The Eastern Shore Stakes was an American

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 ...

run between 1913 and 1949 at

Havre de Grace Racetrack The Havre de Grace Racetrack was an American horse racing track on Post Road in Havre de Grace, Harford County, Maryland. Nicknamed "The Graw," it operated from August 24, 1912, to 1950. For a time, it was owned by the Harford Agricultural and B ...

, in

Havre de Grace, Maryland Havre de Grace (), abbreviated HdG, is a city in Harford County, Maryland, Harford County, Maryland. It is situated at the mouth of the Susquehanna River and the head of Chesapeake Bay. It is named after the port city of Le Havre, France, which ...

. A race for two-year-old horses of either sex, it was inaugurated and run for most of its existence as the Eastern Shore Handicap.

Distances

The Eastern Shore Stakes has been run at various distances with thirty of its thirty-seven runnings at its longest distance of six furlongs. * 6 furlongs: 1916, 1918-1945 * 5.5 furlongs: 1913-1915, 1917, 1948 * 5 furlongs: 1946-1947 * 4.5 furlongs: 1949

Historical notes

On September 23, 1913 Tranid won the five and one-half furlong inaugural running of the Eastern Shore Handicap by two lengths for owner Schuyler L. Parsons. Tranid was trained by William H. Karrick and ridden by his son Kenneth.

Hourless Hourless (1914–1935) was a British-born Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in the United States where he won the 1917 Belmont Stakes. Background Bred at August Belmont, Jr.'s Haras de Villers in Foucarmont in Upper Normandy, France, he was foa ...

, bred in France and foaled in England, was brought to race in the United States by his prominent owner and breeder, August Belmont Jr. In addition to winning the 1916 Eastern Shore Handicap, he won with three other important stakes for that age group. In 1917, Hourless won the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

and would be recognized as the U.S. Co-Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse.''The Bloodhorse.com'' Champion's history charts
The 1917 edition of the Eastern Shore Handicap was won by

Tippity Witchet Tippity Witchet (foaled 1915) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, noted for his durability and consistency in a career which lasted from 1917 until 1929. Background Tippity Witchet was a son of the great sire Broomstick who was the son of Be ...

, a

gelding A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...

that would have a very successful career in racing which remarkably only ended twelve years later at age fourteen. Future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Billy Kelly won the September 21, 1918 Eastern Shore Handicap for owner

J. K. L. Ross Commander John Kenneth Leveson "Jack" Ross, CBE (31 March 1876 – 25 July 1951) was a Canadian businessman, sportsman, thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder, and philanthropist. He is best remembered for winning the first United States Triple ...

who had purchased the horse on August 9 from trainer and co-owner William Perkins for $27,500. Careful won the 1920 edition for owner Walter Salmon and would earn that year's American Co-Champion Two-Year-Old Filly honors. She came back to the Havre de Grace track the following year and defeated male competition again in winning the

Chesapeake Stakes The Chesapeake Stakes was an important American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses of either sex contested on dirt over a distance of a mile and one-sixteenth at Havre de Grace Racetrack in Havre de Grace, Maryland. Run from 1920 u ...

for three-year-olds. In 1922 Careful had another brilliant year that saw her named

American Champion Older Female Horse The Eclipse Award for Champion Older Dirt Female Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a filly or mare, four years old and up, for performances on dirt and main track racing surfaces. In 1971, it became part of the ...

Morvich Morvich (April 23, 1919 – January 26, 1946) was an American Thoroughbred who was the first California-bred racehorse to win the Kentucky Derby. Bred by sugar magnate Adolph B. Spreckels at his Napa Stock Farm, Morvich was sired by James R. ...

kept his 1921 unbeaten streak going with his win in the Eastern Shore Handicap. He finished the year a perfect 11 for 11 and would go on to win the 1922 Kentucky Derby. The 1930 running was won by Harry Whitney's

Equipoise Equipoise may refer to: * Clinical equipoise, or the principle of equipoise, a medical research term * Equilibrioception, the state of being balanced or in equilibrium * Boldenone undecylenate, an anabolic steroid, by the trade name ''Equipoise'' * ...

who would be chosen that year's U.S. Champion 2-Year-Old Colt. In a career hampered by serious health problems that limited his racing, Equipoise came back to be the dominant horse in racing during 1932 and 1933, earning

American Horse of the Year The American Award for Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to sanction the various awards, "Hor ...

honors. At stud Equipoise was the

Leading sire in North America The list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America for each year since 1830. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the year. It is restricted to stallions which are based in N ...

for 1942 and following its creation, induction into the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame in 1957. In 1933

High Quest High Quest (1931–1948) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1934 Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series of races. Background Sir Gallahad III, the sire of High Quest, had been purchase ...

won the Eastern Shore in which he defeated two future Hall of Famers,

Discovery Discovery may refer to: * Discovery (observation), observing or finding something unknown * Discovery (fiction), a character's learning something unknown * Discovery (law), a process in courts of law relating to evidence Discovery, The Discovery ...

and

Cavalcade A cavalcade is a procession or parade on horseback, or a mass trail ride by a company of riders. The focus of a cavalcade is participation rather than display. Often, the participants do not wear costumes or ride in formation. Often, a cava ...

. As a three-year-old, High Quest would win the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series, the

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () on ...

. Rosemont won the 1934 race, easily defeating

Nellie Flag Nellie Flag (1932–1953) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was retrospectively named the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1934. She was the first horse bred by Warren Wright's Calumet Farm to win a stakes race. An early favor ...

and twelve other runners. Rosemont would race successfully through age five, most notably winning the 1937

Santa Anita Handicap The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up and was once considered the most important race for old ...

in which he defeated the great

Seabiscuit Seabiscuit (May 23, 1933 – May 17, 1947) was a champion thoroughbred racehorse in the United States who became the top money-winning racehorse up to the 1940s. He beat the 1937 Triple Crown winner, War Admiral, by four lengths in a two-horse ...

War Admiral War Admiral (May 2, 1934 – October 30, 1959) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the fourth winner of the American Triple Crown. He was also the 1937 Horse of the Year and well known as the rival of Seabiscuit in the 'Match ...

won the 1936 Eastern Shore Handicap by five lengths in stakes record time. He returned to the Havre de Grace track on April 26, 1937 and won the

, a final prep before winning the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...

. War Admiral went on to become the fourth horse in history to capture the U.S. Triple Crown. In 1941,

Alsab Alsab (1939–1963) was an American National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. Background Alsab was bred in Kentucky by Thomas Piatt. His sire was Good Goods, and his dam was Winds Chant. Buy ...

and Cochis raced to a

dead heat A dead heat is a rare situation in various racing sports in which the performances of competitors are judged to be so close that no difference between them can be resolved. The result is declared a Tie (draw), tie and the competitors are awarde ...

win. Colchis met with good success in racing, notably winning the 1942

by beating Alsab who had been voted the 1941 U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Colt. In the ensuing Triple Crown races, Alsab ran second in the 1942 Kentucky Derby then won the

Preakness Preakness may refer to: * The Preakness or Preakness Stakes, an American flat thoroughbred horse race held in Baltimore, Maryland * Preakness (horse), an American thoroughbred racehorse from Preakness Stables * Preakness, New Jersey, a section of W ...

before finishing second in the

. His performances for the remainder of the year earned Alsab 1942 U.S. Champion Three-Year-Old Colt honors. He would be inducted into the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame in 1976.

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

saw racing restricted in the United States and Havre de Grace Racetrack was forced to cancel all of its spring races in 1943. However, arrangements were made to run the Eastern Shore Handicap at

Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Ol ...

. Similarly, with wartime rationing still in place, for both 1944 and 1945 Laurel Park agreed to host the Eastern Shore Handicap. Noble Impulse's winning time of 1:04 3/5 in the 1948 Eastern Shore broke the track record for five and one-half furlongs on dirt. The final running of the Eastern Shore Stakes took place on May 4, 1949 and was won by Quiz Show owned by Frank Rosen's Palatine Stable. Havre de Grace Racetrack was closed permanently at the end of the 1950 spring meeting.

Records

Speed record: * 1:11.00 @ 6

furlongs A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...

(1936) 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 ...

: * 3 -

Earl Sande Earl Harold Sande (November 13, 1898 – August 19, 1968) was an American Hall of Fame jockey and thoroughbred horse trainer. Early life in South Dakota Born in Groton, South Dakota, Earl Sande started out as a bronco buster in the early 1900s b ...

(1918, 1919, 1926) * 3 - John Gilbert (1934, 1943, 1949) Most wins by a trainer: * 3 - H. Guy Bedwell (1918, 1919, 1939) Most wins by an owner: * 2 -

(1918, 1919) * 2 - J. Edwin Griffith (1924, 1925) * 2 - Alfred G. Vanderbilt Jr. (1935, 1937) * 2 - Bobanet Stable (R. Bruce Livie) (1944, 1945)

Winners

References

{{reflist Discontinued horse races Flat horse races for two-year-olds Open sprint category horse races Horse races in Maryland Havre de Grace Racetrack Recurring sporting events established in 1913 Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1950