The Horatius Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race held in March at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. Open to three-year-old horses, it was contested over a distance of six furlongs on dirt.
An ungraded stakes, it offered a purse of $60,000. The race itself was named in honor of the horse that was given his name by his breeder after the legendary Roman hero Horatius. The colt was a huge son out of Proudest Roman and True Charm that proved to be worthy on his moniker. Horatius was a solid stakes winner but his true claim to fame came as one of Maryland's greatest sires of all time. Bred by Colonel W. Randolph Taylor, Horatius was born in Florida in 1975 and was sold for $20,000 as a two-year-old to Dr. Philip J. Torsey, who campaigned his stable's star for five years. During his racing career, Horatius made 54 starts winning 19 and placing second in 17 others. His six stakes wins were spread out among many conditions including; on the dirt, on the turf, sprinting and going long. His wins included the Grade 3 Riggs Handicap and a course setting performance in the Red Bank Handicap. He retired with career earnings of $403,899.
Horatius was retired to stud at Thornmar Farm in Chestertown, Maryland in 1980 as the property of a large syndicate. He achieved his greatest glory with his daughter, Eclipse award-winning sprinter Safely Kept, winner of the 1990 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint. One of his other graded stakes winners was Oliver's Twist, the runner-up in the 1995 Grade 1 Preakness Stakes. Horatius was retired from stud and pensioned in 2001; he died in his sleep five years later at age 31 in his paddock at Thornmar in February 2006.2007 Maryland Jockey Club Media Guide, page 211 on March 3, 2007.
Race Records Speed record: 1:09.00 @ 6 furlongs: Deadline (2003) 1:22.60 @7 furlongs: Perfect Score (1999)
Most wins by a jockey: 2 - Mark T. Johnston (1999, 2002) 2 - Rick Wilson (1995, 2003)
Most wins by a trainer: 2 - Grover G. Delp (1997, 1999)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner (Furlongs) Time Purse$ Gr.2008 Vanderkaay3 Rosie Napravnik A. Ferris Allen Bowman Thoroughbreds6 fur.1:10.60$60,0002007 Call Me Cash3 Jeremy Rose Scott A. Lake Gerard Artz6 fur.1:10.40 $70,0002006 Ah Day3 Ryan Fogelsonger King T. Leatherbury Jim Stable6 fur.1:11.20 $50,0002005 Diamond Wildcat3 Mario Pino Ben W. Perkins Jr. New Farm6 fur.1:11.80$50,0002004 Basketball Court3 Ramon Dominguez Henry Walters Ginny Stack6 fur.1:10.80 $40,0002003 Deadline3 Rick Wilson John Salzman Timothy Whitehead6 fur.1:09.00$50,0002002 Outstander3 Mark T. Johnston Rodney Jenkins 7 fur.1:24.00$40,0002001 My Golden Son3 Harry Vega Michael Wright Jr. Shahina Ahmad6 fur.1:11.00$55,0002000 Chief J Strongbow3 Mario Verge Lynda Knee 7 fur.1:24.40$55,0001999 Perfect Score3 Mark T. Johnston Grover G. Delp Jason & Shannon Inkster7 fur.1:22.60 $55,0001998 Running Copelan3 Carlos Cruz John Servis Harry T. Mangurian Jr.7 fur.1:24.60 $55,0001997 Saintly3 Carlos H. Marquez Jr. Grover G. Delp Allaire du Pont7 fur.1:24.00 $25,0001996 Count On Numbers3 C. Omar Klinger Carlos A. Garcia Not Found7.5 fur.1:30.60$50,0001995 Dakota's Trick3 Rick Wilson Edward T. Allard Not Found7.5 fur.1:31.60 $30,0001994 Run Alden3 Allen T. Stacy John J. Robb Hal C. B. Clagett6 fur.1:10.60 $35,000
See also Horatius Stakes top three finishers
References
External links Laurel Park website