The Great American Stakes is a discontinued American Thoroughbred horse race last run annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Raced on dirt and open to two-year-old horses only, it was last run at a distance of five and a half furlongs.
Historical notes The race was inaugurated as a five furlong event at the Gravesend Race Track at Gravesend on Coney Island, New York. Passage off the Hart–Agnew Law that banned parimutuel betting. Enacted by the Republican controlled New York Legislature under Governor Charles Evans Hughes, left owners of Gravesend Race Track and other racing facilities in New York State struggling to stay in business without income from betting. Further restrictive legislation was passed by the New York Legislature in 1910 which deepened the financial crisis for track operators and led to a complete shut down of racing across the state during 1911 and 1912. When a February 21, 1913 ruling by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division saw horse racing return in 1913, the Great American Stakes was revived and over the years would be hosted by three different New York racetracks. While at Aqueduct Racetrack, the Great American Stakes earned Grade 3 status in 1973 and 1974.
Success and failure of some Hall of Fame greats While at Gravesend, the Great American Stakes attracted many of the top two-year-olds of the day including 1893 winner and future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Domino.
Over the years there were a number of upsets in the running of the Great American Stakes. In 1936, Fairy Hill defeated War Admiral and in 1977, in what became one of the great rivalries in the history of American racing, Alydar easily beat Affirmed.
Chronology of racetracks: Gravesend Race Track (1889–1910) Belmont Park (1913, 1957, 1975–1982) Aqueduct Racetrack (1914–1955, 1960–1974) Jamaica Race Course (1956, 1958–1959)
Records Speed record: 5 furlongs: 1:00.20 – Snark (1935) furlongs: 1:03.80 – Laus' Cause (1982) 6 furlongs: 1:12.00 – Getthere Jack (1955)
Most wins by a jockey: 5- Eddie Arcaro (1937, 1941, 1949, 1956, 1958)
Most wins by a trainer: 4 – James G. Rowe Sr. (1889, 1902, 1921, 1926) 4 – James E. Fitzsimmons (1927, 1933, 1934, 1935)
Most wins by an owner: 4- Wheatley Stable (1927, 1933, 1934, 1935) 4- Harry Payne Whitney (1905, 1921, 1922, 1926)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Dist. (Furlongs) Time1982Laus' Cause2Jorge TejeiraReynaldo H. NoblesRobert E. Brennan5.5 F1:03.801981Full Venture2Donald BrumfieldBenjamin W. Perkins Jr.Elkcam Stables (Mackle brothers)5.5 F1:04.601979J. P. Brother2Joe ImparatoJohn P. CampoJohn P. Campo5.5 F1:05.601978Jose Binn2Ángel Cordero Jr.Jose A. MartinMorton Binn5.5 F1:04.001977Alydar2Eddie MapleJohn M. VeitchCalumet Farm5.5 F1:03.601976Banquet Table2Jean CruguetGeorge T. Poole Jr.Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney5.5 F1:04.601975Great Contractor2Laffit Pincay Jr.Roger LaurinHoward P. Wilson8.5 F1:47.001974I'm In Business2Vincent Bracciale Jr.James J. TonerBrookfield Farm8.5 F1:45.001973Cannonade2Pete AndersonWoody StephensJohn M. Olin8 F1:34.601972Decimator2Ron TurcotteJohn P. CampoBuckland Farm8 F1:37.001971Chevron Flight2Martin FrominThomas H. Heard Jr.Caesar P. Kimmel5.5 F1:04.401970Three Martinis2Rudy TurcotteRoger LaurinEdward Sawyer5.5 F1:04.201969Hagley2Manuel YcazaJ. Woods GarthHickory Tree Stable5.5 F1:04.201968Prevailing2Ray BroussardWarren A. Croll Jr.Aisco Stable5.5 F1:03.801967Subpet2Ray BroussardWarren A. Croll Jr.Thomas Leclair5.5 F1:04.001966Native Prince2Ray BroussardRaymond F. MetcalfEdward R. Scharps5.5 F1:04.401965Our Michael2Johnny SellersJimmy PittEdgehill Farm (Leonard & Morris Fruchtman)5.5 F1:03.601964Time Tested2Braulio BaezaBill WinfreyOgden Mills Phipps5.5 F1:05.001963Raise A Native2Manuel YcazaBurley ParkeLouis Wolfson5.5 F1:02.601962Ahoy2Herb HinojosaJ. Bowes BondLeon Levy5.5 F1:04.601961Sir Gaylord2Ismael ValenzuelaCasey HayesChristopher Chenery5.5 F1:04.001960Hail To Reason2Bobby UsseryHirsch JacobsPatrice Jacobs5.5 F1:05.001959Bally Ache2Sam Boulmetis Sr.Jimmy PittEdgehill Farm (Leonard & Morris Fruchtman)5.5 F1:04.401958First Landing2Eddie ArcaroCasey HayesChristopher Chenery5.5 F1:04.001957Li'L Fella2Bobby UsseryJ. Bowes BondJaclyn Stable (William S. Paley & Leon Levy)5.5 F1:05.401956King Hairan2Eddie ArcaroLeonard H. HuntLeo Edwards & Harry B. Massey5.5 F1:04.401955Getthere Jack2Hedley WoodhouseJohn J. Weipert Jr.Lily-Ann Stable6 F1:12.001954Royal Coinage2Jack SkellyAnthony J. PupinoClearwater Stable (F.L. Leatherbury & E.A. Roberts)6 F1:12.201953Fisherman2Claude EricksonSylvester VeitchCornelius Vanderbilt Whitney6 F1:12.201952Bradley2Ted AtkinsonWilliam PostHope Iselin6 F1:11.201951Cousin2Nick CombestBill WinfreyAlfred G. Vanderbilt II6 F1:13.001950Silver Wings2Glenn LaswellTom SmithMaine Chance Farm6 F1:10.801949Navy Chief2Eddie ArcaroAlbert E. "Bert" AlexandraE. P. Taylor6 F1:11.201948Prince Quest2Charles LeblancJames ConwayBen F. Whitaker6 F1:12.401947Star Bout2Ted AtkinsonJohn M. Gaver Sr.Greentree Stable6 F1:11.001946I Will2Eric GuerinGeorge M. OdomJay Paley6 F1:13.201945Mist o' Gold2Wayne D. WrightDon CameronVera S. Bragg6 F1:12.801944Fighting Don2Ferrill ZufeltWilliam O. HicksGertrude Donovan6 F1:11.801943Lucky Draw2Conn McCrearyBert MulhollandGeorge D. Widener Jr.6 F1:12.001942Breezing Home2Vincent NodarseMatthew P. BradyWilliam Ziegler Jr.6 F1:11.601941Requested2Eddie ArcaroJ. H. "Blackie" McCooleBen F. Whitaker 6 F1:12.401940Omission2Don MeadeJ. P. "Sammy" SmithVictor Emanuel6 F1:13.001939Johnnie J.2Sam RenickEdward J. LegereCarrie Hardin6 F1:11.801938El Chico2Nick WallMatthew P. BradyWilliam Ziegler Jr.6 F1:13.201937Maetall2Eddie ArcaroGeorge E. PhillipsMaemere Farm Stable (Dewitt Page)6 F1:13.001936Fairy Hill2Maurice PetersRichard E. HandlenFoxcatcher Farm6 F1:12.601935Snark2Francis HornJames E. FitzsimmonsWheatley Stable5 F1:00.201934Dasher2Charles KurtsingerJames E. FitzsimmonsWheatley Stable5 F1:00.401933Slapdash2Hank MillsJames E. FitzsimmonsWheatley Stable5 F1:01.201932Puchero2Buddy HanfordClyde PhillipsWilliam Ziegler Jr.5 F1:00.401931Osculator2Pete WallsBennett W. CreechWilliam R. Coe5 F1:00.201930Equipoise2Raymond WorkmanFred HopkinsCornelius Vanderbilt Whitney5 F1:00.201929Grattan2Earl SteffenSam HildrethRancocas Stable5 F1:00.001928Soul of Honor2George FieldsRobert A. SmithAudley Farm Stable5 F0:59.401927Dice2Danny McAuliffeJames E. FitzsimmonsWheatley Stable5 F1:00.001926Pantella2Linus McAteeJames G. Rowe Sr.Harry Payne Whitney5 F0:59.801925Navigator2Earl SandeClyde PhillipsGreentree Stable5 F1:00.001924Swope2Clarence TurnerAlbert B. "Alex" GordonBud Fisher5 F1:00.401923Rustic2George W. CarrollRobert J. WaldenAlfred Hennen Morris5 F0:58.801922Goshawk2Lewis MorrisFred HopkinsHarry Payne Whitney5 F0:59.201921Broomster2Leslie PenmanJames G. Rowe Sr.Harry Payne Whitney5 F0:59.601920Touch Me Not2Clarence KummerWilliam R. MidgleyGreentree Stable5 F0:59.201919Bonnie Mary2Willie KnappWilliam HoganPhilip A. Clark5 F0:58.401918Dunboyne2George ByrneWilliam HoganPhilip A. Clark5 F0:59.601917Sun Briar2Willie KnappHenry McDanielWillis Sharpe Kilmer5 F1:01.401916Campfire2John McTaggartT. J. HealeyRichard T. Wilson Jr.5 F1:00.001915Ormesdale2Joe McCaheyT. J. HealeyRichard T. Wilson Jr.5 F1:01.801914Lady Barbary2Clarence TurnerRichard F. CarmanRichard F. Carman5 F1:01.601913Gainer2John WilsonH. I. MarshallJames L. Holland5 F0:59.601912 No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law.19111910Babbler2Eddie DuganJohn WhalenAugust Belmont Jr.5 F1:02.201909Starbottle2Eddie DuganA. Jack JoynerAugust Belmont Jr. 5 F1:02.801908Sir Martin2James LeeJohn E. MaddenJohn E. Madden5 F1:00.601907Cohort2R. LoweWilliam H. KarrickOneck Stable5 F1:00.001906Water Pearl2Joseph A. JonesA. Jack JoynerSydney Paget5 F1:01.001905Burgomaster2Lucien LyneJohn W. RogersHarry Payne Whitney5 F1:01.001904Song and Wine2Frank O'NeillFred BurlewNewton Bennington5 F1:02.601903Broomstick2George M. OdomPeter WimmerSamuel S. Brown5 F1:00.001902Dalesman2Willie ShawJames G. Rowe Sr.J. R. & F. P. Keene5 F1:00.001901Blue Girl2Tommy BurnsJohn E. MaddenJohn E. Madden5 F1:02.801900Prince Charles2Nash TurnerJohn W. RogersWilliam C. Whitney5 F1:02.201899Vulcain2Nash TurnerH. Eugene LeighH. Eugene Leigh5 F1:02.601898Jean Bereaud2Tod SloanSam HildrethDavid Gideon & John Daly5 F1:01.751897Previous2Tod Sloan Hardy Campbell Jr.Michael F. Dwyer5 F1:01.751896George Kessler2Fred TaralMatthew ByrnesMatthew Byrnes5 F1:02.251895Applegate2John J. McCaffertyJohn J. McCaffertyJohn J. McCafferty5 F1:02.001894Waltzer2Henry GriffinJohn J. HylandDavid Gideon & John Daly5 F1:04.251893Domino2Fred TaralWilliam LakelandJ. R. & F. P. Keene5 F1:01.751892Sir Walter2Edward GarrisonWalter C. RollinsOneck Stable5 F1:01.251891St. Florian2George TaylorR. Wyndham WaldenJohn A. & Alfred H. Morris5 F1:03.501890Russell2Edward GarrisonR. Wyndham WaldenJohn A. & Alfred H. Morris5 F1:02.001889St. Carlo2Edward GarrisonJames G. Rowe Sr.August Belmont5 F1:02.25
External links Video at YouTube of the 1977 Great American Stakes – Alydar vs Affirmed
References