The Baltimore Washington International Turf Cup is an American Grade III invitational horse race run over one mile.Name="Grade III" https://www.skysports.com/racing/racecards/pimlico/24-07-2021/1024184/race-8-baltimore-washington-international-turf-cup-stakes-grade-3 Inaugurated in 1952 as the Washington, D.C. International Stakes, it was raced at Laurel Park Racecourse on the turf in Laurel, Maryland, at a distance of miles (12 furlongs), and attracted top turf horses from North America and Europe.
It was held annually from 1952 to 1994, then it was discontinued because of its place on the late fall calendar and the popularity of the Breeders' Cup Turf. The race was brought back in 2005 as the Colonial Turf Cup run at Colonial Downs in Richmond, Virginia, and then at Laurel Park Racecourse as the Commonwealth Turf Cup in Laurel, Maryland, from 2015 to 2016. Then in 2017 the original root of race name was brought back as well adding it to a portion of its last version the Turf Cup suffix. So it is now being called the Baltimore Washington International Turf Cup. The race has been contested at Pimlico Race Course since 2021.
When it was founded by John D. Schapiro (owner of the Laurel Park Racecourse), it was the only international horse race in the United States. Until then, bringing horses from Europe and elsewhere to the United States for a specific race was unprecedented."Sport: International Laurels". Time. October 27, 1952. Retrieved February 15, 2011. J. Samuel Pearlman, editor of the Daily Racing Form, discussed the idea with Schapiro after the 1950 racing season. Less than a year and half later, the concept became a reality.2007 Maryland Jockey Club Media Guide, page 45 on March 3, 2007.
Usually just called the International, the race drew the best Thoroughbreds from the U.S. and Europe; it was important enough to attract horses from the Soviet Union during the 1960s, despite the Cold War."Soviet Horses To Race at Laurel". The New York Times. (payment required to read full article). In the 1980s, the Washington, D.C. International was part of a million-dollar bonus given to any horse who won both it, the Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, and the Turf Classic at Belmont Park in New York.
In the race's early days, few American horses excelled on the turf; some were turf specialists, while others built their race records on the dirt and then specifically switched over to grass for the International. U.S. Hall of Famer Kelso won five straight Horse of the Year honors competing almost entirely on the dirt in the early 1960s and finished second three times in a row in the International. In 1964, the great gelding finally won the race in an American record time of 2:23.80. He had given the event international status in Europe by just missing three times, before winning it at age seven.2007 Maryland Jockey Club Media Guide, page 45 on March 3, 2007.
The Washington, D.C. International Stakes was raced at a distance of miles from its inception in 1952 until 1986, when it was shortened to miles. With the exception of 1993 (when it was raced at one mile), the International remained at miles until its final running in 1994.
Run the Gantlet won the International in 1971; his son Providential won it in 1981. Providential was bred and previously owned by Bertram R. Firestone, whose wife Diana won the race the following year with her filly April Run after coming in second to Providential in 1981.
During its run, the D.C. International Stakes was won by horses from the United States 22 times and by foreign representatives 21 times.
Records Speed record: 2:23.80 @ 1-1/2 miles: Kelso (1964) (stakes and track record) 1:59.60 @ 1-1/4 miles: Paradise Creek (1994) 1:52.98 @ 1-3/16 miles: Showing Up (2005) 1:33.35 @ 1 mile: Caribou Club (2019)
Most wins by a horse: 2 – Bald Eagle (1959, 1960) 2 – Fort Marcy (1967, 1970)
Most wins by an owner: 3 – Nelson Bunker Hunt (1973, 1975, 1976)
Most wins by a jockey: 3 – Manuel Ycaza (1959, 1960, 1967) 3 – Lester Piggott (1968, 1969, 1980)
Most wins by a trainer: 4 – Maurice Zilber (1973, 1975, 1976, 1980)
Winners of the Baltimore Washington International Turf Cup since 1952 Year Winner Nation Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance (miles) Time Grade2023 Highestdistinction6 Jairo Rendon Lindsay Schultz Willow Lane Stables1 m1:36.63 III2022 Set Piece6 Sheldon Russell Brad H. Cox Juddmonte Farms1 m1:35.70 III2021 Field Pass4 Victor Carrasco Michael Maker Three Diamonds Farm1 m1:35.12 III2020no race2019 Caribou Club5 Feargal Lynch Thomas F. Proctor Glen Hill Farm (Craig Bernick)1 m1:33.35 III2018 Doctor Mounty5 Forest Boyce C. R. McGaughey III Dave Alden1 m1:41.78 III2017 Projected5 Nik Juarez Chad C. Brown Juddmonte Farms1 m1:34.25 II2016 Blacktype 5 Trevor McCarthy Christophe Clement Jump Sucker Stable LLC (Duncker, Warsh, Walker)1 m 1:33.43 II2015 Mr. Speaker3 José Ortiz C. R. McGaughey III Phipps Stable 1:47.30 II2014no race2013 London Lane6 Horacio Karamanos Lawrence Murray Howard M. Bender1:55.40II2012 Turbo Compressor4 Joe Bravo Todd A. Pletcher P & G Stable & Off The Hook Racing1:55.00 II2011 Rahystrada7 Sheldon Russell Byron Hughes Robert Courtney1:54.68 II2010 Paddy O'Prado3 Kent Desormeaux Dale Romans Donegal Racing1:54.20II2009 Battle of Hastings3 Tyler Baze Jeff Mullins Michael House1:57.79 II2008 Sailor's Cap3 Alan Garcia James J. Toner Team Valor2:04.42III2007 Summer Doldrums3 Jose Lezcano Richard Violette Jr. Klaravich Stables1:55.68III2006 Showing Up3 Cornelio Velásquez Barclay Tagg Lael Stables (Gretchen & Roy Jackson)1:52.982005 English Channel3 John Velazquez Todd Pletcher James T. Scatuorchio1:56:371995–2004no race1994 Paradise Creek5 Pat Day William I. Mott Masayki Nishiyama1:59.60 I1993 Buckhar5 Jean Cruguet Willard C. Freeman John W. Meriwether1 m1:38.00 I1992 Zoman5 Alan Munro Paul Cole Prince Fahd Salman2:01.40 I1991 Leariva4 Edgar Prado David Smaga Thierry van Zuylen2:06.40 I1990 Fly Till Dawn4 Laffit Pincay Jr. Darrell Vienna Josephine T. Gleis2:01.20 I1989 Caltech3 René Douglas Eduardo Azpurua Sr. David S. Romanik2:07.60 I1988 Sunshine Forever3 Ángel Cordero Jr. John M. Veitch Darby Dan Farm2:03.00 I1987 Le Glorieux3 Laffit Pincay Jr. Robert Collet Sieglinde Wolf2:02.80 I1986 Lieutenant's Lark4 Robbie Davis Howard M. Tesher Lowell T. Stevens2:09.00 I1985 Vanlandingham4 Don MacBeth C. R. McGaughey III Loblolly Stable2:35.60 I1984 Seattle Song3 Cash Asmussen François Boutin Stavros Niarchos2:27.20 I1983 All Along4 Walter Swinburn Patrick Biancone Daniel Wildenstein2:35.00 I1982 April Run4 Cash Asmussen François Boutin Diana M. Firestone2:31.00 I1981 Providential4 Alain Lequeux Charles Whittingham Serge Fradkoff2:31.20 I1980 Argument3 Lester Piggott Maurice Zilber Bruce McNall2:30.20 I1979 Bowl Game5 Jorge Velásquez John M. Gaver Jr. Greentree Stable2:51.00 I1978 Mac Diarmida3 Jean Cruguet Scotty Schulhofer Jerome M. Torsney2:27.00 I1977 Johnny D.3 Steve Cauthen Michael Kay Dana S. Bray Jr.2:32.00 I1976 Youth3 Sandy Hawley Maurice Zilber Nelson Bunker Hunt2:46.20 I1975 Nobiliary3 Sandy Hawley Maurice Zilber Nelson Bunker Hunt2:31.20 I1974 Admetus4 Maurice Philipperon John Cunnington Jr. Sir Michael Sobell2:29.60 I1973 Dahlia3 Bill Pyers Maurice Zilber Nelson Bunker Hunt2:31.80 I1972 Droll Role4 Braulio Baeza Thomas J. Kelly John M. Schiff2:38.80 I1971 Run the Gantlet3 Robert Woodhouse J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stables2:50.601970 Fort Marcy6 Jorge Velásquez J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stables2:42.801969 Karabas4 Lester Piggott Bernard van Cutsem Benjamin Guinness2:27.001968 Sir Ivor3 Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien Raymond R. Guest2:37.201967 Fort Marcy3 Manuel Ycaza J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stables2:27.001966 Behistoun3 Jean Deforge Joseph Lieux Alec Weisweiller2:28.801965 Diatome3 Jean Deforge Geoffroy Watson Guy de Rothschild2:28.201964 Kelso7 Ismael Valenzuela Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable2:23.801963 Mongo4 Wayne Chambers Frank A. Bonsal Marion duPont Scott2:27.401962 Match II4 Yves Saint-Martin François Mathet Haras d'Ouilly2:28.201961 T.V. Lark4 Johnny Longden Paul K. Parker Preston W. Madden2:26.201960 Bald Eagle5 Manuel Ycaza Woody Stephens Cain Hoy Stable2:33.001959 Bald Eagle4 Manuel Ycaza Woody Stephens Cain Hoy Stable2:28.001958 Sailor's Guide*6 Howard Grant J. Bowes Bond Jaclyn Stable2:33.201957 Mahan6 Sam Boulmetis Sr. Harry Trotsek Hasty House Farm (Allie E. Reuben)2:34.601956 Master Boing3 Guy Chancelier Georges Pelat Andre E. Lombard2:39.001955 El Chama4 Raul Bustamante Jose Israel La Belle Carlos V. Rincones2:36.201954 Fisherman3 Eddie Arcaro Sylvester Veitch C. V. Whitney2:47.801953 Worden4 Charles Smirke Georges Bridgland Ralph Strassburger2:36.001952 Wilwyn4 Manny Mercer John Waugh Robert C. Boucher2:30.80 * In 1958, Tudor Era finished first, but was disqualified and set back to second.
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