The Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of six furlongs on the dirt held annually in late July at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 17 August 1985 as the A Phenomenon Stakes, the sixth event on the card that day and was won by the Richard E. Dutrow Sr. trained Cognizant, who won in a time of 1:09. The event was named after the winner of the 1983 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga, A Phenomenon. A Phenomenon suffered a life-ending injury in the 1984 Forego Handicap.

The event was classified as Grade III in 1990 and in 1995 upgraded to Grade II.

In 2000, the event was renamed to honor Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. who had died in 1999. Vanderbilt was a very prominent Thoroughbred owner who also served as chairman of the board of the New York Racing Association from 1971 to 1975.

In 2010 the event was upgraded to Grade I.

The 2019 winner Imperial Hint set a new track record for the six-furlong distance, winning for the second time in a time of 1:07.92.

In 2025 the event was downgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Grade II.

Records Speed record: 1:07.92 – Imperial Hint (2019)

Margins 8 lengths – El Deal (2017)

Most wins: 2 – Cognizant (1985, 1986) 2 – Imperial Hint (2018, 2019)

Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Pat Day (1985, 1986, 1992, 1993) 4 – Javier Castellano (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019)

Most wins by a trainer: 4 – Steven M. Asmussen (2010, 2013, 2020, 2022)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – Happy Valley Farm (1985, 1986) 2 – H. Joseph Allen (1988, 2006) 2 – Hobeau Farm (1991, 1998) 2 – Shadwell Racing (1999, 2008) 2 – Raymond Mamone (2018, 2019)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAlfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap2026Built4Irad Ortiz Jr.Wayne M. CatalanoEclipse Thoroughbred Partners6 furlongs1:09.14$400,000II2025Book’em Danno4Paco LopezDerek S. Ryan Atlantic Six Racing 6 furlongs 1:08.98$400,000II2024Nakatomi 5Tyler GaffalioneWesley A. WardQatar Racing & Mrs. Fitriani Hay6 furlongs1:09.97$350,000I2023Elite Power5Irad Ortiz Jr.William I. MottJuddmonte6 furlongs1:09.22$350,000I2022Jackie's Warrior4Joel RosarioSteven M. AsmussenJ. Kirk & Juby Robison6 furlongs1:09.74$350,000I2021Lexitonian 5 Jose Lezcano Jack Sisterson Calumet Farm 6 furlongs1:09.38$350,000I2020Volatile6 Ricardo Santana Jr.Steven M. AsmussenThree Chimneys Farm & Phoenix Thoroughbred III6 furlongs1:09.61$232,500I2019Imperial Hint6Javier CastellanoLuis Carvajal Jr.Raymond Mamone6 furlongs1:07.92$350,000I2018Imperial Hint5Javier CastellanoLuis Carvajal Jr.Raymond Mamone6 furlongs1:08.98$350,000I2017El Deal6Javier CastellanoJorge NavarroMichelle & Albert Crawford6 furlongs1:09.26$350,000I2016A. P. Indian6Joe BravoArnaud Delacour Green Lantern Stables 6 furlongs1:08.25$350,000I2015Rock Fall4Javier CastellanoTodd A. PletcherStonestreet Stables6 furlongs1:08.75$350,000I2014Palace5Cornelio VelásquezLinda L. RiceAntonino Miuccio6 furlongs1:08.56$350,000I2013Justin Phillip4John R. VelazquezSteven M. AsmussenZayat Stables6 furlongs1:08.59$392,000I2012Poseidon's Warrior4Irad Ortiz Jr.Robert E. Reid Jr.Swilcan Stable6 furlongs1:09.40$400,000I2011Sean Avery5Joe BravoAllen IwinskiBlack Swan6 furlongs1:09.71$250,000I2010Majesticperfection4Shaun BridgmohanSteven M. AsmussenPadua Stables6 furlongs1:08.63$250,000I2009Fabulous Strike6Todd M. BeattieWalter Downey6 furlongs1:08.69$250,000II2008Abraaj5Alan GarciaKiaran P. McLaughlinShadwell Racing6 furlongs1:10.23$250,000II2007Diabolical4Mario G. PinoSteve KlesarisPuglisi Stables & Steve Klesaris6 furlongs1:08.67$260,000II2006War Front4José A. SantosH. Allen JerkensH. Joseph Allen6 furlongs1:10.21$208,200II2005Pomeroy4Eibar CoaPatrick L. BianconeMichael Tabor & Derrick Smith6 furlongs1:08.69$200,000II2004Speightstown6John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherEugene & Laura Melnyk6 furlongs1:08.04$200,000II2003Private Horde4Jason P. LumpkinsS. Joe CainBilly R. Tucker6 furlongs1:09.18$200,000II2002Orientate4Jerry D. BaileyD. Wayne LukasRobert & Beverly Lewis6 furlongs1:09.72$200,000II2001Five Star Day5Garrett K. GomezC. Beau GreelyColumbine Stable & Kitchwa Stables6 furlongs1:08.57$200,000II2000† Successful Appeal4Edgar S. PradoJohn C. KimmelStarview Stable & John T. L. Jones, Jr6 furlongs1:09.21$200,000IIA Phenomenon Handicap1999Intidab6Robbie DavisShadwell Racing6 furlongs1:09.00$150,000II1998Kelly Kip4Jean-Luc SamynH. Allen JerkensHobeau Farm6 furlongs1:09.60$137,575IIA Phenomenon Stakes 1997Royal Haven5Richard MiglioreGasper S. MoscheraBarbara J. Davis6 furlongs1:09.60$108,700II1996Prospect Bay4Jerry D. BaileyJohn C. KimmelLucille Conover6 furlongs1:08.20$109,600IIA Phenomenon Handicap 1995Not Surprising5Robbie DavisJudson Van WorpRobert Van Worp6 furlongs1:09.60$111,900II1994Boundary4John R. VelazquezWilliam I. MottMrs. W. H. Perry6 furlongs1:08.60$109,800IIIA Phenomenon Stakes 1993Gold Spring (ARG)5Pat DayJesse N. WiggintonRoss Harris6 furlongs1:09.20$117,800III1992For Really5Pat DayD. Wayne LukasRegal Oak Farm6 furlongs1:08.60$119,200III1991Kid Russell5Rafael Mojica Jr.H. Allen JerkensHobeau Farm6 furlongs1:09.40$119,000III1990Prospectors Gamble5Julio A. GarciaBrian A. MayberryJan Siegel6 furlongs1:09.20$84,000III1989Mr. Nickerson3José A. SantosMark J. ReidRobert H. A. Nixon6 furlongs1:08.80$87,750 1988High Brite4Ángel Cordero Jr.D. Wayne LukasH. Joseph Allen6 furlongs1:10.00$84,000 1987Banker's Jet5Jorge L. VargasSalvatore J. LongoGerald Fineberg6 furlongs1:09.00$82,830 1986Cognizant5Pat DayRichard E. Dutrow Sr.Happy Valley Farm6 furlongs1:09.20$55,300 1985Cognizant4Pat DayHappy Valley Farm6 furlongs1:09.60$55,600 Notes:

† In the 2000 running Intidab crossed the finish line first but was later disqualified; Successful Appeal was declared the winner.

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References