The Fourstardave Handicap is a

Grade I 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 ...

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 ...

for horses that are three years old or older over a distance of one mile on the

turf Sod, also known as turf, is the upper layer of soil with the grass growing on it that is often harvested into rolls. In Australian and British English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricult ...

course scheduled annually in August at

Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...

Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 2 ...

. The event currently carries a purse of $500,000.

History

The event was inaugurated on 31 July 1985, Opening Day of the Saratoga meeting for that year as the Daryl's Joy Stakes at a distance of miles and was won by Roving Minstrel who was ridden by United States' Racing Hall of Fame jockey Ángel Cordero Jr. in a time of 1:45. The New Zealand-bred

Daryl's Joy Daryl’s Joy was a notable New Zealand Thoroughbred race horse. A son of Stunning (GB) from the mare Rutha (NZ), he was foaled in 1966 and was trained by Syd Brown in New Zealand and later in his career by Charlie Whittingham in the United Stat ...

was a Two Year Champion in 1968 there, and after a successful spring campaign in Australia in 1969 winning the W. S. Cox Plate and

Victoria Derby The Victoria Derby, also known as the Penfolds Victoria Derby, is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held under Set Weights conditions over a distance of 2,500 metres at Flemington Racecourse, in Melbourn ...

the colt was sold to the US where he won six races in eleven starts for United States' Racing Hall of Fame trainer Charles E. Whittingham. Early winners of the event won even more important events and the status of the race grew in importance. In 1988 the event was classified as Grade III. The winner of the First Division of the split divisions in 1989, the

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, ...

bred horse Steinlen later that year would win the

Breeders' Cup Mile The Breeders' Cup Mile is a Grade 1 Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up, run on a grass course. It has been conducted annually as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships since the event's incepti ...

. In 1990 and 1991, the

New York State New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...

bred Fourstardave won the race. In 1995

New York Racing Association The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is the not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest Thoroughbred horse racing tracks in the state of New York, United States: Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens; Belmont Park i ...

renamed the event to The Fourstardave, nicknamed "The Sultan of Saratoga" because he won at least one race at the Saratoga track each year from 1987 to 1994. Fourstardave died of a heart attack in October 2002 at the age of 17 and is buried in Clare Court at Saratoga Race Course. This is a rare honor since only three horses are buried there. In 2012 the distance of the event was decreased from miles to one mile. The event was upgraded to Grade II in 2000 and achieving

status in 2016. The race was moved off the turf to dirt in 1992 and 2002 due to weather conditions. In 2002 the grade of the event was lowered due to the change of surface as designated by the

Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association {{short description, Organization for Thoroughbred racehorse owners and breeders The American Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) based in Lexington, Kentucky is a trade organization for Thoroughbred racehorse owners and breeder ...

. In the 2014 renewal, Seek Again set a Saratoga course record in the event which was broken again in 2019 by the mare Got Stormy, who is the only mare to have won the race. In 2021 Got Stormy won the event again at odds of 12-1. Several horses who have won this event became celebrated champions. The 1993 winner Lure went on to win the

later in the year also the 1996 winner

Da Hoss Da Hoss (January 18, 1992 – January 2, 2022) was a champion Thoroughbred gelding best known for winning the Breeders' Cup Mile two times. Background He was bred in Kentucky by Fares Farms and originally owned by Prestonwood Farm as well as W ...

went on to win the

later. Both horses were two-time winners of the

. The 2005 Brazilian bred winner Leroidesanimaux would become US Champion Male Turf Horse. Dual winner

Wise Dan Wise Dan (foaled February 20, 2007) is a champion American Hall of Fame and Canadian Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. He is the first horse to win the same three Eclipse Awards in consecutive years, having been named American Horse of the ...

would become US Horse of the Year in both 2012 and 2013 the years he won of the event. The last horse to win the event and the

was the champion World Approval in 2017.

Records

Speed record: *1 mile: Got Stormy (2019) – 1:32.00 * miles: Fourstardave (1991) – 1:38.80 Most wins: * 2 – Fourstardave (1990, 1991) * 2 –

(2012, 2013) * 2 – Got Stormy (2019, 2021) Most wins by a jockey: * 9 – John R. Velazquez (1992, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013) Most wins by a trainer: * 5 –

William I. Mott William I. "Bill" Mott (born July 29, 1953, in Mobridge, South Dakota) is an American horse trainer, most notable for his work with Cigar. Mott earned the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer in 1995 and 1996. He was inducted into the Nationa ...

(2000, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2022) Most wins by an owner: * 2 – Fernwood Sable (1986, 1987) * 2 –

Frances A. Genter Frances A. Genter (February 17, 1898 – November 24, 1992) was a major figure in American Thoroughbred horse racing. She is best known as the owner of Unbridled, the 1990 American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse and winner of the 1990 Kentuck ...

(1987, 1988) * 2 – Richard Bomze & Bernard Connaughton (1990, 1991) * 2 –

Juddmonte Farms Juddmonte Farms is a horse breeding farm, owned until his death on 12th January 2021 by Prince Khalid bin Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. National Thoroughbred Racing Association"Juddmonte Farms, Inc.", profile. Retrieved October 16, 2007. Overview ...

(1992, 2014) * 2 – Darley Stable (2003, 2009) * 2 –

WinStar Farm WinStar Farm is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding and racing farm near Versailles, Kentucky, owned by Kenny Troutt. It won the 2010 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Owner and 2016 Outstanding Breeder. WinStar Farm owned 2018 Triple Crown ...

(2011, 2016) * 2 – Morton Fink (2012, 2013)

Winners

''Legend:''

''Notes:''
§ Ran as an entry
ƒ Filly or Mare

References

{{reflist, 2 Graded stakes races in the United States Grade 1 stakes races in the United States Open mile category horse races Horse races in New York (state) Turf races in the United States Saratoga Race Course Recurring sporting events established in 1985 1985 establishments in New York (state)

History

Records

Winners

See also

References