The Gravesend Handicap is 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 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
Queens, New York
Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long I ...
late in the year. In its 61st running in December 2017, the Gravesend was downgraded from a
Grade III event to ungraded status.
Six New Grade I Races for 2009 – bloodhorse.com
/ref> This race is for three-year-olds and up and set at a distance of six furlong
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 ...
s. It offers a purse of $100,000 added.
Background
The Gravesend is named in honor of the early American racetrack once sited near Coney Island, Brooklyn
Coney Island is a peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the s ...
. The Gravesend Race Track
Gravesend Race Track at Gravesend in Brooklyn, New York was a Thoroughbred horse racing facility that opened in 1886 and closed in 1910. The track was built by the Brooklyn Jockey Club with the backing of Philip and Michael Dwyer, two wealthy raci ...
was closed in 1910.
Prior to 1961, the Gravesend was run at 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 ...
, and once, in 1975, at 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 1962, it was set at seven furlongs.
Past winners
* 2021 – Chateau (6) (Kendrick Carmouche)
*2019 – Firenze Fire (4) (Jose Lezcano
Jose Lezcano (born April 20, 1985 in Panama) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. He rides in New York in the spring, summer and fall and spends the winter in Florida. His big break came in 2008 when he won a Breeders' Cup race.
Car ...
)
* 2018 – Recruiting Ready (4) (Eric Cancel)
* 2017 – Do Share (4) ( Junior Alvarado)
* 2016 – Stallwalkin' Dude (6) ( Irad Ortiz Jr.)
* 2015 – Green Gratto (5) (Kendrick Carmouche)
* 2014 – Salutos Amigos (4) ( Irad Ortiz Jr.)
* 2013 – Strapping Groom (6) ( Junior Alvarado)
* 2012 – Saginaw (6) ( Junior Alvarado)
* 2011 – Frazil (5) (Cornelio Velásquez
Cornelio H. Velásquez (born September 28, 1968, in Panama City, Panama) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. He was introduced to horse racing at age fifteen by trainer Carlos Salazar Guardia in his native Panama and enrolled in th ...
)
* 2010 – Calibrachoa (3) ( David Cohen)
* 2009 – Digger (5) (Rosie Napravnik
Anna Rose "Rosie" Napravnik (born February 9, 1988) is a former American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey and two-time winner of the Kentucky Oaks. Beginning her career in 2005, she was regularly ranked among the top jockeys in North America in ...
)
* 2008 – Fabulous Strike (5) (Ramon Domínguez
Ramón A. Domínguez (born November 24, 1976 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a retired Eclipse Award-winning champion jockey and Hall of Fame member in American thoroughbred horse racing.
Domínguez began riding horses at age 16 in his native Venezuela ...
)
* 2007 – City Attraction (Mike Luzzi
Mike may refer to:
Animals
* Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum
* Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off
* Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and document ...
)
* 2006 – Bishop Court Hill (John Velazquez
John R. Velazquez (born November 24, 1971) is a Puerto Rican jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. He began his career in Puerto Rico and moved to New York in 1990. In 2004 and 2005 he was the United States Champion Jockey by earnings and both ye ...
)
* 2005 – Banjo Picker (5) (Tara Hemmings)
* 2004 – Don Six (4) (Mike Luzzi)
* 2003 – Shake You Down
"Shake You Down" is a song by American R&B artist, writer and producer Gregory Abbott. It was released in August 1986 as the lead single from his debut album. It became Abbott's biggest hit and was certified platinum by the RIAA. The track is als ...
(5) (Mike Luzzi)
* 2002 – Multiple Choice (4) (Victor Carrero)
* 2001 – Here's Zealous (4) (Edgar Prado
Edgar S. Prado (Lima, June 12, 1967) is a Peruvian-born American jockey, a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.
His big break came in 1997 when he won 536 races, making him the fourth rider in history to win 500 races in ...
)
* 2000 – Say Florida Sandy (6) ( Joe Bravo)
* 1999 – Cowboy Cop (5) (Aaron Gryder
Aaron Tod Gryder (born June 5, 1970, in West Covina, California) is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey.
Career
At age 16 in 1986, Gryder began his career as a professional jockey in Tijuana, Mexico at Agua Caliente Racetrack. His fi ...
)
* 1998 – Say Florida Sandy (4) (Shaun Bridgmohan
Shaun Xavier Bridgmohan (born June 24, 1979 in Spanish Town, Jamaica) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.
At age thirteen, Bridgmohan's family emigrated to the United States, settling in South Florida where he developed an interes ...
)
* 1997 – Royal Haven (5) (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 ...
), in 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 and the competitors are awarded a joint ra ...
with
* 1997 – Stalwart Member (4) (Aaron Gryder
Aaron Tod Gryder (born June 5, 1970, in West Covina, California) is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey.
Career
At age 16 in 1986, Gryder began his career as a professional jockey in Tijuana, Mexico at Agua Caliente Racetrack. His fi ...
)
* 1996 – Victor Avenue (3) ( Jorge F. Chavez)
* 1995 – Cold Execution (4) (Julio Pezua)
* 1994 – Mining Burrah (4) (John Velazquez)
* 1993 – Astudillo (3) (Fabio Arguello Jr.)
* 1992 – Hidden Tomahawk (4) (Jorge F. Chavez)
* 1991 – Shuttleman (5) (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 ...
)
* 1990 – Mr. Nasty (3) (Jerry D. Bailey
Jerry D. Bailey (born August 29, 1957 in Dallas, Texas) is an NBC Sports thoroughbred racing analyst and a retired American Hall of Fame jockey.
Early years
Bailey was born in Dallas but raised in El Paso. He had a pony as a child and became ...
)
* 1989 – Never Forgotten (5) ( Art Madrid Jr.)
* 1988 – High Brite (4) (Ángel Cordero Jr.)
* 1987 – Vinnie The Viper (4) (Julie Krone
Julieann Louise Krone (born July 24, 1963), is a retired American jockey. In 1993, she became the first (and so far only) female jockey to win a Triple Crown race when she captured the Belmont Stakes aboard Colonial Affair. In 2000, she became t ...
)
* 1986 – Comic Blush (3) (Antonio Graell)
* 1985 – Love That Mac (3) (Jorge Velásquez
Jorge Velásquez (born December 28, 1946 in Chepo, Panama) is a thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey.
Jorge Velasquez's career in thoroughbred racing began in his native Panama but as a teenager moved to the United States. In 1967 he won ...
)
* 1984 – Elegant Life (4) (Jorge Velásquez)
* 1983 – Main Stem (5) (Victor Lopez)
* 1982 – Chan Balum (3) (Jean-Luc Samyn
Jean-Luc Samyn (born November 6, 1956 in Bailleul, Nord, France) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.
The son of a pastry chef, Jean-Luc Samyn was one of three children. At age thirteen, he went to work for the stable of trainer Jo ...
)
* 1981 – Lines Of Power (4) (Don MacBeth
Donald MacBeth (August 29, 1949 – March 1, 1987) was a Canadian Hall of Fame jockey in North American Thoroughbred racing.
Born in Red Deer, Alberta, Macbeth rode horses at Alberta racetracks before going to race in the United States. Among ho ...
)
* 1980 – Clever Trick (4) (Jorge Velásquez)
* 1979 – Shelter Half (4) (Sam Boulmetis Jr.)
* 1978 – Half High (5) (Angel Santiago)
* 1977 – Full Out (4) (Ángel Cordero Jr.)
* 1976 – Christopher R. (5) ( William J. Passmore)
* 1975 – Honorable Miss (5) (Jacinto Vásquez
Jacinto Vásquez (born January 4, 1944 in Panama) is a retired Hall of Fame thoroughbred jockey. He rode two Kentucky Derby winners, Foolish Pleasure in 1975 and the filly Genuine Risk in 1980. He was also the regular jockey for the champion fi ...
)
* 1974 – Mr. Prospector (4) (Jacinto Vásquez)
* 1973 – Petrograd (4) (Ángel Cordero Jr.)
* 1972 – Silver Mallet (4) (Braulio Baeza
Braulio Baeza (born March 26, 1940) is an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey and one of the master Thoroughbred jockeys of our time. In 1963, he was the first Latin American jockey to win the Kentucky Derby. Baeza began his ra ...
)
* 1971 – Summer Air (4) (Ángel Cordero Jr.)
* 1970 – Distinctive (4) (Walter Blum
Walter Blum (born September 28, 1934, Brooklyn, New York) is a retired Hall of Fame jockey.
Riding career
A horse racing fan from boyhood, in his teens Blum began working as a racetrack hotwalker. Despite being blind in his right eye from th ...
)
* 1969 – Royal Exchange (4) (Ángel Cordero Jr.)
* 1968 – Jim J. (4) (Ángel Cordero Jr.)
* 1967 – Tumiga (3) (Ben Feliciano)
* 1966 – Winnie (4) ( Eddie Belmonte)
* 1965 – Determined Man (4) ( Michael Venezia)
* 1964 – Delta Judge (4) ( Donald R. Pierce)
* 1963 – Ahoy (3) (Howard Grant)
* 1962 – Merry Ruler (4) ( Johnny Sellers)
* 1961 – Bolinas Boy (3) (John L. Rotz
John L. Rotz (December 16, 1934 – July 12, 2021) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey and a World Champion in Western riding competitions.
Early career
After graduating from Warrensburg-Latham High School in Illinois in 1952, Rotz ...
)
* 1960 – Brush Fire (3) (Bobby Ussery
Robert Nelson "Bobby" Ussery (born September 3, 1935 in Vian, Oklahoma) is a retired American Thoroughbred horse racing hall of fame jockey. His first race as a professional jockey came at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans on November 22, ...
)
* 1959 – Silver Ship (4) (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 ...
)
References
{{Reflist
External links
Aqueduct Racetrack official
Horse races in New York City
Recurring sporting events established in 1885
1885 establishments in New York (state)
Sports in Queens, New York