The National Stallion Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old fillies held annually for the twenty-four years between 1948 through 1971. It was created as a counterpart to the National Stallion Stakes which was first run in 1898 at Morris Park Racecourse and was open to horses of either sex until 1948 when it became a race exclusively for colts and geldings. Contested on dirt at a distance of five and one half furlongs, the filly division was hosted by Belmont Park in Elmont, New York except for 1963 through 1967 when it was run at Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens, New York.
| Discontinued stakes race | |
| Location | Belmont Park, Elmont, New York, United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1948 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 5.5 furlongs |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Two-year-old fillies |
The race was restricted to fillies whose sire had been nominated for the race by its owner before the end of the foal's birth year.
Historical notes
editThe inaugural running of the fillies division took place on June 5, 1948. It was won by Green Baize owned by Walter M. Jeffords Sr. and ridden by future Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Arcaro.[1]
Bowl of Flowers won the 1960 edition while setting a new track record of 1:04 1/5 for five and one-half furlongs on dirt.[2]
Filly winners 1898–1947
editIn what would be the last year for racing at Morris Park Racecourse, in 1904 Tanya became the first filly to win the National Stallion Stakes during the time it was open to horses of either sex. Tanya went on to become just the second filly to ever win the Belmont Stakes, an American Classic that would eventually be the third leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series.[3] It would be thirty-four years until another filly was victorious in the National Stallion Stakes when New York City restaurateur Henry Lustig's Donita M won the 1938 race.[4] Five years later Henry Lustig would own the third filly to capture the race when in 1943 his Mrs. Ames defeated the gelding Stir Up owned by the powerful Greentree Stable.[5] Sonny Whitney's Enfilade in 1945 was the last filly to win the National Stallion Stakes before the separate division was created.[6]
Owners who won both divisions in the same year
edit1961: Christopher Chenery's Meadow Stable won the filly division with their future Hall of Fame inductee Cicada and the colts division with Sir Gaylord.[7][8]
1964: Wheatley Stable, owned by Gladys Mills Phipps and her brother Ogden L. Mills, won the colts division with Bold Lad and the filly division with Queen Empress.[9][10]
1971: Calumet Farm won the filly division with Rondeau and the colt division with Plum Bold in what would prove to be the final running of the National Stallion races.[11][12]
Records
editSpeed record:
- 1:04.20 @ 5.5 furlongs: Gallant Bloom & Box The Compass (1968)
- 0:56.40 @ 5 furlongs: Poly Hi (1957)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 3 – Eric Guerin (1949, 1952, 1957, 1959)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 4 – William C. Winfrey (1949, 1952, 1963, 1964)
Most wins by an owner:
- 4 – Wheatley Stable (1954, 1958, 1963, 1964)
Winners
editReferences
edit- ^ "Green Baize Wins Again". New York Times. 1948-06-06. Section Sports, page 1 & 5. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
- ^ "Filly Sets Mark In Triumph; Bowl of Flowers Runs 5 1/2 Furlongs in 1:04 1/5 and Nips Favored Shuette". New York Times. 1960-06-21. p. 42. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
- ^ "Hermis, First Romping, Surprised Horsemen". New York Times. 1904-05-22. p. 13. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
- ^ "Belmont Stakes Chart". New York Times. 1938-06-05. Section Sports, page 1 & 9. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
- ^ "Count Fleet First By Thirty Lengths". New York Times. 1943-06-06. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
- ^ "42,832 See Pavot Defeat Wildlife in Belmont Stakes". New York Times. 1945-06-24. Section Sports, page 33. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
- ^ "Batter Up Next, 1 1/2 Lengths Back; Part of Odds-On Entry With Broadway Trails Cicada -- Jazz Queen Third". New York Times. 1961-06-20. p. 38. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
- ^ "Sir Gaylord, $8, Triumphs in Colt Division of National Stallion at Belmont". New York Times. 1961-06-27. p. 39. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
- ^ "Bold Lad Victor by Half Length In $28,250 Stakes at Aqueduct". New York Times. 1964-06-23. p. 39. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
- ^ "Unbeaten Queen Empress 2‐Length Victor at Aqueduct". New York Times. 1964-06-16. p. 50. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
- ^ "Rondeau, 1‐to‐20 Choice, Scores by 11 Lengths at Belmont". New York Times. p. 52. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
- ^ "Plum Bold and Plumb Grey Triumph; Stallion Stakes Won by 7 Lengths". New York Times. 1971-06-17. p. 54. Retrieved 2020-03-07.