Royal Palm Handicap
{{Infobox horseraces
| surface = Turf
| class = Discontinued stakes
| horse race = Royal Palm Handicap
| image =
| caption =
| location = Hialeah Park Race Track
| inaugurated = 1946
| race type = Thoroughbred
| website =
| distance = 1 1/16 miles (8.5 furlongs
| track = Left-handed
| qualification = Three-year-olds & up
| weight =
| purse = US$100,000
| bonuses =
}}
The Royal Palm Handicap was a Thoroughbred race for horses age three and older raced between 1946 and 2001 at Hialeah Park Race Track in Hialeah, Florida. It was raced on dirt from inception in 1946 to 1976 after which it was run on the grass course with the exceptions of 1986 and 1997 when, for safety concerns due to the effects of inclement weather, the race was shifted to the main dirt track.
Historical notes
The inaugural running of the Royal Palm took place on January 23, 1946 and was won by the four-year-old gelding Concordian. Owned by Barney Murphy, trained by Robert Odom and ridden by Joe Renick, they would soon follow up with another win in Hialeah's McLennan Handicap.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/134748683/ |title=Concordian Carries Off Royal Palm 'Cap |publisher=The Palm Beach Post, page 7 |date=1946-01-24|accessdate=2020-11-26}} {{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/48788881/ |title=Graham's Corner |publisher=Ottawa Journal, page 17|date=1946-02-26 |accessdate=2020-12-09}}
Three Rings won this race in three consecutive years from 1949 through 1951. Retired with earnings of $297,077, Three Rings had been purchased for $7,500 by Evelyn L. Hopkins of Cleveland, Ohio from his breeder/owner John Phipps at a June 17, 1948 sale at Aqueduct Racetrack.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1951/01/21/archives/three-rings-takes-11950-royal-palm-third-year-in-row-the-1949-and.html |title=Three Rings Takes $11,950 Royal Palm Third Year in Row |publisher=New York Times, Section Sports, page 135 |date=1951-01-21 |accessdate=2020-11-25}}
There was no race in 1977 and on its return on January 21, 1978 the Royal Palm became a race on turf.
The 1988 Royal Palm Handicap was run on December 5, 1987.
In the March 26, 1995 edition, D J's Rainbow and Gone For Real raced to a dead heat win.{{cite web|url=https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/newsletter-archive-1995/ |title=Royal Palm H.-Glll |publisher=Thoroughbred Daily News archives, page 3|date=1995-03-28 |accessdate=2020-12-16}}
The Royal Palm Handicap had its final running on opening day March 17, 2001 when Hialeah Park was celebrating its 75th anniversary. Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey rode Del Mar Show to victory for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/133289005/ |title=At Hialeah, everything flies right |publisher=The Palm Beach Post, page 48 |date=2001-03-18 |accessdate=2020-12-02}}
Records
Speed record:
- 1:39.60 @ 1-1/16 miles: Social Retiree (1994)
- 1:48.20 @ 1-1/8 miles: Hitting Away (1962)
Most wins:
- 3 - Three Rings (1949, 1950, 1951)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 4 - Jerry Bailey (1978, 1983, 1984, 2001)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 3 - William J. Knapp (1949, 1950, 1951)
Most wins by an owner:
- 3 - Evelyn L. Hopkins (1949, 1950, 1951)
- 3 - Ogden Phipps (1962, 1963, 1964)
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:65px" | Dist. ! style="width:25px" | Time ! style="width:25px" | Gr. |
|---|
| align=center|2001
|Del Mar Show |align=center|4 |Allen E. Paulson Living Trust |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:39.80 |align=center|L/R |
| align=center|2000
|Wertz |align=center|4 |Joseph Calascibetta |Sunshine Thoroughbred Corp. |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:40.86 |align=center|L/R |
| align=center|1999
|Hurrahy |align=center|6 |Martin L. Cherry |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:39.98 |align=center|G3 |
| align=center|1998
|Born Mighty |align=center|4 |Jose Rivera II |William P. White |Judson Van Worp |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:43.04 |align=center|G3 |
| align=center|1997
|Laughing Dan |align=center|4 |Pedro Rodriguez |Cobble View Stable (Gardner F. Landon) |align=center|1-1/16 m (d) |1:42.36 |align=center|G3 |
| align=center|1996
|Marcie's Ensign |align=center|4 |Stanley Ersoff |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:40.00 |align=center|G3 |
| align=center|1995
|D J's Rainbow (DH) Gone For Real |align=center|5 |G. Thompson & James Velsor |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:40.06 |align=center|G3 |
| align=center|1994
|Social Retiree |align=center|7 |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:39.60 | |
| align=center|1993
|I'm a Lil Devil |align=center|6 |Miguel A. Gonzalez |Cindy A. Baulieu |Lawrence Durocher Jr. |align=center|1-1/8 m (t) (±) |1:47.80 | |
| bgcolor="#eeeeee"
|align=center|1992 |align=center colspan=7| Race not held |
| align=center|1991
|Stage Colony |align=center|4 |Ricardo Lopez |Burke Kessinger Jr. |Gary Drake & Bruce Barton |align=center|1 1/16 m (t) |1:43.40 | |
| bgcolor="#eeeeee"
|align=center|1990 |align=center colspan=7| Race not held |
| align=center|1989
|Equalize |align=center|7 |Alejandro Menditeguy |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:40.60 |align=center|G3 |
| align=center|1988
|Salem Drive |align=center|5 |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:42.20 |align=center|G3 |
| align=center|1987
|Storm on the Loose |align=center|4 |Richard R. Kennedy |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:41.80 |align=center|G3 |
| align=center|1986
|Czar Nijinsky |align=center|4 |Clarence J. Hofher |Jacqueline & Miquel Torrealba |align=center|1-1/16 m (d) |1:40.40 |align=center|G3 |
| align=center|1985
|Dr. Schwartzman |align=center|4 |Blanche P. Levy |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:41.80 |align=center|G3 |
| align=center|1984-1
|Out of Hock |align=center|5 |Carlos E. Lopez Sr. |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:41.00 | |
| align=center|1984-2
|Erin's Tiger |align=center|6 |Richard S. Nieminski |Mrs. Dennis Wuesener |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:42.00 | |
| align=center|1983-1
|McCann |align=center|5 |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:41.00 | |
| align=center|1983-2
|Discovered |align=center|5 |Carl J. Domino |J. Louis Levesque Stables, Inc. |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:40.80 | |
| align=center|1982
|Roll of Power |align=center|5 |Alfred Gibert |Mitri Saliba |Buckram Oak Farm (Mahmoud Fustok) |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:41.80 | |
| align=center|1981
|Spence Bay |align=center|6 |Octavio Vergara |Nelson Bunker Hunt & Summa Stable |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:41.00 | |
| align=center|1980
|French Colonial |align=center|5 |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:41.00 | |
| bgcolor="#eeeeee"
|align=center|1990 |align=center colspan=7| Race not held |
| align=center|1978-1
|Interdicto |align=center|5 |Michael Aronow |Michael Aronow |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:42.80 | |
| align=center|1978-2
|Dreaming of Moe |align=center|4 |Maribel G. Blum |align=center|1-1/16 m (t) |1:42.80 | |
| bgcolor="#eeeeee"
|align=center|1977 |align=center colspan=7| Race not held |
| align=center|1976
|Knightly Sport |align=center|4 |align=center|7 f (d) |1:22.20 |align=center|G3 |
| align=center|1975
|Sports Editor |align=center|4 |June M. Benson |align=center|7 f (d) |1:22.20 |align=center| G3 |
| bgcolor="#eeeeee"
|align=center|1974 |align=center colspan=7| Race not held |
| align=center|1973-1
|Nose For Money |align=center|4 |W. R. (Bill) Smith |Warren Bleidner |align=center|7 f (d) |1:22.80 |align=center| G3 |
| align=center|1973-2
|Traffic Cop |align=center|4 |align=center|7 f (d) |1:22.60 |align=center| G3 |
| align=center|1972
|Farewell Party |align=center|4 |Robert Woodhouse |align=center|7 f (d) |1:22.60 |
| align=center|1971
|Lion Sleeps |align=center|5 |John Zarthar |Celestino Dilibero |align=center|7 f (d) |1:23.20 |
| align=center|1970
|Fast Hilarious |align=center|4 |align=center|7 f (d) |1:21.60 |
| align=center|1969
|Royal Exchange |align=center|4 |align=center|7 f (d) |1:21.80 |
| align=center|1968
|Jim J |align=center|4 |Harold H. Polk |align=center|7 f (d) |1:23.00 |
| align=center|1967
|Bold and Brave |align=center|4 |align=center|7 f (d) |1:23.20 |
| align=center|1966
|Gallant Romeo |align=center|5 |Kennard Knapp |J. Graham Brown |align=center|7 f (d) |1:23.40 |
| align=center|1965
|Sunstruck |align=center|5 |align=center|7 f (d) |1:23.20 |
| align=center|1964
|Royal Ascot |align=center|4 |Alfred A. Robertson |align=center|7 f (d) |1:23.20 |
| align=center|1963
|Hitting Away |align=center|5 |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:47.60 |
| align=center|1962
|Hitting Away |align=center|4 |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:48.20 |
| align=center|1961
|Yorky |align=center|4 |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:49.60 |
| align=center|1960
|Stratmat |align=center|6 |George Gibb |Harry Silver |Modan Stable (Moe Fiengold) |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:49.20 |
| align=center|1959
|Petare |align=center|8 |Millard F. Ziadie |Anselmo A. Dorato |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:48.60 |
| align=center|1958
|Kingmaker |align=center|5 |Frank I. Wright |Happy Hill Farm (Cortright & Ella Wetherill) |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:52.20 |
| align=center|1957
|First Served |align=center|6 |James J. Crowley |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:50.00 |
| align=center|1956
|align=center|5 |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:50.40 |
| align=center|1955
|align=center|4 |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:53.00 |
| align=center|1954
|Count Cain |align=center|4 |John W. Nizlek |John W. Nizlek |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:49.20 |
| align=center|1953
|align=center|5 |Charfran Stable (Charles & Frances Cohen) |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:53.80 |
| align=center|1952
|align=center|5 |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:49.40 |
| align=center|1951
|align=center|6 |Evelyn L. Hopkins |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:50.60 |
| align=center|1950
|align=center|5 |Evelyn L. Hopkins |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:49.40 |
| align=center|1949
|align=center|4 |Evelyn L. Hopkins |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:50.20 |
| align=center|1948
|Incline |align=center|5 |Charles M. Feltner |Joseph Tucci |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:49.60 |
| align=center|1947
|Round View |align=center|4 |Louis F. Hildebrandt |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:50.20 |
| align=center|1946
|Concordian |align=center|4 |Joe Renick |Barney A. Murphy |align=center|1-1/8 m (d) |1:49.60 |