The Black Helen Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Hialeah Park Race Track in Hialeah, Florida, from 1941 through 2001. Open to fillies and mares age three and older, the Grade II event was raced on turf at a distance of a mile and an eighth (9 furlongs).
The race was named for Edward R. Bradley's U.S. Racing Hall of Fame mare Black Helen. The inaugural running took place on February 8, 1941, and was won by Sweet Willow at a distance of seven furlongs. The following year the race was run at a mile and an eighth and would remain at that distance for all subsequent editions.
Historical notes In 1948 the Black Helen Handicap had a Dead heat for win between Shotsilk and Rampart. It marked a rarity for a dead heat in that Rampart carried the highweight, in the field of ten, and Shotsilk the low weight. Fitz Eugene Dixon Jr.'s Shotsilk would turn out to be the only three-year-old to ever win the race.
Bewitch won the 1950 Black Helen Handicap by seven lengths in a time of 1:48 flat for a mile and one-eighth that was just 2/5 of a second off the World Record.
In 1968, Treacherous won the Black Helen Handicap but her win was overshadowed by jockey Ángel Cordero Jr. who set a Hialeah track record by riding six winners that day. One horse Cordero Jr. did not ride was Treacherous.
The 2000 running of the Black Helen Handicap was run at Gulfstream Park. It returned to Hialeah Park in 2001 for what would prove to be the final edition.
Records Speed record: 1:46.71 @ 1 miles – Class Kris (1996)
Most wins: In its 58 runnings, no horse ever won this race more than once.
Most wins by a jockey: 3 – Eddie Maple (1984, 1985, 1987)
Most wins by a trainer: 4 – H. Allen Jerkens (1963, 1967, 1970, 1975)
Most wins by an owner: 4 – Calumet Farm (1950, 1957, 1959, 1954)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Dist. (Miles) Time Win$ Gr.2001Perfect Sting5Eibar CoaJoe OrsenoStronach Stables1 M1:47.17$120,000G22000Snow Polina5Javier CastellanoWilliam I. MottGary A. Tanaka1 M1:49.91$120,000G21999Anguilla4Julie KroneThomas J. SkiffingtonJohn & Glenn Sikura1 M1:47.43$120,000G21998Sopran Mariduff4Heberto Castillo Jr.William I. MottLeonardo Ciampoli1 M1:47.30$120,000G21997Powder Bowl5Herb McCauleyJonathan E. SheppardAugustin Stable1 M1:48.80$120,000G21996Class Kris4Gary BoulangerJames E. PicouFred W. Hooper1 M1:46.71$120,000G21995Alice Springs5René R. DouglasJonathan E. SheppardAugustin Stable1 M1:48.74$120,000G21994Aquilegia5Herb McCauleyFlint S. SchulhoferHelen K. Groves1 M1:48.20$120,000G31993Klassy Individual7René R. DouglasLawrence W. Jennings Jr.Ballet Stable1 M1:48.50$90,0001992Grab the Green4José A. SantosBarclay TaggSamuel Rogers1 M (±)1:48.00$90,0001990 – 1991 Race not held1989Love You by Heart4Jean CruguetJohn M. VeitchDarby Dan Farm1 M1:50.40$105,000G21988Anka Germania5José A. SantosThomas J. SkiffingtonGlencrest Farm (David Greathouse)1 M1:49.80$75,000G21987Lotka4Eddie MapleWoody StephensHenryk de Kwiatkowski1 M1:46.80$105,000G21986Shocker T.4Gene St. LeonGeorge GianosThomasina Caporella1 M1:47.00$60,000G21985Isayso6Eddie MapleMichael O. ChambleeJudie Nichols Chamblee1 M1:47.20$60,000G21984Sabin4Eddie MapleWoody StephensHenryk de Kwiatkowski1 M1:47.00$75,000G21983Mistretta4Jerry D. BaileyWoody StephensGhislaine Head1 M1:46.80$45,000G21982Honey Fox5Jean-Luc SamynFlint S. SchulhoferJerome Torsney1 M1:47.00$60,000G21981The Very One6Jorge VelásquezStephen A. DiMauroHelen M. Polinger1 M1:48.20$45,000G21980Spring in Deepsea5Jean-Luc SamynHoratio LuroSerge Fradkoff1 M1:51.00$45,000G21979Late Bloomer5Jorge VelásquezJohn M. Gaver Jr. Greentree Stable1 M1:50.40$30,000G21978Len's Determined4Jean CruguetDuke DavisLeonard Smith1 M1:49.00$30,000G21977Copano5Larry SaumellOral C. PickardJ. D. King1 M1:49.80$30,000G21976Yes Dear Maggy4Ruben HernandezRobert S. DuBoisJohn C. Oxley1 M1:48.40$30,000G21975Garland of Roses6Ángel Cordero Jr.H. Allen JerkensHobeau Farm1 M1:49.00$42,5101974Dogtooth Violet4Don MacBethStanley M. RieserBarbra Hunter1 M1:47.00$42,7701973Graffiti5Marco CastanedaHoratio LuroLouisa d'A Carpenter1 M1:49.80$1972Alma North4Frank LovatoFrank J. ZittoEugene V. Mori1 M1:49.00$41,9901971Swoons Flower4Carlos H. MarquezGeorge TowneHoward Sams1 M1:49.00$41,0801970Taken Aback4Braulio BaezaH. Allen JerkensHobeau Farm1 M1:49.20$41,2751969Amerigo Lady5Manuel YcazaJ. Elliott BurchRokeby Stable1 M1:49.60$43,2251968Treacherous4Heliodoro GustinesSherrill W. WardLazy F Ranch1 M1:49.00$40,2351967Mac's Sparkler5William BolandH. Allen JerkensHobeau Farm1 M1:48.60$42,2501966What A Treat4John L. RotzSylvester VeitchGeorge D. Widener Jr.1 M1:50.40$40,6901965Old Hat6Donald BrumfieldCharles C. NormanStanley Conrad1 M1:49.80$39,3901964 Princess Arle4John L. RotzHorace A. JonesCalumet Farm1 M1:50.60$39,4551963Pocosaba6William BolandH. Allen JerkensPete Bostwick1 M1:49.40$41,0051962Seven Thirty4Larry AdamsWinbert F. MulhollandGeorge D. Widener Jr.1 M1:49.00$33,2151961Be Cautious4Bobby UsseryJohn A. NerudJoseph M. Roebling1 M1:50.80$30,0951960Royal Native4Bill HartackKenneth D. Noe Sr.Perne L. Grissom1 M1:49.00$30,1601959Rosewood5Charlie BurrHorace A. JonesCalumet Farm1 M1:50.20$25,3501958Pardala5Dave ErbHugh L. FontaineD & H Stable (Jack Dudley/Bonnie Heath)1 M1:50.00$28,4001957Amoret5Bill HartackHorace A. JonesCalumet Farm1 M1:54.60$25,4501956Clear Dawn5Logan BatchellerJack LongDarby Dan Farm1 M1:49.40$28,9591955Rosemary B.4William M. CookMose F. ShapoffWilliam L. Huntley1 M1:49.40$24,5001954Gainsboro Girl4Augustine CatalanoWalter D. CarrollShawmut Stable (Richard A. Jenks)1 M1:57.80$23,6001953Atalanta 5Harrison B. WilsonJack LongDarby Dan Farm1 M1:49.40$23,6001952Roman Miss4Kenneth ChurchJohn HanoverHarry F. Krimendahl1 M1:55.80$18,1751951Antagonism4Robert BernhardtJames E. FitzsimmonsWheatley Stable1 M1:51.60$15,0501950Bewitch5Ovie ScurlockBen A. JonesCalumet Farm1 M1:48.00$13,8251949Roman Candle5Logan BatchellerJack WebberGardenia Stable (Paul Newsom)1 M1:49.00$16,8501948Shotsilk (DH)3William M. CookWinbert F. MulhollandFitz Eugene Dixon Jr.1 M1:50.00$10,9501948Rampart (DH)6Mike BasileRichard "Whitey" NixonHelene K. Haggerty1 M1:50.00$10,9501947Miss Grillo5Conn McCrearyHoratio LuroMill River Stable (Josephine Douglas)1 M1:49.80$19,4001946Adroit6Kenneth ScawthornJoseph W. MerglerMrs. Robert H. Heighe1 M1:51.80$22,7001945 No race held due to WW II restrictions.1944Silvestra6Ted AtkinsonRoss O. HigdonWoolford Farm1 M1:52.20$4,1301943 No race held due to WW II restrictions.1942Pomayya4Basil JamesJ. J. McCabeBrookmeade Stable1 M1:50.80$9,0751941Sweet Willow4Robert HowellRobert W. CollinsRobert W. Collins7 F1:23.40$4,810
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