Ogden Mills Phipps	1:35.29
2003	Randaroo	3	Heberto Castillo, Jr.	Kiaran McLaughlin	H. Joseph Allen	1:36.49
2002	Sightseek	3	Jerry Bailey	Robert J. Frankel	Juddmonte Farms	1:35.46
2001	Cat Cay	4	John Velazquez	C. R. McGaughey III	Ogden Phipps	1:35.45
2000	Reciclada	5	Jerry Bailey	Richard Mandella	Diamond A Stable	1:35.54
1999	Belle Cherie	3	John Velazquez	Philip G. Johnson	Belle Meadows Farm	1:35.46
1998	Catinca	3	Richard Migliore	John C. Kimmel	Robert K. Waxman	1:35.81
1997	Dixie Flag	3	Mike Luzzi	H. Allen Jerkens	Bohemia Stable	1:35.34
1996	Flat Fleet Feet	3	Mike E. Smith	John C. Kimmel	Kimmel, Solondz	1:37.00
1995	Twist Afleet	4	Mike E. Smith	John C. Kimmel	Lucille Conover	1:35.26
1994	Educated Risk	4	Mike E. Smith	C. R. McGaughey III	Ogden Mills Phipps	1:34.96
1993	You'd Be Surprised	4	Jerry Bailey	MacKenzie Miller	Rokeby Stable	1:48.82
1992	Firm Stance	4	Pat Day	Mitch Shirota	Gainesway Stable	1:50.55
1991	Buy the Firm	5	Julie Krone	Carlos F. Martin	Morven Stud Farms	1:52.20
1990	Dreamy Mimi	4	Jerry Bailey	George R. Arnold II	Alex G. Campbell, Jr.	1:50.40
1989	Banker's Lady	4	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Philip M. Hauswald	Edward A. Cox, Jr.	1:51.20
1988	Clabber Girl	4	José A. Santos	D. Wayne Lukas	John A. Nerud	1:49.40
1987	Ms. Eloise	4	Robbie Davis	Philip G. Johnson	Margaret Grimm	1:50.20
1986	Ride Sally	4	Walter Guerra	Nick Zito	Manhasset Stable	1:49.20
1985	Flip's Pleasure	5	Jean-Luc Samyn	H. Allen Jerkens	Hobeau Farm	1:51.00
1984	Sweet Missus	4	Robert Thibeau	Michael C. Sedlacek	Glenn E. Lane	1:50.20
1983	Adept	4	Karen Rogers	Frank I. Wright	Nelson Bunker Hunt	1:50.00
1982	Andover Way	4	Jorge Velasquez	Howard M. Tesher	H. Joseph Allen	1:50.00
1981	Chain Bracelet	4	Ruben Hernandez	James W. Maloney	Shirley H. Taylor	1:49.60
1980	Glorious Song	4	Jorge Velasquez	Gerry Belanger	Nelson Bunker Hunt	1:49.60
1979	Waya	5	Angel Cordero, Jr.	David A. Whiteley	Peter M. Brant	1:50.80
1978	Northernette	4	Jeffrey Fell	David A. Whiteley	Peter M. Brant	1:49.40
1977	Shawi	4	Michael Venezia	Jose A. Martin	Mrs. Randolph Weinsier	1:49.80
1976	Proud Delta	4	Jorge Velasquez	Peter M. Howe	Montpelier	1:49.00
1975	Twixt	6	William Passmore	Katherine M. Voss	Mrs. John M. Franklin	1:50.60
1974	Lady Love	4	Eddie Maple	Frank Catrone	Ada L. Rice	1:48.60
1973	Poker Night	3	Robert Woodhouse	H. Allen Jerkens	Hobeau Farm	1:48.20
1972	Inca Queen	4	Garth Patterson	George T. Poole	C. V. Whitney	1:50.00
1971	Shuvee	5	Ron Turcotte	Willard C. Freeman	Anne Minor Stone	1:49.60
1970	Shuvee	4	Braulio Baeza	Willard C. Freeman	Anne Minor Stone	1:48.60
1969	Amerigo Lady	5	Manuel Ycaza	J. Elliott Burch	Rokeby Stable	1:50.40
1968	Amerigo Lady	4	Jorge Velasquez	J. Elliott Burch	Rokeby Stable	1:49.00
1967	Straight Deal	5	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Hirsch Jacobs	Ethel D. Jacobs	1:49.60
1966	Summer Scandal	4	Garth Patterson	Woods Garth	Harborvale Stable	1:49.40
1965	Affectionately	5	Walter Blum	Hirsch Jacobs	Ethel D. Jacobs	1:49.80
1964	Oil Royalty	6	Howard Grant	Charles Whittingham	John R. Gaines	1:50.80
1963	Firm Policy	4	Manuel Ycaza	E. Barry Ryan	E. Barry Ryan	1:48.60
1962	Pepper Patch	5	Donald Pierce	Sol Rutchick	Nicholas A. Martini	1:50.20
1961	Make Sail	4	Manuel Ycaza	Woody Stephens	Cain Hoy Stable	1:51.00
1960	Royal Native	4	Bill Hartack	Peter F. Gacicia	William B. MacDonald, Jr.	1:43.00
1959	Big Effort	4	Bill Shoemaker	J. Elliott Burch	Brookmeade Stable	1:42.80
1958	Plucky Roman	4	Howard Grant	Clyde Troutt	Ada L. Rice	1:43.00
1957	Plotter	4	Pete D. Anderson	William Post	Harry La Montagne	1:42.60
1956	Searching	4	Conn McCreary	Hirsch Jacobs	Ethel D. Jacobs	1:42.80
1955	Parlo	4	Eric Guerin	Richard Handlen	Foxcatcher Farm	1:41.80
1954	Sunshine Nell	6	Eddie Arcaro	Robert Green	Meyer J. Kaplan	1:43.40
1953	Marta	6	Conn McCreary	Woody Stephens	Woodvale Farm	1:42.80
1952	Renew	5	William Boland	Max Hirsch	King Ranch	1:43.80
1951	Busanda	4	Eric Guerin	Bartholomew Sweeny	Ogden Phipps	1:42.40
1950	Nell K.	4	George Hettinger	John B. Partridge	Spring Hill Farm	1:43.80
1949	But Why Not	5	Dave Gorman	Max Hirsch	King Ranch	1:43.60
1948	Honeymoon	5	Douglas Dodson	Wayne Stucki	W-L Ranch Co.	1:43.60
1947	Rytina	4	Ted Atkinson	George P. "Maj" Odom	Mrs. W. Plunket Stewart	1:43.60
1946	Sicily	4	Eddie Arcaro	William Post	Harry La Montagne	1:43.20
1945	Miss Keeneland	4	Albert Snider	Ben A. Jones	Calumet Farm	1:45.00
1944	Boojiana	3	Ted Atkinson	Andy Schuttinger	C. V. Whitney	1:43.40
1943	Mar-Kell	4	Bill Thompson	Ben A. Jones	Calumet Farm	1:44.80
1942	Level Best	4	Don Meade	Dr. J. P. Jones	Crispin Oglebay	1:42.80
1941	Tangled	3	Conn McCreary	John M. Gaver, Sr.	Greentree Stable	1:44.60
1940	True Call	3	Don Meade	Dion K. Kerr	Mrs. Dion K. Kerr	1:43.60

References

1. "Top Flight Invitational Handicap". NYRA. 2019-04-13. Retrieved 2019-05-17.