The Grand National Hurdle Stakes is an American

National Steeplechase Association The National Steeplechase Association is the official sanctioning body of American steeplechase horse racing. The National Steeplechase Association was founded on February 15, 1895 by August Belmont Jr., the first president of The Jockey Club a ...

sanctioned

steeplechase Steeplechase may refer to: * Steeplechase (horse racing), a type of horse race in which participants are required to jump over obstacles * Steeplechase (athletics), an event in athletics that derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing ...

race run each fall at Far Hills, New Jersey. It is a Grade 1 event run over miles. It has been known by a variety of names over the years, including the Breeders' Cup Grand National. The race dates back to 1899 where it was first run at

Morris Park Racecourse Morris Park Racecourse was an American Thoroughbred horse race, thoroughbred horse racing facility from 1889 to 1904. It was located in a part of Westchester County, New York that was annexed into the Bronx in 1895 and later developed as the neighb ...

. It was long the premier stakes in U.S. jump racing. Past winners include 11 of the 14 steeplechasers inducted into the

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 horse racing, Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and Horse trainer, trainers. In 1955, the museum ...

: Flatterer (also a close second in the 1987

Champion Hurdle The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a d ...

Zaccio Zaccio (foaled March 26, 1976-died September 19, 2007) is a deceased racehorse best known for winning champion steeplechaser 3 times from 1980-1982 and being inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Background Zaccio was ...

, Café Prince, Bon Nouvel, Neji,

Oedipus Oedipus (, ; grc-gre, Οἰδίπους "swollen foot") was a mythical Greek king of Thebes. A tragic hero in Greek mythology, Oedipus accidentally fulfilled a prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother, thereby ...

, Elkridge,

Bushranger Bushrangers were originally escaped convicts in the early years of the British settlement of Australia who used the bush as a refuge to hide from the authorities. By the 1820s, the term had evolved to refer to those who took up " robbery unde ...

Battleship A battleship is a large armour, armored warship with a main artillery battery, battery consisting of large caliber guns. It dominated naval warfare in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The term ''battleship'' came into use in the late 1 ...

(in 1938 became the only winner of this race and the

Aintree Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap ...

Jolly Roger Jolly Roger is the traditional English name for the naval ensign, flags flown to identify a piracy, pirate ship preceding or during an attack, during the early 18th century (the later part of the Golden Age of Piracy). The flag most commonly i ...

and

Good and Plenty Good and Plenty (1900–1907) was an American steeplechase racehorse. History Trained by Charles Kiernan, the bay gelding raced for four years between 1904 and 1907, leading all steeplechase horses in earnings and finishing with a record of 14 ...

. The race has also been held 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 ...

and

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 ...

as well as the steeplechase meets at Fair Hill,

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...

and

Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen C ...

. The Grand National (sometimes called the American Grand National to distinguish it from the race held at Aintree in England) is one of the oldest races in steeplechasing and one of the most important outside Europe. The day of steeplechasing at Far Hills includes seven races, the most important of which is the Grand National.

Winners of the Grand National since 1998

Earlier winners

* 1997 - Rowdy Irishman * 1996 - Correggio * 1995 - Rowdy Irishman * 1994 - Warm Spell * 1993 - Runway Romance (American Grand National) * 1993 -

Lonesome Glory Lonesome Glory (1988–2002) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was a specialist steeplechaser who won the title of American Champion Steeplechase Horse on a record five occasions. In a racing career which lasted from 1991 through ...

(Breeders' Cup Steeplechase) * 1992 - Highland Bud * 1991 -

Morley Street Morley Street (1984-–2009) was an Irish racehorse. He was a specialist hurdler but also won steeplechases and races on the flat. In a racing career which lasted from November 1988 until December 1995, he ran forty-five times and won twen ...

(

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

champion) * 1990 -

* 1989 - Highland Bud * 1988 - Jimmy Lorenzo (US champion) * 1987 - Gacko (

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

champion) * 1986 - Census (multiple graded stakes winner)

References

{{BreedersCup Horse races in New Jersey Graded stakes races in the United States Grade 1 stakes races in the United States Steeplechase (horse racing)

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap st ...