The Fleetwing Handicap was an American Thoroughbred race for horses age three and older that was run between 1908 and 1953. Inaugurated 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 ...

it remained there through 1942 with the exception of 1915 when it was temporarily hosted by

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 ...

. In 1942 the Empire City Racetrack ended Thoroughbred racing, reverting to its origins as a facility exclusively for

harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, or spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australi ...

. As such, in 1943 the Fleeting Handicap was transferred 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 ...

Jamaica, Queens Jamaica is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is mainly composed of a large commercial and retail area, though part of the neighborhood is also residential. Jamaica is bordered by Hollis to the east; St. Albans, Springfi ...

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 * '' ...

Historical notes

The inaugural running of the Fleetwing took place on August 27, 1908 and was won by Richard Carman's Magazine who returned to win it for a second time in 1910. Some of the top level horses of their era that won the Fleetwing include Jack Atkin (1909), Hall of Fame inductee

Sarazen Sarazen (1921–1940) was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Owned by Colonel Phil T. Chinn's Himyar Stud, Sarazen won his first three starts. Chinn then sold him for a huge profit to Virginia Fair Vanderbilt, who raced h ...

(1924 and 1925), Tryster (1922),

Polydor Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...

(1929),

Flying Heels Flying Heels (1927–1940) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that won stakes races at age two through six, including a number which are Grade I events today. Bred and raced by Gifford A. Cochran, he was sired by the 1925 Kentucky Derby wi ...

(1931),

Fighting Fox Combat (French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...

who broke the Empire City track record while winning the 1939 race, and Sheilas Reward who in his 1950 victory at Jamaica set another new track record.

Records

Speed record: * 1:07.40 @ 5¾ furlongs:

(1939) & Doublrab (1942) * 1:09.40 @ 6 furlongs: Sheilas Reward (1950) Most wins: * Magazine (1908, 1910) *

(1924, 1925) * The Beasel (1930, 1932) 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 -

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 ...

(1939, 1943, 1944) Most wins by a trainer: * 3 -

Max Hirsch Maximilian Justice "Max" Hirsch (July 12, 1880 - April 3, 1969) was an American National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse horse trainer, trainer. Born in Fredericksburg, Texas, and raised Roman ...

(1924, 1925, 1928) * 3 - James E. Fitzsimmons (1939, 1943, 1944) Most wins by an owner: * 3 -

Belair Stud Belair Stud was an American thoroughbred horse racing stable and breeding farm founded by Provincial Governor of Maryland Samuel Ogle in 1747 in Collington, Prince George's County, Maryland, in Colonial America. Colonial period Queen Mab and ...

(1939, 1943, 1944)

Winners

References

{{reflist Empire City Race Track Jamaica Race Course Open sprint category horse races Discontinued horse races in New York (state) Sports competitions in New York City Recurring sporting events established in 1908 Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1953 1908 establishments in New York (state) 1953 disestablishments in New York (state)