Washington Park Handicap

The Washington Park Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the first week of September at Arlington Park Racetrack in Arlington Heights, Illinois. A Grade III event open to horses age three and older, it is contested on Polytrack synthetic dirt over a distance of a mile and one-eighth (9 furlongs). The race is designed to be a prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Washington Park Handicap

Grade III race
Location	Arlington Park Arlington Heights, Illinois, United States
Inaugurated	1926
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.arlingtonpark.com
Race information
Distance	​1 ^1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs)
Surface	Polytrack synthetic dirt
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three-years-old & up
Weight	Assigned
Purse	$150,000

Inaugurated at the now defunct Washington Park Race Track, in 1958 it was moved to Arlington Park. In 1978 and 1979 it was contested on turf.

In 1935 the race was run as the Washington Park Championship Stakes and from 1980 through 1985 as the Washington Park Stakes.

Since inception, the race has been contested at various distances:

• 6 furlongs : 1927-1934, 1938;
• 1 mile : 1951-1958, 1960–1962, 1965–1972;
• ​1 ¹⁄₈ miles : 1939, 1959, 1963–1964, 1975–1977, 1980–1987, 1989–1997, 2000; 2013
• ​1 ³⁄₁₆ miles : 1978-1979 (on turf), 2002–present;
• ​1 ¹⁄₄ : 1926, 1935–36, 1940–1950, 1973–74, 2001.

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of ​1 ³⁄₁₆ miles )

• 1:53.53 - Suave (2006) (Dirt)
• 1:55.17 - Lewis Michael (2007) (Polytrack)

Record at 1 mile on dirt - 1:32.20 Dr. Fager (1968) - Note that this time broke the world's record at the distance on dirt. The record still stands

Most wins:

• 2 - Misstep (1929, 1930)
• 2 - Armed (1946, 1947)
• 2 - That's A Nice (1979, 1980)
• 2 - Perfect Drift (2003, 2005)
• 2 - Gran Estreno (2009, 2010)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 6 - Bill Shoemaker (1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1962, 1980)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 3 - Harry Trotsek (1950, 1974, 1975)

Most wins by an owner:

• 4 - Calumet Farm (1946, 1947, 1948, 1949)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2014	Avanzare	4	Christopher A. Emigh	Thomas F. Proctor	Lanni/Youngblood	1:52.76
2013	Wilcox Inn	5	James Graham	Michael Stidham	Lael Stable and All In Racing	1:49.62
2012	Middie	4	Francisco C. Torres	Philip J. Oliver	Humphrey/Watts/St. George Farm Racing	1:49.27
2011	Mister Mardi Gras	4		Chris M. Block	Lothenbach Stables	1:51.60
2010	Gran Estreno	7	Michael Baze	Michael Stidham	Feel the Thunder Stable	1:56.88
2009	Gran Estreno	6	E.T. Baird	Michael Stidham	Feel The Thunder Stable	2:00.00
2008	no race
2007	Lewis Michael	4	E. T. Baird	Wayne M. Catalano	Frank Calabrese	1:55.17
2006	Suave	5	Calvin Borel	Paul J. McGee	Jay Em Ess Stable	1:53.53
2005	Perfect Drift	6	Mark Guidry	Murray W. Johnson	Stonecrest Farm	1:54.27
2004	Eye of the Tiger	4	Eusebio Razo Jr.	Kiaran McLaughlin	John D. Gunther	1:56.87
2003	Perfect Drift	4	Pat Day	Murray W. Johnson	Stonecrest Farm	1:55.49
2002	Tenpins	4	Robby Albarado	Donald R. Winfree	Joseph Vitello	1:55.07
2001	Guided Tour	5	Larry Melancon	Niall O'Callaghan	Morton Fink	2:00.76
2000	Blazing Sword	6	Jose A. Rivera II	Kathleen O'Connell	Stonehedge Farm Inc.	1:50.59
1999	Beboppin Baby	4	Garrett Gomez	Joe Kasperski Jr.	Lawrence Karp	1:49.03
1998	no race
1997	no race
1996	Polar Expedition	5	Mark Guidry	Hugh H. Robertson	James Cody	1:49.97
1995	no race
1994	Brother Brown	4	Pat Day	Ron Goodridge	M. Bowline & B. Cohrs	1:49.77
1993	Powerful Punch	4	Curt Bourque	Harvey L. Vanier	Russell L. Reineman	1:50.19
1992	Irish Swap	5	Bruce Poyadou	Joseph E. Broussard	Randy Hendricks	1:47.83
1991	Black Tie Affair	5	Shane Sellers	Ernie T. Poulos	Jeffrey Sullivan	1:49.45
1990	Lay Down	6	Herb McCauley	C. R. McGaughey III	Ogden Mills Phipps	1:48.40
1989	Blushing John	4	Pat Day	Richard J. Lundy	Allen E. Paulson	1:50.80
1988	no race
1987	Taylor's Special	6	John Lively	William I. Mott	William F. Lucas	1:51.60
1986	no race
1985	Par Flite	4	Earlie Fires	Carl Nafzger	Tadahiro Hotehama	1:47.60
1984	Thumbsucker	5	Sam Maple	John Drumwright	GAT Stable	1:48.60
1983	Harham's Sizzler	4	Juvenal Diaz	Lou M. Goldfine	Harham Farm	1:49.80
1982	Summer Advocate	5	Pat Day	Mike Ball	Don Ball et al.	1:49.80
1981	Rossi Gold	5	Pat Day	Ray Lawrence Jr.	Leslie Combs II	1:48.60
1980	Spectacular Bid	4	Bill Shoemaker	Bud Delp	Hawksworth Farm	1:46.20
1979	That's A Nice	5	Isaac Jimenez	P. Noel Hickey	Frank J. Sitzberger	1:50.00
1978	That's A Nice	4	Douglas Richard	P. Noel Hickey	Frank J. Sitzberger	1:50.60
1977	Majestic Light	4	Mike Venezia	John W. Russell	Ogden Mills Phipps	1:48.00
1976	Double Edge Sword	6	Vincent Bracciale Jr.	Richard E. Dutrow Sr.	Aisquith Stable	1:48.20
1975	Hasty Flyer	4	Heriberto Arroyo	Harry Trotsek	Hasty House Farm	1:48.60
1974	Super Sail	6	William Gavidia	Harry Trotsek	Hasty House Farm	2:03.00
1973	Burning On	5	Douglas Richard	Ralph Christenson	Dan W. Scott II	2:02.20
1972	Staunch Avenger	4	David Whited	Gin Collins	Annette Mann	1:34.40
1971	Well Mannered	4	Mickey Solomone	Anthony L. Basile	Bwamazon Farm	1:34.60
1970	Doc's T.V.	4	David Whited	John Meaux	Harvey Peltier	1:36.60
1969	Night Invader	3	David Whited	Joseph H. Pierce Jr.	Sheila Pierce	1:36.20
1968	Dr. Fager	4	Braulio Baeza	John A. Nerud	Tartan Stable	1:32.20
1967	Handsome Boy	4	Eddie Belmonte	H. Allen Jerkens	Hobeau Farm	1:37.60
1966	Bold Bidder	4	Pete Anderson	Woody Stephens	John R. Gaines	1:32.80
1965	Take Over	4	Larry Kunitake	Montell Stewart	Montell Stewart	1:35.20
1964	Gun Bow	4	Walter Blum	Edward A. Neloy	Gedney Farm	1:51.00
1963	Crimson Satan	4	Herberto Hinojosa	Charles Kerr	Crimson King Farm	1:49.60
1962	Prove It	5	Bill Shoemaker	Mesh Tenney	Rex C. Ellsworth	1:33.80
1961	Chief of Chiefs	4	Clarence Meaux	Noble Atchison	Ada L. Rice	1:34.60
1960	T. V. Lark	3	Johnny Sellers	Paul K. Parker	C. R. Mac Stable	1:34.20
1959	Round Table	5	Bill Shoemaker	William Molter	Kerr Stable	1:47.20
1958	Clem	4	Johnny Sellers	William W. Stephens	Adele L. Rand	1:34.00
1957	Pucker Up	4	Bill Shoemaker	A. A. Robertson	Ada L. Rice	1:34.80
1956	Swaps	4	Bill Shoemaker	Mesh Tenney	Rex C. Ellsworth	1:33.40
1955	Jet Action	4	Bill Shoemaker	Larry W. Kidd	Maine Chance Farm	1:34.00
1954	Pet Bully	6	Bill Hartack	Tommy Kelly	Ada L. Rice	1:34.40
1953	Sickle's Image	5	William Cook	Clarence Hartwick	Clarence Hartwick	1:36.80
1952	Crafty Admiral	4	Eric Guerin	Robert B. Odom	Charfran Stable	1:36.80
1951	Curandero	5	Avelino Gomez	William J. Hirsch	King Ranch	1:34.60
1950	Inseparable	5	Kenneth Church	Harry Trotsek	Hasty House Farm	2:06.20
1949	Coaltown	4	Steve Brooks	Horace A. Jones	Calumet Farm	2:03.80
1948	Fervent	4	Newbold Pierson	Ben A. Jones	Calumet Farm	2:04.80
1947	Armed	6	Douglas Dodson	Horace A. Jones	Calumet Farm	2:02.00
1946	Armed	5	Douglas Dodson	Ben A. Jones	Calumet Farm	2:01.00
1945	Busher	3	Johnny Longden	George M. Odom	Louis B. Mayer	2:01.80
1944	Equifox	7	Albert Boidou	Howard Wells	Howard Wells	2:03.00
1943	Royal Nap †	3	Warren Mehrtens	Max Hirsch	Lazy F. Ranch	2:05.00
1943	Thumbs Up †	4	Otto Grohs	Carl A. Roles	Louis B. Mayer	2:05.00
1942	Marriage	6	Charley Corbett	Rene A. Coward	R. A. Coward & Carl Dupuis	2:02.40
1941	Big Pebble	5	Jack Westrope	William B. Finnegan	Circle M. Ranch	2:03.20
1940	War Plumage	4	Nick Wall	Howard Wells	James Cox Brady Jr.	2:04.00
1939	Star Boarder	3	Albert Boidou	James W. Smith	Dixiana Stables	1:50.20
1938	Dora May	5	Kenneth McCombs	Henry Forrest	Rockhome Stable	1:12.00
1936	Where Away	4	Charley Corbett	Anthony Pelleteri	Anthony Pelleteri	2:03.00
1935	Late Date	6	Alfred Robertson	R. E. Mahoney	Brentwood Stable	2:06.80
1934	Isaiah	4	Johnny Kacala	Edward Trotter	Edward Trotter	1:12.00
1933	No More	5	Eddie Arcaro	Clarence E. Davison	Clarence E. Davison	1:12.60
1932	Gold Step	5	Herman Schutte	S. H. Fairbanks	Mrs. S. H. Fairbanks	1:12.00
1931	Tannery	4	R. Heigle	John J. Greely	Edward F. Prichard	1:13.00
1930	Misstep	5	Elmore Shropshire	Mose Lowenstein	Le Mar Stock Farm Stable	1:12.40
1929	Misstep	4	Clarence McCrossen	Mose Lowenstein	Le Mar Stock Farm Stable	1:12.20
1928	no race
1927	Girl Scout	5	S. Cooper	Charles E. Durnell	Three D's Stock Farm Stable	1:15.00
1926	Smiling Gus	3	L. Edwards	Charles E. Durnell	Charles E. Durnell	2:10.60

* † In 1943 there was a Dead Heat for first.

References

• The 2007 Washington Park Handicap at the NTRA
• Ten Things You Should Know About the Washington Park Handicap at Hello Race Fans