The Cowdin 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 ...

held annually from 1923 through 2005 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 within ...

and at

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a thoroughbred racing, thoroughbred horse racetrack in Elmont, New York, just east of New York City limits best known for hosting the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United Stat ...

which at one time was a

Grade 1 First grade (also 1st Grade or Grade 1) is the first year of formal or compulsory education. It is the first year of elementary school, and the first school year after kindergarten. Children in first grade are usually 6–7 years old. Examples ...

event.

Background

The Cowdin was first run in 1923 as the Junior Champion Stakes, a name taken from a very important race for two-year-olds which had been inaugurated in 1898 at

Gravesend Race Track Gravesend Race Track was a Thoroughbred horse race, Thoroughbred horse racing facility in the Gravesend, Brooklyn, Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, that opened in 1886 and closed in 1910. The track was built by the Brooklyn Jockey C ...

. The Junior Champion Stakes at Gravesend ended with the 1908 running when the racetrack was forced to close after the administration of Republican

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Charles Evans Hughes Charles Evans Hughes (April 11, 1862 – August 27, 1948) was an American politician, academic, and jurist who served as the 11th chief justice of the United States from 1930 to 1941. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

signed into law the Hart–Agnew bill which effectively banned all racetrack

wagering Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three ele ...

in New York State. The new Junior Champion Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack was renamed the Cowdin Stakes in 1941 to honor John Cheever Cowdin, former president of the racetrack. At its peak, the Cowdin Stakes was one of the important East Coast races for two-year-olds, a number of which would earn

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 ...

honors. As well, 1929 winner

Gallant Fox Gallant Fox (March 23, 1927 – November 13, 1954) was a champion American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who is the second winner of the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, American Triple Crown. In a racing career which la ...

went on to win the 1930 U.S. Triple Crown and would be inducted into the U. S. Racing Hall of Fame. Other winners who would become Hall of Fame members were

Twenty Grand Twenty Grand (1928–1948) was an American thoroughbred race horse. Owned and bred by Helen Hay Whitney's Greentree Stable, Twenty Grand was a bay colt by St. Germans out of Bonus. Racing career Trained at age three by James G. Rowe, Jr ...

(1930), Hill Prince (1949), Dr. Fager (1966),

Foolish Pleasure Foolish Pleasure (March 23, 1972 – November 17, 1994) was an American bay Thoroughbred race horse who won the 1975 Kentucky Derby. Background Foolish Pleasure was a bay horse bred at Williston, Florida by Waldemar Farms, Inc. He was owned by ...

(1974),

Easy Goer Easy Goer (March 21, 1986 – May 12, 1994) was an American Champion American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse known for earning American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honors in 1988, and defeating 1989 American Horse of the Year Sunday Silence ...

(1988).National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame – Horses
Retrieved September 22, 2018 The race was split into two divisions in 1963, 1973, and 1976. The Cowdin Stakes was held at: * Aqueduct Racetrack : 1923–1956, 1959, 1962–1967, 1991–1997 * Belmont Park : 1956 to 1958, 1960 to 1962, from 1968 to 1990, 1998 to 2005

Records

Speed record: * 1:14.35 @ 6.5 furlongs – Coronado's Quest (1997) * 1:21.40 @ 7 furlongs – Devil's Bag (1983) * 1:36.60 @ 1 mile (8 furlongs) – Sailor Beware (1934) &

Chief's Crown Chief's Crown (April 7, 1982 – April 29, 1997) was an American-bred Thoroughbred race horse who won the 1984 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and was voted the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Two-Year-Old Male Horse. He later became a successful sire. Ba ...

(1984) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), 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 ...

: * 5 –

Jorge Velásquez Jorge Velásquez (born December 28, 1946) is a Panamanian retired thoroughbred horse racing 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 more race ...

(1971, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1985) Most wins by a trainer: * 6 – James E. Fitzsimmons (1926, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1939, 1940) * 6 –

Woody Stephens Woody Stephens (September 1, 1913 – August 22, 1998) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame trainer. Biography Born Woodford Cefis Stephens in Stanton, Kentucky, he had a younger brother named William Ward Stephens who also b ...

(1950, 1962, 1976, 1977, 1982, 1983) Most wins by an owner: * 3 – Wheatley Stable (1927, 1939, 1968) * 3 –

Greentree Stable Greentree Stable, in Red Bank, New Jersey, was a major American thoroughbred horse racing stable and breeding farm established in 1914 by Payne Whitney of the Whitney family of New York City. Payne Whitney operated a horse farm and stable at Sa ...

(1930, 1933, 1934) * 3 –

Ogden Phipps Ogden Phipps (November 26, 1908 – April 21, 2002) was an American stockbroker, court tennis champion and Hall of Fame member, thoroughbred horse racing executive and owner/breeder, and an art collector and philanthropist. In 2001, he was induct ...

(1940, 1986, 1988)

Winners

* In 1955, Busher Fantasy finished first, but was disqualified.

References

{{reflist 1923 establishments in New York (state) Discontinued horse races in New York (state) Belmont Park Aqueduct Racetrack Flat horse races for two-year-olds Previously graded stakes races in the United States Horse races established in 1923 Recurring sporting events disestablished in 2006 2006 disestablishments in New York (state)