What A Summer Stakes

The What A Summer Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in January at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. The race is open to fillies and mares four years old and up and is run at six furlongs on the dirt.

An ungraded stakes race, it offers a purse of $100,000. The race was restricted to Maryland-breds between 1978 and 1992. It was run for fillies and mares from age three and up from 1978 through 1985 and was run under handicap conditions during that same time. The race was restricted to two-year-olds from 1985 to 1992.

The race was named in honor of What A Summer, a gray mare by What Luck. She was an Eclipse Award winner and was named American Champion Sprint Horse in 1977. She was bred in Maryland by Milton Polinger. What A Summer was a foal in 1973 and won 18 of 31 starts in her career. She won the de facto second leg of the filly Triple Crown, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, won the Fall Highweight Handicap twice (carrying 134 pounds each time), the Silver Spoon Handicap twice, the Maskette Handicap and four other stakes. In addition to her 18 wins, she placed nine times with earnings of $479,161. That record of 27 first or second finishes in 31 starts at 87% is among the best in history.2007 Maryland Jockey Club Media Guide, page 466 on March 3, 2007.

What A Summer was trained by Bud Delp while racing for Polinger. She was bought by Diana Firestone following Polinger's death in 1976. Mrs. Firestone turned the mare over to trainer LeRoy Jolley. She was named Maryland-bred horse of the year in 1977 and twice was named champion older mare. What A Summer was retired in 1878 and as a broodmare produced several graded stakes winners.

The venue for the 1994 race was Gulfstream Park.

Records Speed record: 6 furlongs – 1:09.20 – Xtra Heat (2003) 7 furlongs – 1:23.60 – Sea Siren (1983)

Most wins by an horse: 2 – Silmaril (2006 & 2007) 2 – Sweet on Smokey (2016 & 2017)

Most wins by an owner: 3 – Stephen E. Quick (1982, 2007 & 2008)

Most wins by a jockey: 2 – six different jockeys share this record with 2 wins each

Most wins by a trainer: 3 – Christopher W. Grove (2007, 2008 & 2010)

Winners of the What A Summer Stakes since 1978 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse2026Passage East5Sheldon RussellBrittany T. Russell Hugh McMahon6 fur.1:10.37$100,0002025Ms. Bucchero5Xavier PerezDiane D. MoriciMorici Racing Stable LLC (Diane D. Morici)6 fur.1:12.25$100,000 2024Anonymously8Andres ChavezJose CorralesDiane Balsamo6 fur.1:12.98$100,000 2023Fille D’Esprit 7Xavier PerezJohn J. RobbC J I Phoenix Group & No Guts No Glory Farm6 fur.1:11.70$100,000 2022Time Limit5Victor CarrascoMichael J. MakerThree Diamonds Farm (Kirk, Debra, & son Jordan Wycoff (Manager)6 fur.1:11.39$100,000 2021 Hello Beautiful4 Sheldon Russell Brittany T. Russell Madaket Stables (Sol Kumin, Managing Partner)6 fur.1:10.67$100,0002018 Ms Locust Point4 Jorge Vargas Jr. John Servis Cash is King LLC6 fur.1:09.78$100,0002017 Sweet on Smokey 5 Victor Carrasco Claudio Gonzalez BB Horses’6 fur.1:11.89$100,0002016 Sweet on Smokey 4 Victor Carrasco Claudio Gonzalez Bruno La Banca6 fur.1:11.00$75,0002015 Lady Sabelia 5 Horacio Karamanos Robin Graham Mrs. Frank Wright6 fur.1:12.01$100,0002014 Winning Image7 Anthony Black Micahel C. Aro Martin Scafidi6 fur.1:10.37$100,0002013 Bold Affair5 Abel Castellano Howard Wolfendale Charles J. Reed & Michael Zanella 6 fur.1:10.61$125,0002012 No race– No race No race No race No raceNo raceNo race2011 Aspenglow5 Travis Dunkelberger Gary Capuano Nancy L. Terhune 6 fur.1:10.21 $75,0002010 Sweet Goodbye 5 J. D. Acosta Christopher W. Grove William R. Harris6 fur.1:11.02 $70,0002009 Access Fee5 Jose Caraballo Larry Murray Sondra Bender6 fur.1:10.31 $60,0002008 Silmaril7 Jeremy Rose Christopher W. Grove Stephen E. Quick 6 fur.1:10.20$90,0002007 Silmaril6 Ryan Fogelsonger Christopher W. Grove Stephen E. Quick 6 fur.1:11.00$100,0002006 Flame of Love6 Jozbin Santana Scott A. Lake McCarty Racing6 fur.1:10.36 $60,0002005 Sensibly Chic5 Steve Hamilton Timothy Tullock Jr. Lois S. Nervitt6 fur.1:09.80$50,0002004 Bronze Abe5 Erick Rodriguez Grover G. Delp Samuel Bayard6 fur.1:10.40 $75,0002003 Xtra Heat5 Rick Wilson John Salzman Kenneth Taylor6 fur.1:09.20$60,0002002 Outstanding Info4 Jose Caraballo Frank Generazio Jr. Patricia Generazio6 fur.1:10.20$50,0002001 Doc Calls Her Kate4 Roberto Alvarado Jr. Anthony Correnti Rhodyo Stable, Inc.6 fur.1:11.40$60,0001993-2000 No race– No race No race No race No raceNo raceNo race1992 Carnirainbow2 Greg Hutton John J. Robb Hal C. B. Clagett7 fur.1:26.80 $60,0001991 Set to Fly2 Rick Wilson Ben W. Perkins Jr. Richard L. Golden7 fur.1:25.40 $75,0001990 Gala Goldilocks2 Greg McCarron Bernard P. Bond Leonard "Skip" Leviton7 fur.1:23.80 $75,0001989 Valay Maid2 Jorge Duarte Carlos A. Garcia Ginny Wright7 fur.1:25.80 $75,0001988 Hard Headed Woman2 Mario PinoHamilton G. Smith Robert Summers7 fur.1:25.00 $75,0001987 Sham Say2 Ben Feliciano William B. Cox Eugene Ford Sr.7 fur.1:24.60 $65,0001986 Wainee Church2 Donnie A. Miller Jr. Charles Peoples Bayard Sharp7 fur.1:26.20 $36,5001985 Gala de Oro2 Ben Feliciano Bernard P. Bond Gertrude Leviton7 fur.1:24.40 $40,5001984 Artful Girl5 Paul Nicol Jr. John W. Hicks III Cyrus D. Beddard6 fur.1:11.80 $16,5001983 Sea Siren5 Vincent Bracciale Jr. Filemon Veriay Hilltop Stable (Clarence Nagro)7 fur.1:23.60 $30,0001982 Kattegat's Pride3 Donnie A. Miller Jr. Joseph A. Devereux Stephen E. Quick7 fur.1:24.20 $30,0001981 Privacy3 Carlos Barrera Stanley M. HoughBertram and Diana Firestone6 fur.1:12.00 $30,0001980 Denim Gal3 Joe Imparato Pedro Briones Chiquita Farm (Beatriz Gonzalez)6 fur.1:12.00 $30,0001979 Silver Ice3 Vincent Bracciale Jr. Joseph P. Considine C. Oliver Goldsmith6 fur.1:11.00 $30,0001978 Debby's Turn4 Greg McCarron Thomas E. Field Red Hill Farm (John & Helen Wallace)6 fur.1:10.80 $28,100

What A Summer Stakes

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