The Empire City Handicap 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 ...

inaugurated on October 22, 1900, as part of the opening day racecard at Empire City Race Track in

Yonkers, New York Yonkers () is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. Developed along the Hudson River, it is the third most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City and Buffalo. The population of Yonkers was 211,569 as enu ...

. Sometimes referred in

newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports a ...

reports as the Empire City Stakes, it was raced at the Empire City track through 1942 then the following year it moved to the

Jamaica Race Course Jamaica Race Course, also called the Jamaica Racetrack, was an American thoroughbred horse racing facility operated by the Metropolitan Jockey Club in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. History The track opened on April 27, 1903, a day which featu ...

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where it remained until its final running on November 7, 1953. The first edition of the Empire City Handicap was open to horses age three and older. From 1937 until its final running in 1953, the race was restricted to three-year-old horses. There was no race run 1901-1906, and 1911-1913. That inaugural running was won by Charentus in a

World record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

time of 2:04 flat for a mile and a quarter on dirt. During its tenure, the Empire City Handicap was contested at various distances: * 1 mile : 1907 * miles : 1908-1910, 1914–1922, 1934–1941 * miles : 1942-1953 * miles : 1900, 1923–1933

Records

Speed record: * 1:50.00 @ 1 M : Swing And Sway (1941) * 1:56.00 @ 1 M : Apache (1942) * 2:03.00 @ 1 M :

Sting Sting may refer to: * Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger * Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself Fictional characters and entities * Sting (Middle-eart ...

(1924) Most wins: * 2 -

Peanuts ''Peanuts'' is a print syndication, syndicated daily strip, daily and Sunday strip, Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz. The strip's original run extended from 1950 to 2000, continuing in reruns afterward. ' ...

(1926, 1927) 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 ...

: * 2 -

Laverne Fator Laverne Andrew Fator (October 21, 1899 – May 16, 1936) was an American Hall of Fame jockey. Born in Hailey, Idaho, Laverne Fator and his brothers Mark and Elmer all became jockeys. The most successful of the three, Laverne Fator's riding ...

(1922, 1925) * 2 -

Johnny Longden John Eric "Johnny" Longden (February 14, 1907 – February 14, 2003) was an American Hall of Fame and National Champion jockey and a trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses who was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England. His father emigrated to Can ...

(1935, 1943) * 2 -

Nick Wall Nicholas J. Wall (December 18, 1906 – March 17, 1983) was a Newfoundland Colony born jockey who competed successfully in Canada and was the 1938 National Champion rider in the United States. Born in Lower Gully, Kelligrews, Conception Bay, N ...

(1939, 1950) * 2 -

James Stout James Stout (May 6, 1914 - July 12, 1976) was an American Hall of Fame thoroughbred horse racing jockey who won four Triple Crown races. Known as "Jimmy," he began working at a racetrack as a stable boy then in 1930 became a professional jock ...

(1940, 1942) * 2 -

Eddie Arcaro George Edward Arcaro (February 19, 1916 – November 14, 1997), was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who won more American classic races than any other jockey in history and is the only rider to have won the U.S. Tripl ...

(1944, 1949) * 2 -

Ted Atkinson Theodore Frederick Atkinson (June 17, 1916 – May 5, 2005) was a Canadian-born American thoroughbred horse racing jockey, inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1957. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His sister was ...

(1945, 1952) * 2 -

Eric Guerin Oliver Eric Guerin (October 23, 1924 – March 21, 1993) was an American Hall of Fame jockey. Eric Guerin was born in Maringouin, Louisiana, in Cajun backwater country, twenty-four miles west of Baton Rouge. He was the son of an impoverished C ...

(1946, 1953) Most wins by a trainer: * 6 - James E. Fitzsimmons (1930, 1932, 1934, 1940, 1942, 1946) Most wins by an owner: * 5 -

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(1930, 1934, 1940, 1942, 1946)

Winners

References

{{reflist 1900 establishments in New York (state) 1900 in sports in New York (state) 1953 disestablishments in New York (state) 1953 in sports in New York City 20th century in Queens Defunct sports competitions in the United States Empire City Race Track Discontinued horse races in New York (state) Jamaica Race Course Open middle distance horse races Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1953 Recurring sporting events established in 1900 Sports competitions in New York City