The Flatbush Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Sheepshead Bay Race Track in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York. Held in September, it was an important event for two-year-olds of either sex. The race was run on dirt over a distance of seven furlongs and was generally the longest distance to that point for the participants who were in their first year of racing.
The inaugural running in 1884 was won by the filly Wanda who was selected through a present-day review process by Thoroughbred Heritage as the 1884 American Champion Two-Year-Old Female The final running in 1909 was won by the colt Waldo who would earn annual Co-Champion honors as one of the 1887–1935 Champions selected retrospectively by a panel of experts as published by the widely respected The Blood-Horse magazine.
Champions who won the Flatbush Stakes
Lady Violet Requital Ornament Nasturtium Irish Lad Highball Colin (HoF) Sir Martin Waldo
Demise of the Flatbush Stakes On June 11, 1908, the Republican controlled New York Legislature under Governor Charles Evans Hughes passed the Hart–Agnew anti-betting legislation with penalties allowing for fines and up to a year in prison. The owners of Sheepshead Bay Race Track, and other racing facilities in New York State, struggled to stay in business without betting. Racetrack operators had no choice but to drastically reduce the purse money being paid out which by 1909 saw the Flatbush Stakes offering a purse that was nearly a tenth of what it had been in earlier years. 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 Court ruling saw racing return in 1913 it was too late for the Sheepshead Bay horse racing facility and it never reopened.
Records Speed record: 1:24.80 – Colin (1907)
Most wins by a jockey: 2 – Tod Sloan (1897, 1900) 2 – Anthony Hamilton (1889, 1890) 2 – Samuel Doggett (1893, 1894) 2 – Nash Turner (1901, 1902)
Most wins by a trainer: 3 – Matthew Byrnes (1884, 1888, 1893) 3 – A. Jack Joyner (1892, 1898, 1904) 3 – Bud May (1903, 1905, 1906)
Most wins by an owner: 3 – William C. Whitney (1900, 1901, 1902)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Dist. (F) Time Win US$1909Waldo2Charles GrandRaleigh Colston Jr.Charles L. Harrison7 F1:26.20$1,4251908Sir Martin2Cal ShillingJohn E. MaddenJohn E. Madden7 F1:25.40$11,1001907Colin2Walter MillerJames G. Rowe Sr.James R. Keene7 F1:24.80$8,3501906De Mund2Herman RadtkeJohn W. MayPaul J. Rainey7 F1:26.20$8,3501905Yankee Consul2Jack MartinJohn W. MayTippah Farms Stable7 F1:26.00$8,3501904Tradition2Lucien LyneA. Jack JoynerSydney Paget7 F1:25.20$8,3501903Highball2Grover FullerJohn W. MayWalter M. Shiftel7 F1:25.60$8,3501902Irish Lad2Nash TurnerJohn W. RogersW. C. Whitney & H. B. Duryea7 F1:26.00$3,8501901Nasturtium2Nash TurnerJohn W. RogersWilliam C. Whitney7 F1:25.60$3,8501900Ballyhoo Bey2Tod SloanJohn E. MaddenWilliam C. Whitney7 F1:26.00$3,8501899Lieut. Gibson2Frank O'Leary Charles H. HughesCharles Head Smith7 F1:30.00$3,4751898Autumn †2Danny MaherA. Jack JoynerA. Jack Joyner7 F1:28.00$2,4001897Previous2Tod SloanHardy Campbell Jr.Michael F. Dwyer7 F1:28.40$2,3501896Ornament2Alonzo ClaytonCharles T. PattersonCharles T. Patterson7 F1:27.20$2,3501895Requital2Henry GriffinJohn HylandDavid Gideon7 F1:26.00$2,4001894Lissak2Samuel DoggettRaleigh Colston Jr.Jack P. Chinn7 F1:29.00$3,5001893Senator Grady2Samuel DoggettMatthew ByrnesMarcus Daly7 F1:29.20$3,3501892Lady Violet 2Willie SimmsA. Jack JoynerBlemton Stable7 F1:28.60$3,8001891Merry Monarch2Marty BergenJohn HylandDavid Gideon7 F1:29.40$4,4501890Potomac2Anthony HamiltonJames G. Rowe Sr.August Belmont Sr.7 F1:29.80$4,5501889Torso2Anthony HamiltonCharles LeightonWilliam L. Scott7 F1:34.00$6,6001888Salvator2Shelby BarnesMatthew ByrnesJames B. A. Haggin7 F1:30.80$5,4501887Sir Dixon2William J. FitzpatrickGreen B. MorrisGreen B. Morris7 F1:29.00$5,6501886King Fox2John SpellmanJim MurphyJames B. A. Haggin7 F1:27.75$3,6501885Charity2Robert "Tiny" Williams William L. Scott7 F1:31.25$4,7001884Wanda2Harris OlneyMatthew ByrnesPierre Lorillard IV7 F1:31.00$2,475
† In 1898, Martimas won but was disqualified.
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