The Keene Memorial 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 for twenty years from 1913 through 1932 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

Elmont, New York Elmont is an unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located in northwestern Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States, along its border with the borough of Queens in New York City. The population was 35,265 at the ...

. The race was created to honor

James R. Keene James Robert Keene (February 8, 1838 - January 3, 1913) was a Wall Street stockbroker and a major thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder. Biography He was born in London, England in 1838. He was fourteen years of age when his family immigr ...

who died on January 3, 1913. A

Wall Street Wall Street is an eight-block-long street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs between Broadway in the west to South Street and the East River in the east. The term "Wall Street" has become a metonym for t ...

stockbroker A stockbroker is a regulated broker, broker-dealer, or registered investment adviser (in the United States) who may provide financial advisory and investment management services and execute transactions such as the purchase or sale of stocks an ...

, Keene was a major owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses and would become one of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame's Pillars of the Turf.

Historical notes

The distance for the first two editions of the Keene Memorial Stakes were set at six furlongs over the main course. Then, in 1915 the race was shortened to five and one-half furlongs and transferred to the track's straight course. In 1926 the distance was reduced to four and one-half furlongs. Reflecting a recognition by stable owners of James R. Keene's place in Thoroughbred racing history, every single winner of the Keene Memorial Stakes during the twenty years it was run was owned by one of the ''Who's Who'' of that era. The inaugural running of the Keene Memorial Stakes took place on July 5, 1913 and was won by the filly Stake and Cap. She was owned by the prominent

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

businessman

Thomas Fortune Ryan Thomas Fortune Ryan (October 17, 1851 – November 23, 1928) was an American tobacco, insurance and transportation magnate. Although he lived in New York City for much of his adult career, Ryan was perhaps the greatest benefactor of the Roman Ca ...

who raced under the '' nom de course'' Oak Ridge Stable. The 1914 Keene Memorial was won by James Butler's filly

Comely Comely (foaled 1912) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. She was bred by James R. Keene who sold her in a package deal to James Butler, owner of the Empire City Race Track. Butler had bought the entire 1912 crop produced by Keene's Castleto ...

for whom the

Comely Stakes The Comely Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Open to three year old fillies, it is raced on dirt over a distance of one mile. The Grade III event offers a purse of $200,000. T ...

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 ...

would be named. James R. Keene was the breeder of Comely and sold her in a package deal to James Butler who bought the entire 1912 crop produced by his Castleton Stud. The 1917 Keene Memorial Stakes was run in a heavy rainstorm and no time was recorded. Just three days after winning his career debut the legendary

Man o' War Man o' War (March 29, 1917 – November 1, 1947) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is widely regarded as the greatest racehorse of all time. Several sports publications, including ''The Blood-Horse'', ''Sports Illustrated'', ESPN, and ...

easily won the 1919 edition. The 1925 winner

Friar's Carse Friars' Carse is a mansion house and estate situated (NX 926 850) southeast of Auldgirth on the main road (A76) to Dumfries, Parish of Dunscore, Scotland. The property is located on the west bank of the River Nith and is known for its strong a ...

went on to earn

American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when both t ...

honors. In 1930, that year's

American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt The American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when the ''Daily Racing F ...

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'' * ...

would have a career that saw him earn at total of six National Championship honors including twice as the American Horse of the Year and become a

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers. In 1955, the museum moved to its current location on Union Av ...

inductee. The 1932 Keene Memorial Stakes was won by Sonny Whitney's colt Caterwaul who defeated ten other two-year-olds. By late fall of 1932 the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

saw economic conditions worsening which forced the Westchester Racing Association, operators of Belmont Park, to eliminate five races. As a result, the May 14, 1932 race would prove to be the Keene Memorial's final running.

Records

Speed record: * 1:05 0/0 @ 5.5 furlongs : Ormsdale * 0:51 2/5 @ 4.5 furlongs : Afterglow 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 - Joe McCahey (1913, 1915) * 2 - Albert Johnson (1923, 1925) * 2 - Johnny Loftus (1917, 1919) * 2 -

Linus McAtee John Linus McAtee (October 5, 1898 – November 15, 1963) was an American Hall of Fame jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. Biography Born in Frenchtown, New Jersey on October 5, 1898, he went by his middle name, Linus, but was nicknamed "Pony ...

(1924, 1926) * 2 -

Raymond Workman Raymond "Sonny" Workman (May 24, 1909 – August 21, 1966) was an American National Champion and Hall of Fame jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. During his fifteen years as a professional rider from 1926 through 1940, he won an exceptional tw ...

(1930, 1932) Most wins by a trainer: * 4 - Thomas J. Healey (1915, 1918, 1930, 1932) Most wins by an owner: * 3 -

Rancocas Stable Rancocas Farm was an American thoroughbred horse racing stud farm and racing stable located on Monmouth Road ( County Road 537) in the Jobstown section of Springfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey. Pierre Lorillard IV The farm was foun ...

(1921, 1928, 1929) * 3 -

Harry Payne Whitney Harry Payne Whitney (April 29, 1872 – October 26, 1930) was an American businessman, thoroughbred horse breeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family. Early years Whitney was born in New York City on April 29, 1872, as the eldest son ...

(1920, 1926, 1930)

Winners

References

{{reflist Discontinued horse races in New York (state) Belmont Park Flat horse races for two-year-olds Sports in Long Island Recurring sporting events established in 1913 1913 establishments in New York (state) 1933 disestablishments in New York (state)