Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap

Grade II race
Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial

Location	Fair Grounds Race Course New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Inaugurated	1992
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.fairgroundsracecourse.com
Race information
Distance	1⅛ miles (9 furlongs)
Track	Grass, left-handed
Qualification	Four-years-old & up
Weight	Assigned
Purse	$400,000

Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early March at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. A Grade II event since 2001, the race is open to horses age four and older. It is contested on turf over a distance of one and one-eighth miles (nine furlongs).

The race was formerly known as the Explosive Bid Handicap but was renamed for the 2004 edition to honor Mervyn R. Muniz, Jr., a longtime racing secretary at Fair Grounds Race Course who died in 2003. [1]

There was no race in 2006 due to Hurricane Katrina.

Records

Speed record:

• 1:48.29 - Mystery Giver (2004) (new course record)

Most wins:

• Proudinsky, 2008, 2009

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - Gary A. Tanaka (2001, 2002, 2008)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 4 - Robby Albarado (1998, 2001, 2004, 2007)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2011	Smart Bid	5	Edgar Prado	H. Graham Motion	Augustin Stable	1:49.97
2010	Blues Street	6	Javier Castellano	Todd Pletcher	Anstu Stables	1:50.10
2009	Proudinsky	6	Victor Espinoza	Bobby Frankel	Johanna Louise Glen-Teven	1:50.94
2008	Proudinsky	5	Garrett Gomez	Robert J. Frankel	Gary A. Tanaka	1:50.44
2007	Einstein	5	Robby Albarado	Helen Pitts	Midnight Cry Stable	1:49.57
2006	no race
2005	A to the Z †	5	Victor Espinoza	Paula Capestro	Andrew & Paula Capestro	1:50.99
2004	Mystery Giver	6	Robby Albarado	Richard R. Scherer	Team Block	1:48.29
2003	Candid Glen	6	Elvis Perrodin	Andrew Leggio, Jr.	Glen C. Warren	1:51.15
2002	Sarafan	5	Corey Nakatani	Neil D. Drysdale	Gary A. Tanaka	1:48.88
2001	Tijiyr	5	Robby Albarado	Niall O'Callaghan	Gary A. Tanaka	1:50.72
2000	Brave Act	6	Cash Asmussen	Ron McAnally	Sidney Craig	1:48.98
1999	Lord Smith	4	Garret Gomez	Bruce C. Jackson	Boich, Kruse & Kruse	1:51.27
1998	Joyeux Danseur	5	Robby Albarado	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	B. Wayne Hughes	1:49.20
1997	Always A Classic	4	Eddie Martin, Jr.	Mark Frostad	Sam-Son Farm	1:54.83
1996	Kazabaiyn	6	Kent Desormeaux	Robert Hess, Jr.	Jeremy Stable, et al	1:50.80
1995	Earl of Barking	5	Goncalino Almeida	Richard L. Cross	Henry E. Pabst	1:52.01
1994	Pride of Summer	6	Robert King, Jr.	Anthony J. Bizelia	TOC Stable	1:49.59
1993	Coaxing Matt	4	Eddie Martin, Jr.	Neil L.Pessin	Elmer E. Miller	1:50.80
1992	Slick Groom	4	K. P. Leblanc	Donald Cormier, Sr.	Albert Pusch	1:52.60

* † In 2005, Rapid Proof won the race but later was disqualified after he tested positive for an anti-therapeutic steroid not allowed to be administered to a horse on race day.

References

• The 2008 Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap at the NTRA