The Distaff Handicap is a
Grade III American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...
for
fillies
A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use:
*In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old.
*In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...
and
mare
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...
s that are four years old or older at a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt run annually in early April at
Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack locate ...
in
Ozone Park, Queens
Ozone Park is a neighborhood in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Queens, New York, United States. It is next to the Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, a popular spot for Thoroughbred racing and home to the Resorts Wor ...
,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
. The event currently offers a purse of $150,000.
History
The event was inaugurated on 28 June 1954 at the old Aqueduct racetrack, and was won by Robert S. Howard's
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
mare Mab's Choice, who was trained by the future
US Hall of Fame trainer
Charles E. Whittingham
Charles Edward Whittingham (April 13, 1913 – April 20, 1999) was an American Thoroughbred race horse trainer who is one of the most acclaimed trainers in U.S. racing history.
Early career
Born in Chula Vista, California, Whittingham began w ...
in a time of 1:24.
[ Mab's Choice was a 20-1 longshot in the field who had not won a race in two years came through with a late drive to win by length.][
After the 1955 season the old Aqueduct track was close for reconstruction for a period of four years.]Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905.
It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...
during the summer or late spring.
On Wednesday, 20 April 1960 the event was scheduled back at the new Aqueduct racetrack and 29,195 were on hand to see the odds-on favorite Mommy Dear win by 2 lengths.[
The event was run in two split divisions in 1964.][ This was only time that the event was run in split divisions.]Grade II
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
.[
In 2020 due to the ]COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is a part of the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the Uni ...
, Aqueduct closed their track and the event was cancelled.
Records
Speed record:
*7 furlongs – 1:21.18 Devil's Orchid (1991)
*6 furlongs – 1:09.10 La Verdad (2014)
Margins:
*12 lengths – Ride Sally (1986)
Most wins:
* 2 – La Verdad (2014, 2015)
* 2 – Happy Princess (1958, 1959)
Most wins by a jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...
:
* 4 – Ángel Cordero Jr.
Ángel Tomás Cordero Jr. (born: November 8, 1942) is one of the leading Thoroughbred horse racing jockeys of the late 20th-century and the first Puerto Rican to be inducted into the United States' Racing Hall of Fame. He led all jockeys in win ...
(1976, 1983, 1984, 1987)
* 4 – Richard Migliore
Richard Migliore (born March 14, 1964 in Babylon, New York) is a retired American jockey. He now works as a racing analyst for XBTV. He was nicknamed "The Mig," which is a type of Russian fighter jet, for his tenacious style of riding. He lives ...
(1997, 1998, 2004, 2005)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 3 – Claude R. McGaughey III (1988, 1995, 1999)
* 3 – Linda L. Rice (2014, 2015, 2018)
Most wins by an owner:
* 3 – Lady Sheila Stable (2014, 2015, 2018)
Winners
''Notes:''
§ Ran as an entry
See also
*List of American and Canadian Graded races
The List of American and Canadian Graded races is a list of Thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada that meet the graded stakes standards maintained by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders A ...
References
{{reflist, 2
Graded stakes races in the United States
Grade 3 stakes races in the United States
Sprint category horse races for fillies and mares
Horse races in New York (state)
Aqueduct Racetrack
Recurring sporting events established in 1954
1954 establishments in New York City