Champlain Handicap

{{Infobox horseraces

| class = Discontinued stakes

| horse race = Champlain Handicap

| website =

| image =

| caption =

| location = Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, New York,

Belmont Park,
Elmont, New York

Jamaica Racetrack,
Jamaica, New York
United States

| inaugurated = 1901

| race type = Thoroughbred - Flat racing

| distance = 6 furlongs (3/4 mile)

| surface = Dirt

| track = left-handed

| qualification = Three-year-olds and up

| weight =

| purse =

| bonuses =

}}

The Champlain Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older first run in 1901 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Placed on hiatus in 1945, it was revived in 1954 at Jamaica Racetrack as a sprint race restricted to fillies and mares. The race was discontinued after the 1957 running.

Historic notes

The first running of the Champlain Handicap took place on August 27, 1901.{{cite web|url=https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1917081201/drf1917081201_1_2 |title= Saratoga's Grand Racing (history of the Champlain Handicap) |publisher=Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives |date=1917-08-12 |accessdate=2021-06-22}}

On August 29, 1907 Dandelion won the Champlain Handicap for the second straight year. He would be the only horse to ever win the race more than once.{{cite web|url=https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1900s/drf1907083001/drf1907083001_1_2 |title=Dandelions Champlain: Hitchcock Horse Wins This Handicap for the Second Time |publisher=Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives |date=1907-08-30 |accessdate=2021-07-04}}

In winning the 1919 edition of the Champlain Handicap, Willis Sharpe Kilmer's top runner Sun Briar broke Saratoga's track record for the mile and one-eighth distance on dirt with a time of 1:50 flat. In so doing, he defeated his stablemate and future Hall of Fame

inductee, Exterminator.{{cite web|url=https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1919081001/drf1919081001_1_4 |title= Sun Briar First in the Champlain Handicap in New Track Record Time |publisher=Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives |date=1919-08-10 |accessdate=2020-11-04}} The following year Exterminator returned to compete in the 1920 running of the Champlain only to finish second again, this time to Gnome.{{cite web|url=https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1920s/drf1920081501/drf1920081501_1_3 |title=Saratoga Form Chart |publisher=Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives |date=1920-08-15 |accessdate=2021-08-12}}

The 1938 Champlain Handicap was the fifth race on the card. It was preceded by the Rockton Handicap, a race named in honor of the 1901 inaugural winner of the Champlain.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1938/08/17/archives/threelength-victory-gained-by-esposa-in-champlain-handicap-at.html |title=Three-Length Victory Gained by Esposa in Champlain Handicap at Saratoga |publisher= New York Times, page 16 |date=1938-08-17 |accessdate=2021-07-26}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1901/08/28/archives/racing-at-saratoga-rockton-made-all-the-running-and-won-the-stakes.html |title=Racing At Saratoga; Rockton Made All the Running and Won the Stakes.|publisher= New York Times, page 5 |date=1901-08-28 |accessdate=2021-08-07}}

Due to World War II, in May, 1942 the United States government's Office of Price Administration implemented gasoline rationing on seventeen East Coast states which included New York.{{cite web |url=https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/ |title=Protests Mount As Listing Begins In 'Gas' Rationing |publisher=New York Times, page 1 |date=1942-05-13 |accessdate=2021-08-09 |archive-date=2020-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200506002706/https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/ |url-status=dead }} Saratoga Springs Race Course relied upon a good attendance rate from New York city racing fans willing to make the 360 mile return trip but rationing would impact that for users of motor vehicles as well as passenger trains. As a result, the important Saratoga stakes races would be shifted to Belmont Park on densely populated Long Island in 1943 and 1944 where it was run as an event for three-year-old horses. The Champlain Handicap would never return to Saratoga.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1943/08/21/archives/famous-victory-captures-belmont-feature-with-favored-first-fiddle.html |title=Famous Victory Captures Belmont Feature |publisher=New York Times, Section Sports, page 8 |date=1943-08-21 |accessdate=2021-08-09}}{{cite web|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1944/08/18/archives/stronghold-5-to-1-scores-at-belmont-wheatley-racer-halflength.html |title=Stronghold, 5 to 1, Scores At Belmont |publisher= New York Times, Section Sports, page 18 |date=1944-08-18|accessdate=2021-08-09}}

Records

Speed record: (Jamaica Racetrack)

  • 1:11.00 @ 6 furlongs: Oil Painting (1955) & Gandharva (1956)

Speed record: (Saratoga Race Course)

Most wins:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%"
style="width:30px" | Year

! style="width:110px" | Winner

! style="width:20px" | Age

! style="width:110px" | Jockey

! style="width:120px" | Trainer

! Owner

! style="width:35px" | {{abbr|Dist.|Distance}}
(Miles)
(Furlongs)

! style="width:25px" | Time

! style="width:25px" | Win $

align=left colspan=9| Jamaica Racetrack
align=center|1957

|Happy Princess

|align=center|5

|Ovie Scurlock

|Gerald E. Lewis

|Mabel D. Lewis

|align=center|6 f

|align=center|1:11.40

|$16,350

align=center|1956

|Gandharva †

|align=center|4

|Bobby Ussery

|Preston M. Burch

|Brookmeade Stable

|align=center|6 f

|align=center|1:11.00

|$16,550

align=center|1955

|Oil Painting

|align=center|4

|Hedley Woodhouse

|MacKenzie Miller

|Mrs. Joseph A. Goodwin

|align=center|6 f

|align=center|1:11.00

|$11,500

align=center|1954

|Gay Grecque

|align=center|5

|Willie Roland

|Eugene Jacobs

|Mrs. S. George Zauderer

|align=center|6 f

|align=center|1:12.00

|$12,375

bgcolor="#eeeeee"

|align=center|1952

| - 1953

|align=center colspan=7| Race not held

align=center|1951

|Northern Star

|align=center|3

|Eric Guerin

|John M. Gaver Sr.

|Greentree Stable

|align=center|6 F

|align=center|1:11.40

|$2,635

align=left colspan=9| Belmont Park
bgcolor="#eeeeee"

|align=center|1945

| - 1950

|align=center colspan=7| Race not held

align=center|1944

|Stronghold

|align=center|3

|Robert Permane

|James E. Fitzsimmons

|Wheatley Stable

|align=center|1-1/16 m

|align=center|1:44.60

|

align=center|1943

|Famous Victory

|align=center|3

|Ted Atkinson

|John M. Gaver Sr.

|Greentree Stable

|align=center|1 m

|align=center|1:36.00

align=left colspan=9| Saratoga Race Course
bgcolor="#eeeeee"

|align=center|1942

|align=center colspan=8| Race not held

align=center|1941

|Napper Tandy

|align=center|6

|Charles Dickey

|Phil Schwartz

|Phil Schwartz

|align=center|1 m

|align=center|1:39.60

|

align=center|1940

|Masked General

|align=center|6

|Maurice Peters

|William Mulholland

|Brandywine Stable (Donald P. Ross)

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:53.00

|$1,975

align=center|1939

|Sickle T

|align=center|4

|Ronnie Nash

|Jack Howard

|Florence D. Whitaker

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:51.00

|$2,500

align=center|1938

|Esposa

|align=center|6

|Nick Wall

|Matthew P. Brady

|William Ziegler Jr.

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:50.60

|$2,350

align=center|1937

|Thorson

|align=center|5

|Johnny Longden

|Thomas H. McCreery

|Buckley M. Byers

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:50.40

|$2,500

align=center|1936

|Count Arthur

|align=center|4

|James Stout

|Lon Johnson

|Fannie Hertz

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:52.20

|$2,725

align=center|1935

|Good Goods

|align=center|4

|Jack Westrope

|Robert A. Smith

|Brookmeade Stable

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:51.60

|$2,600

align=center|1934

|Mr. Khayyam

|align=center|4

|Don Meade

|Matthew P. Brady

|Catawba Stable (Madelaine Austin)

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:52.00

|$2,900

align=center|1933

|Sun Archer

|align=center|3

|Don Meade

|Henry E. McDaniel

|Willis Sharpe Kilmer

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:54.00

|$2,870

align=center|1932

|Reveille Boy

|align=center|5

|Laverne Fator

|John A. Best

|John A. Best

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:54.60

|$3,200

align=center|1931

|Curate

|align=center|5

|Mack Garner

|Henry E. McDaniel

|Joseph E. Widener

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:52.60

|$3,825

align=center|1930

|Caesarion

|align=center|5

|Donald Lyons

|Bennett W. Creech

|William R. Coe

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:53.00

|$3,400

align=center|1929

|Distraction

|align=center|4

|James H. Burke

|James E. Fitzsimmons

|Wheatley Stable

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:55.60

|$3,775

align=center|1928

|Victorian

|align=center|3

|Laverne Fator

|James G. Rowe Jr.

|Harry P. Whitney

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:51.00

|$3,775

align=center|1927

|Display

|align=center|4

|John Maiben

|Thomas J. Healey

|Walter J. Salmon Sr.

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:52.20

|$3,450

align=center|1926

|Peanuts

|align=center|4

|Harry Richards

|George P. Odom

|Robert L. Gerry

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:54.00

|$4,200

align=center|1925

|Big Blaze

|align=center|4

|Albert Johnson

|Gwyn R. Tompkins

|Glen Riddle Farm

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:54.00

|$3,975

align=center|1924

|Klondyke

|align=center|3

|Ivan Parke

|James G. Rowe Sr.

|Harry P. Whitney

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:52.40

|$4,150

align=center|1923

|Bunting

|align=center|4

|Linus McAtee

|James G. Rowe Sr.

|Harry P. Whitney

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:51.00

|

align=center|1922

|Mad Hatter

|align=center|6

|Earl Sande

|Sam Hildreth

|Rancocas Stable

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:51.20

|$4,150

align=center|1921

|Sennings Park

|align=center|5

|Frank Keogh

|Scott P. Harlan

|Westmont Stable (Lawrence Waterbury II & J. Leonard Replogie)

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:54.00

|$4,175

align=center|1920

|Gnome

|align=center|4

|Frank Keogh

|William H. Brooks

|Samuel Ross & Cary T. Grayson

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:53.20

|$3,400

align=center|1919

|Sun Briar

|align=center|4

|Willie Knapp

|Henry E. McDaniel

|Willis Sharpe Kilmer

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:50.00

|$2,675

align=center|1918

|Westy Hogan

|align=center|4

|Clarence Kummer

|Sandy McNaughton

|Wilfrid Viau

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:53.60

|$2,675

align=center|1917

|Clematis

|align=center|4

|Merritt Buxton

|Thomas M. Murphy

|Oscar Lewisohn

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:54.80

|$2,325

align=center|1916

|The Finn

|align=center|4

|Andy Schuttinger

|Edward W. Heffner

|Harry C. Hallenbeck

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:52.80

|$1,925

align=center|1915

|Star Jasmine

|align=center|6

|Eddie Martin

|Thomas C. McDowell

|Thomas C. McDowell

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:55.60

|$1,925

align=center|1914

|Pandean

|align=center|4

|Joe Kederis

|Albert Simons

|Harry P. Whitney

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:54.60

|$1,925

align=center|1913

|Cock o' the Walk

|align=center|3

|Buddy Glass

|John P. Mayberry

|Frederick Johnson

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:51.80

|$1,925

style="background:#eee;"

|align=center|1912

| rowspan="2" colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law.

style="background:#eee;"

|align=center|1911

align=center|1910

|Olambala

|align=center|4

|James Butwell

|Thomas J. Healey

|Richard T. Wilson Jr.

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:55.00

|$2,315

align=center|1909

|Wise Mason

|align=center|3

|Eddie Dugan

|Thomas Welsh

|Newcastle Stable

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:53.80

|$1,925

align=center|1908

|Angelus

|align=center|3

|Caroll Shilling

|John E. Madden

|Thomas Hitchcock Sr.

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:54.80

|$535

align=center|1907

|Dandelion

|align=center|5

|Herman Radtke

|John E. Madden

|Francis R. Hitchcock

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:52.20

|$2,300

align=center|1906

|Dandelion

|align=center|4

|LaVerne Sewell

|John E. Madden

|Francis R. Hitchcock

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:54.00

|$2,300

align=center|1905

|Dolly Spanker

|align=center|4

|Lucien Lyne

|Thomas J. Healey

|Richard T. Wilson Jr.

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:53.00

|$2,300

align=center|1904

|Molly Brant

|align=center|4

|George M. Odom

|Hubert H. Hyner

|S. Sanford & Sons

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:56.40

|$2,300

align=center|1903

|Africander

|align=center|3

|Grover Fuller

|Richard O. Miller

|Hampton Stable (Charles F. Dwyer & Simon Deimel)

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:56.00

|$2,295

align=center|1902

|Advance Guard

|align=center|5

|George M. Odom

|Alexander Shields

|James Carruthers & Alexander Shields

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:51.40

|$2,300

align=center|1901

|Rockton

|align=center|4

|Willie Shaw

|William Hayward Jr.

|John Sanford

|align=center|1-1/8 m

|align=center|1:54.40

|$2,300

  • † Blue Sparkler finished first but was disqualified for interfering with runner-up Gandharva.

References