Philadelphia Handicap

First run on April 26, 1913, Ten Point easily won the inaugural edition of the Philadelphia Handicap while equaling the track record despite giving weight to the rest of the field. Ten Point went on the run second in the May 10 Kentucky Derby.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/419746267/|title=Feature Event Won by Ten Point|publisher=Montreal Gazette, page 17|date=1913-04-28|accessdate=2020-07-06}}

In 1919 Commander J. K. L. Ross got the first of his three Philadelphia Handicap wins when Billy Kelly won for him. A gelding Billy Kelly's outstanding career would lead to induction into the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1919042001/drf1919042001_1_5|title=Billy Kelly's Greatness: Illustrated by Impressive Victory in Philadelphia Handicap|publisher=Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives |date=1919-04-20|accessdate=2020-07-07}} Five other horses would also have Hall of Fame careers beginning with Exterminator (1923) then Sun Beau (1931), two-time winner Equipoise (1933-1934), Challedon (1942) and Armed who broke the track record in winning the 1946 race.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/419581955/|title=Exterminator Is Now Behind $1,409 |publisher=Montreal Gazette, page 19 |date=1923-04-23|accessdate=2020-07-09}} {{cite web|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/hanover-evening-sun-apr-20-1931-p-8/|title=Kilmer Ace Takes Big Stakes Easily|publisher=Hanover Evening Sun (Pennsylvania), page 8|date=1931-04-20|accessdate=2020-07-09}} {{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1934/04/22/archives/equipoise-victor-in-his-1934-debut-whitneys-champion-annexes-the.html|title=Equipoise Victor In His Debut|publisher=New York Times, Section Sports, page 1|date=1934-04-22|accessdate=2020-07-08}} {{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1942/04/26/archives/challedon-beats-mioland-by-nose-branns-16to5-shot-stages-powerful.html|title=Challedon Beats Mioland by Nose|publisher=New York Times, Section Sports, page 6|date=1942-04-26|accessdate=2020-07-03}} {{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1946/04/21/archives/armed-720-victor-at-havre-de-grace-favorite-clips-track-record.html|title=Armed, 7-20, Victor at Havre de Grace; Favorite Clips Track Record|publisher=New York Times, Section Sports, page 85|date=1946-04-21|accessdate=2020-07-05}}

Billy Kelly returned to compete in the 1920 Philadelphia Handicap along with stablemate Sir Barton who had won the 1919 U. S. Triple Cown. The race would see an astonishing upset when 106-1 longshot Crystal Ford came home ahead of the nine other runners.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1920/05/01/archives/sir-barton-billy-kelly-and-other-noted-racers-trail-home-in-wake-of.html|title=Sir Barton, Billy Kelly and Other Noted Racers Trail Home in Wake of Rank Outsider|publisher=New York Times, page 21|date=1920-05-01|accessdate=2020-07-03}} Star Master finished second in front of the third and fourth place finishers Billy Kelly and Sir Barton who were giving the winner 32 and 26 pounds, respectively.{{cite web|url=https://poststar.com/sports/saratoga/will-springstead-column-a-close-look-at-new-york-bred-horses/article_776238fd-962d-5874-ad64-1e7d268c140f.html|title=Will Springstead column: A close look at New York-bred horses |publisher=The Post-Star|date=2017-08-24|accessdate=2020-07-07}}

Thanksgiving, a very good runner owned by Anne Corning, had already won a number of top races including the prestigious Travers Stakes when he won the 1939 Philadelphia Handicap. Thanksgiving's trainer was Mary Hirsch, someone who had overcome many obstacles to become the first woman in the United States licensed to train Thoroughbred racehorses. Mary Hirsch was the only female trainer to win the Philadelphia Handicap and through 2019 remains the only female trainer to have won the Travers Stakes.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1939/04/30/archives/thanksgiving-defeats-hypocrite-by-4-lengths-at-havre-de-grace-mrs.html|title=Thanksgiving Defeats Hypocrite By 4 Lengths at Havre de Grace|publisher=New York Times, Section Sports, page 93|date=1939-04-30|accessdate=2020-07-07}} {{cite web|url=https://www.paulickreport.com/news/people/commentary-why-mary-hirsch-belongs-in-horse-racing-hall-of-fame/|title=Why Mary Hirsch Belongs In Horse Racing Hall Of Fame|publisher=Paulick Report|date=2020-01-17|accessdate=2020-07-07}}

World War II saw racing restricted in the United States and Havre de Grace Racetrack was forced to cancel all of its spring races in 1943 which included the Philadelphia Handicap.{{cite web|url=http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=5FwiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ppwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5823,2452230&dq=racing+havre+de+grace&hl=en|title=Maryland Race Meets Reduced |publisher=Reading Eagle, page 20 |date=1943-02-11|accessdate=2020-06-22}}

In 1945 the Philadelphia Handicap was run at Pimlico Race Course due to Federal government wartime gasoline rationing that saw all four of Maryland's major racetracks consolidate their races into the Pimlico facility.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1945/05/27/archives/gay-bit-annexes-pimlico-feature-favorite-beats-lord-calvert-in.html|title=Gay Bit Annexes Pimlico Feature|publisher=New York Times, Section Sports, page 37|date=1945-05-27|accessdate=2020-07-07}}

The following year the distance was changed to a six furlong sprint and was won by another Calumet horse, Pep Well, who was ridden by Albert Snider. {{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/160821002/|title=Pep Well Sets Track Record in Philadelphia 'Cap|publisher=The Morning News, page 15|date=1947-05-13|accessdate=2020-07-03}} Until his untimely death on March 5, 1948, Snider was the regular jockey for the great Citation and had won all nine races he was aboard. Snider was scheduled to ride in the May 1, 1948 Kentucky Derby but after his death Eddie Arcaro was hired to ride Citation and would win that year's Triple Crown.{{cite web|last1=Flatter|first1=Ron|title=Citation was the standard|url=https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00014135.html|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2 October 2014|quote=He was racing's first millionaire horse, earning $1,085,760 in a 45-race career that ran from 1947 to 1951. He won 32 times and was in the money in all but one.}}

On April 19, 1950, The Pincher won what would turn out to be the last running of the Philadelphia Handicap as horse racing came to an end at the Havre de Grace Racetrack at the close of that 1950 spring meeting.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/173799425/|title=The Pincher 1st In Graw Race Results|publisher=The Philadelphia Inquirer, page 32|date=1950-04-20|accessdate=2020-07-05}} {{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/harford/aegis/ph-ag-hdg-racetrack-1012-20121012-story.html|title='The Graw,' what it was and could still be 100 years later|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=2012-10-12|accessdate=2020-07-05}}

Speed record:

• 1:10 2/5 @ 6 furlongs: Pep Well (1947)
• 1:43 1/5 @ 1 1/16 miles Armed (1946)

Most wins:

• 2 - Boniface (1921, 1922)
• 2 - Equipoise (1933, 1934)
• 2 - Pep Well (1947, 1949)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 3 - Maurice Peters (1936, 1939, 1940)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 3 - Henry McDaniel (1921, 1922, 1923)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - J. K. L. Ross (1919, 1921, 1922)
• 3 - Calumet Farm (1946, 1947, 1949)

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Category:Discontinued horse races in the United States

Category:Havre de Grace Racetrack

Category:Horse races in Maryland

Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1913

Category:Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1951

Category:Havre de Grace, Maryland