The Sheepshead Bay Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares ages four-years-old and older run over a distance of one and three-eighth miles on the turf scheduled annually in early May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

Quick Facts Location, Inaugurated ...
Sheepshead Bay Stakes
Grade III race
LocationBelmont Park
Elmont, New York, United States
InauguratedFirst: 18881910 (as Sheepshead Bay Handicap at Sheepshead Bay Race Track)
Renewal: 1957 (at Jamaica Race Course)
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
WebsiteNYRA
Race information
Distance1+38 miles (11 furlongs)
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFillies & Mares, four-years-old and older
Weight124 lbs with allowances
Purse$200,000 (since 2012)
Close

History

The first Sheepshead Bay Handicap was a race run from 1888 through 1910 at the now defunct Sheepshead Bay Race Track at Sheepshead Bay, New York. When the Sheepshead Bay Race Track closed the event was discontinued.

Renewal Sheepshead Bay Handicap (1957)

The event was revived at the Jamaica Race Course on 26 October 1957 as a six furlong sprint named the Sheepshead Bay Handicap for three-year-olds and older and was won by Be Jeepers in a time 1:1125[1] The event was not held in 1958. In 1959 the event was held at Jamaica Race Course for the last time in mid July at a distance of 1+18 miles and was won by the 40-1 longshot Greek Star.[2] With the closure of the Jamaica Race Course the event was transferred to Aqueduct Racetrack and held on the new turf track.[3] In 1962 the conditions of the event were change that the event was for fillies and mares three-years-old or older. The event was scheduled to be run on the turf track but was transferred to the dirt and held over a distance of one mile due to cancellation of all turf racing for the rest of their summer meeting after an incident the previous Saturday.[4]

In 1963 the distance of the event was reduced to 1+116 miles and was won by the reigning U.S. Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Cicada who carried an imposing weight of 128 pounds winning by a neck over Nubile.[5] Cicada would later be crowned the 1963 U.S. Champion Older Female Horse.

In 1965 the distance of the event was increased to 1+316 miles and was run until 1974 at that journey.[6] The event continued to be held in July during Aqueduct's short summer meeting.

The Sheepshead Bay was run in two divisions five times, four times at Aqueduct and after the event was moved permanently to Belmont Park in 1982.[7] In the running of the Second Division of the event in 1970 the winner Pattee Canyon carried a record 132 pounds.[8]

In 1973 the first year the classification system was enacted, the event was set with Grade II status.[6]

The 1974 running was moved of the turf after a week of prolonged wet weather.[9] In 1975 the event was held at Belmont Park over a distance of 1+14 miles.[6]

In 1976 the event was held back at Aqueduct at a distance of 1+18 miles and US Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day won both divisions of the event - On Glowing Tribute and Fleet Victress.[10] In 1977 the event was moved to Belmont Park where it has been held since. Glowing Tribute won the event again ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Jorge Velásquez setting a new track record for the 1+14 miles in 1:5935.[11]

In 1980 the distance was increased to the current 1+38 miles.[12]

In 1983 Henryk de Kwiatkowski's owned and trained by the US Hall of Fame trainer Woody Stephens Sabin won this event as a three-year-old filly.[12] Sabin won the following year carrying 125 pounds to victory.[13]

In 1990 the event was moved off the turf and was downgraded to Grade III.[12] It held this classification status until 1995 when it was upgraded back to Grade II.[12]

In 1997 Maxzene set a new stakes record in winning in 2:11.57 which stands today.[6] The 2003 longshot winner Mariensky ridden John R. Velazquez by won the event by a record of 8+14 lengths on a soft track in a slow time of 2:28.19.[14] In 2009 the conditions of the event were changed from handicap to stakes allowance and the name of the event was modified to the Sheepshead Bay Stakes.[12]

In 2014 the conditions of the event were changed so that three-year-old fillies would not be allowed to enter.[15]

In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, NYRA did not schedule the event.[16]

In 2024 the event was downgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Grade III status.[17] Also the event in 2024 was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park.[18]

Records

Speed record:

  • 1+38 miles – 2:11.57 Maxzene (1997)
  • 1+14 miles – 1:59.60 Glowing Tribute (1977)
  • 1+316 miles – 1:54.80 Indian Sunlite (1967), Ludham (IRE) (1968)

Margins:

  • 8+14 lengths – Mariensky (2003)

Most wins:

  • 2 – Princess Pout (1970, 1971)
  • 2 – Glowing Tribute (1976, 1977)
  • 2 – Sabin (1983, 1984)
  • 2 – Maxzene (1997, 1998)
  • 2 – Honey Ryder (2006, 2007)
  • 2 – Sea Calisi (2016, 2017)

Most wins by an owner:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners

More information Year, Winner ...
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
At Aqueduct Sheepshead Bay Stakes
2024 Royalty Interest (FR) 4 Eric Cancel Chad C. Brown Klaravich Stables 1+38 miles 2:18.05 $194,000 III [19]
At Belmont Park
2023 Higher Truth (IRE) 5 Manuel Franco Chad C. Brown Team Hanley, Jeff Drown, & Michael J. Ryan 1+38 miles 2:23.57 $186,000 II [20]
2022 Virginia Joy (GER) 5 Trevor McCarthy Chad C. Brown Peter M. Brant 1+38 miles 2:30.88 $186,000 II [21]
2021 Magic Attitude (GB) 4 Trevor McCarthy Arnaud Delacour Lael Stables 1+38 miles 2:14.32 $200,000 II [22]
2020 Race not held
2019 Santa Monica (GB) 4 Joe Bravo Chad C. Brown R Unicorn Stable 1+38 miles 2:26.70 $194,000 II [23]
2018 Holy Helena 4 Manuel Franco James A. Jerkens Stronach Stables 1+38 miles 2:15.15 $200,000 II [24]
2017 Sea Calisi (FR) 5 Irad Ortiz Jr. Chad C. Brown Martin S. Schwartz 1+38 miles 2:16.83 $200,000 II [25]
2016 Sea Calisi (FR) 4 Jose L. Ortiz Chad C. Brown Martin S. Schwartz 1+38 miles 2:18.90 $200,000 II [26]
2015 Rosalind 4 Joe Bravo Chad C. Brown Bethlehem Stables, Michael Dubb & Highclere America 1+38 miles 2:14.73 $196,000 II [27]
2014 Riposte (GB) 4 Joel Rosario William I. Mott Juddmonte Farm 1+38 miles 2:18.86 $200,000 II [15]
2013 Tannery (IRE) 4 Luis Saez Alan E. Goldberg Richard Santulli 1+38 miles 2:20.17 $200,000 II [28]
2012 Aruna 5 Ramon A. Dominguez H. Graham Motion Flaxman Holdings 1+38 miles 2:15.47 $200,000 II [29]
2011 Hibaayeb (GB) 4 John R. Velazquez Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin Stable 1+38 miles 2:15.92 $150,000 II [30]
2010 Treat Gently (GB) 5 Kent J. Desormeaux William I. Mott Juddmonte Farm 1+38 miles 2:14.09 $150,000 II [31]
2009 Criticism (GB) 5 Javier Castellano Thomas Albertrani Darley Stable 1+38 miles 2:13.96 $150,000 II [32]
Sheepshead Bay Handicap
2008 Mauralakana (FR) 5 Kent J. Desormeaux Christophe Clement Robert Scarborough 1+38 miles 2:14.69 $150,000 II [33]
2007 Honey Ryder 6 Garrett K. Gomez Todd A. Pletcher Glencrest Farm (Lessee) 1+38 miles 2:13.00 $150,000 II [34]
2006 Honey Ryder 5 Garrett K. Gomez Todd A. Pletcher Glencrest Farm (Lessee) 1+38 miles 2:12.98 $150,000 II [35]
2005 Sauvage (FR) 4 Javier Castellano Thomas Albertrani William Diamant 1+38 miles 2:15.65 $150,000 II [36]
2004 Moscow Burning 4 Mike E. Smith James M. Cassidy Jeff Mariani, Michael Nentwig & Dallas Van Kempen 1+38 miles 2:18.24 $150,000 II [37]
2003 Mariensky 4 John R. Velazquez Christophe Clement Waterville Lake Stable 1+38 miles 2:28.19 $150,000 II [14]
2002 Tweedside 4 John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Eugene & Laura Melnyk 1+38 miles 2:13.63 $150,000 II [38]
2001 Critical Eye 4 Michael J. Luzzi Scott M. Schwartz Herbert T. & Carol A. Schwartz 1+38 miles 2:18.18 $150,000 II Off turf[39]
2000 Lisieux Rose (IRE) 5 Jose A. Santos Christophe Clement Moyglare Stud 1+38 miles 2:14.16 $150,000 II [40]
1999 Soaring Softly 4 Mike E. Smith James J. Toner Joan G. & John W. Phillips 1+38 miles 2:15.11 $150,000 II [41]
1998 Maxzene 5 Jose A. Santos Thomas J. Skiffington Fusao Sekiguchi 1+38 miles 2:14.17 $150,000 II [42]
1997 Maxzene 4 Mike E. Smith Thomas J. Skiffington Ken-Mort Stable 1+38 miles 2:11.57 $150,000 II [43]
1996 Chelsey Flower 5 Robbie Davis Nicholas P. Zito Farfellow Farm 1+38 miles 2:12.64 $112,200 II [44]
1995 Duda 4 Jerry D. Bailey William I. Mott Madeleine A. Paulson 1+38 miles 2:13.69 $109,500 II [45]
1994 Market Booster 5 Jose A. Santos D. Wayne Lukas Moyglare Stud 1+38 miles 2:11.69 $111,600 III [46]
1993 Trampoli 4 Mike E. Smith Christophe Clement Paul de Moussac 1+38 miles 2:14.08 $112,800 III [47]
1992 § Ratings 4 Jean Cruguet Jonathan E. Sheppard Augustin Stable 1+38 miles 2:15.14 $125,000 III [48]
1991 Crockadore 4 Mike E. Smith William I. Mott Timothy Mahony 1+38 miles 2:14.80 $119,600 III [49]
1990 Destiny Dance 4 Jose A. Santos Flint S. Schulhofer Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum 1+38 miles 2:19.20 $91,800 III Off turf[50]
1989 Love You by Heart 4 Jean Cruguet John M. Veitch Darby Dan Farm 1+38 miles 2:12.60 $120,800 II [51]
1988 Nastique 4 Robbie Davis Stephen A. DiMauro Chaus Stable 1+38 miles 2:16.40 $118,400 II [52]
1987 § Steal a Kiss 4 Eddie Maple John M. Veitch Darby Dan Farm 1+38 miles 2:23.80 $122,800 II [53]
1986 Possible Mate 5 Jean-Luc Samyn Philip G. Johnson Thomas P. Evans 1+38 miles 2:14.00 $125,800 II [54]
1985 Persian Tiara (IRE) 5 Jorge Velasquez Adrian J. Maxwell Mrs. Theodore P. Donahue 1+38 miles 2:16.00 $122,000 II [55]
1984 Sabin 4 Eddie Maple Woodford C. Stephens Henryk de Kwiatkowski 1+38 miles 2:12.80 $119,800 II [13]
1983 Sabin 3 Eddie Maple Woodford C. Stephens Henryk de Kwiatkowski 1+38 miles 2:13.80 $113,200 II [56]
1982 Castle Royale 4 Jimmy J. Miranda John P. Campo Dogwood Stable 1+38 miles 2:14.20 $110,100 II Division 1[57]
Dana Calqui (ARG) 4 Ángel Cordero Jr. Stephen A. DiMauro Irwin Feiner 2:13.00 $110,100 Division 2[58]
1981 Love Sign 4 Ruben Hernandez Sidney J. Watters Jr. Stephen C. Clark Jr. 1+38 miles 2:13.00 $112,800 II [59]
1980 The Very One 5 Charlie Cooke Stephen A. DiMauro Helen Polinger 1+38 miles 2:13.00 $119,200 II [60]
1979 Terpsichorist 4 Eddie Maple Woodford C. Stephens Hickory Tree Stable 1+14 miles 2:01.60 $112,000 II [61]
1978 Late Bloomer 4 Jorge Velasquez John M. Gaver Jr. Greentree Stable 1+14 miles 2:01.00 $114,800 II [62]
1977 Glowing Tribute 4 Jorge Velasquez MacKenzie Miller Rokeby Stable 1+14 miles 1:59.60 $109,500 II [11]
At Aqueduct
1976 Glowing Tribute 3 Pat Day J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stable 1+18 miles 1:49.20 $84,500 II Division 1[10]
§ Fleet Victress 4 Pat Day MacKenzie Miller Ralph Kercheval 1:49.00 $86,000 Division 2[63]
At Belmont Park
1975 Gems And Roses 5 Mike Venezia Thomas J. Kelly Townsend B. Martin 1+14 miles 2:01.60 $57,900 II [64]
At Aqueduct
1974 North Broadway 4 Ángel Cordero Jr. Woodford C. Stephens Tadao Tamashima 1+316 miles 1:56.20 $58,650 II Off turf[9]
1973 Shearwater 4 Ángel Cordero Jr. Lou Rondinello Darby Dan Farm 1+316 miles 1:59.80 $59,350 II [65]
1972 Sydneys Nurse 4 Jacinto Vásquez Thomas J. Kelly Brookmeade Stable 1+316 miles 1:57.00 $45,850 Division 1[66]
Inca Queen 4 Garth Patterson George T. Poole Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney 1:56.40 $46,350 Division 2[67]
1971 Princess Pout 5 Jean Cruguet D. Mike Smithwick June H. McKnight 1+316 miles 1:56.60 $58,900 [68]
1970 Princess Pout 4 Jean Cruguet D. Mike Smithwick June H. McKnight 1+316 miles 1:56.40 $45,600 Division 1[8]
Pattee Canyon 5 John L. Rotz Stanley M. Rieser Barbara Hunter 1:57.40 $45,600 Division 2[69]
1969 Symona II (IRE) 3 Jorge Velasquez Angel Penna Sr. Gustave Ring 1+316 miles 1:55.80 $59,200 [70]
1968 Ludham (IRE) 4 Jacinto Vásquez Frank I. Wright Happy Hill Farm 1+316 miles 1:54.80 $46,800 Division 1[71]
Politely 5 Ángel Cordero Jr. George M. Baker Bohemia Stable 1:55.40 $46,300 Division 2[72]
1967 Indian Sunlite 4 Heliodoro Gustines Sherrill W. Ward George M. Humphrey 1+316 miles 1:54.80 $57,600 [73]
1966 § Straight Deal 4 Walter Blum Hirsch Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs 1+316 miles 1:55.40 $57,100 [74]
1965 Snow Scene II (ARG) 5 Braulio Baeza Thomas J. Kelly Esther D. du Pont 1+316 miles 1:56.80 $58,100 [75]
1964 Intervene 4 Manuel Ycaza William H. Dixon Baird C. Brittingham 1+116 miles 1:46.40 $29,900 [76]
1963 Cicada 4 Larry Adams Casey Hayes Meadow Stable 1+116 miles 1:42.40 $28,050 [5]
1962 Rose O'Neill 4 Manuel Ycaza Ted Saladin Bert W. Martin 1 mile 1:34.20 $28,700 Off turf[4]
1961 Wolfram 5 Ismael Valenzuela Burley Parke Harbor View Farm 1+18 miles 1:50.60 $28,200 3YO+[77]
1960 Tharp 6 Raymond York Lucien Laurin Carleton H. Palmer 1+18 miles 1:49.00 $29,550 3YO+[3]
At Jamaica Race Course
1959 Greek Star 4 Hedley Woodhouse Charles V. Reynolds Sidney M. Barton 1+116 miles 1:42.20 $27,950 3YO+[2]
1958 Race not held
1957 By Jeepers 4 Jimmy Combest A. Nicholas Combest Copalan Stable 6 furlongs 1:11.40 $15,000 3YO+[1]
Close

Legend:
  Dirt   Turf
Notes:
§ Ran as an entry

Initial Sheepshead Bay Handicap (1888–1910)

The original Sheepshead Bay Handicap was open to horses age three and older and was contested on dirt at a distance of one mile (8 furlongs). It was last run in June 1910 after the Republican controlled New York Legislature under Governor Charles Evans Hughes passed the Hart–Agnew anti-betting legislation on June 11, 1908. The owners of Sheepshead Bay Race Track, and other racing facilities in New York State, struggled to stay in business without betting.[78] However, further restrictive legislation was passed by the New York Legislature in 1910 which resulted in the deepening of the financial crisis for track operators and led to a complete shut down of racing across the state during 1911 and 1912. When a Court ruling saw racing return in 1913 it was too late for the Sheepshead Bay facility and it never reopened.

Historical notes

Sir Walter finished third in the two editions of the race when it was won by Don Alonzo in 1894[79] and the following year by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Domino.[80] In 1900, another future Hall of Fame inductee, Imp, finished third to longshot winner Greyfeld.[81] A third future Hall of Fame inductee, the great filly Maskette, ran second to King James in the final edition in 1910.[82]

Records

Speed record:

Most wins:

  • No horse won this race more than once.

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by an owner:

  • No owner won this event more than once.

Winners

More information Year, Winner ...
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner
Dist.
(Miles)
Time
1910 King James 4 Carroll Shilling Sam Hildreth Sam Hildreth 1 m 1:37.60
1909 Sir John Johnson 4 James Butler Jr. David Woodford Beverwyck Stable 1 m 1:39.20
1908 Dandelion 6 Walter Miller John E. Madden Francis R. Hitchcock 1 m 1:37.80
1907 Sir Lynnewood 6 Monte Preston L. Webster Joseph E. Widener 1 m 1:40.60
1906 Inquisitor 3 Walter Miller Thomas Welsh Newcastle Stable 1 m 1:37.60
1905 Woodsaw 3 Walter Miller A. Jack Joyner Sydney Paget 1 m 1:42.00
1904 Graziallo 3 Jack Martin E. H. Hanna Columbia Stable 1 m 1:38.80
1903 Blues 5 John J. Hoar Frank D. Weir Frank Farrell 1 m 1:42.00
1902 Kamara 5 Arthur Redfern Charles F. Hill Clarence H. Mackay 1 m 1:38.60
1901 Brigadier 4 Winfield O'Connor John J. Hyland August Belmont Jr. 1 m 1:37.80
1900 Greyfeld 4 William Dangman Robert Augustus Smith Robert Augustus Smith 1 m 1:41.80
1899 Fly By Night 3 John Bullman Albert Simons Pat Dunne 1 m 1:39.80
1898 Semper Ego 5 Fred Taral Charles Hughes Bromley & Co. 1 m 1:42.00
1897 Havoc 5 Henry Lewis Charles Boyle Joseph E. Seagram 1 m 1:41.00
1896 St. Maxim 5 Fred Taral Robert Tucker Charles Fleischmann & Sons 1 m 1:40.20
1895 Domino 4 Fred Taral William Lakeland James & Foxhall Keene 1 m 1:41.20
1894 Don Alonzo 4 Willie Simms Hardy Campbell Jr. Michael F. Dwyer 1 m 1:41.00
Close

Earlier winners

  • 1893 – Pickpocket
  • 1892 – Tournament
  • 1891 – Ridge Morrow
  • 1890 – Loantaka
  • 1889 – King Crab
  • 1888 – Terra Cotta

See also

References

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