- Massachusetts Handicap
-
Ungraded race Massachusetts Handicap Location Suffolk Downs
Boston, Massachusetts, United StatesInaugurated 1935 Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing Website www.suffolkdowns.com Race information Distance 1⅛ miles (9 furlongs) Track Dirt, left-handed Qualification Three-year-olds and up Weight Handicap Purse $500,000 The Massachusetts Handicap, frequently referred to as the "MassCap", is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up held annually at Suffolk Downs in Boston, Massachusetts. It is currently an Ungraded stakes race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt. The race received Grade III status by the American Graded Stakes Committee for 2009,[1] but the race wasn't run. The MassCap was stripped of its graded status in 2011 as a result of not being run for two consecutive years.[2]
Suffolk Downs continues to fight for its economic life since closing for a three-year period beginning in 1989. The MassCap has been a frequent casualty of those circumstances.[3] It was first held on October 16, 1935.
In an attempt to bring the MassCap back to its former glory, new ownership offered a purse of $500,000 in 2007. Suffolk Downs also provided a bonus of $200,000 if the winner won multiple Grade I or Group 1 stakes races at a mile or longer. An additional $100,000 was to be awarded if the winner had won one Grade I or Group 1 race and at least one other graded stakes race at a mile or longer in 2007.[4]
Part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, the winner of the 2008 Massachusetts Handicap automatically qualified for the Breeders' Cup Classic.[5]
Since inception the Massachusetts Handicap has been run at different distances:
- 1¼ miles : 1948-1969
- 1½ miles (Turf): 1970, 1971
Records
Time record:
- 1⅛ miles: 1:47.27 - Skip Away (1998) (new Track Record)
In the 1955 Massachusetts Handicap, jockey Sam Boulmetis, Sr. rode Helioscope to a track record time of 2:01 for 1¼ miles on dirt. As at 2008 that track record still stands.
Largest margin of victory:
- 14 lengths - Commentator (2008)
Most wins:
- 2 - First Fiddle (1944, 1945), Air Pilot (1959, 1962), Smart (1964, 1965), Cigar (1995, 1996), Skip Away (1997, 1998)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 4 - Jerry D. Bailey (1995, 1996, 1998, 2001)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 3 - Sonny Hine (1986, 1997, 1998) and Clyde Troutt (1959, 1960, 1962)
Winners of the Massachusetts Handicap
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time Grade 2010 No Race 2009 No Race 2008 Commentator 7 John Velazquez Nick Zito Tracy Farmer 1:48.97 NG 2007 Brass Hat 6 Willie Martinez William B. Bradley Fred F. Bradley 1:49.72 NG 2006 No Race 2005 No Race 2004 Offlee Wild 4 Edgar Prado Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. AZ Azalea Stables LLC 1:49.14 II 2003 No Race 2002 Macho Uno 4 Gary L. Stevens Joe Orseno Stronach Stables 1:50.52 II 2001 Include 4 Jerry D. Bailey Bud Delp Robert E. Meyerhoff 1:48.60 II 2000 Running Stag 6 John Velazquez Philip Mitchell Richard J. Cohen 1:49.45 II 1999 Behrens 5 Jorge Chavez H. James Bond Rudlein Stable 1:49.00 II 1998 Skip Away 5 Jerry D. Bailey Sonny Hine Carolyn Hine 1:47.27 III 1997 Skip Away 4 Shane Sellers Sonny Hine Carolyn Hine 1:47.80 III 1996 Cigar 6 Jerry D. Bailey William I. Mott Allen E. Paulson 1:49.60 NG 1995 Cigar 5 Jerry D. Bailey William I. Mott Allen E. Paulson 1:48.60 NG 1994 No Race 1993 No Race 1992 No Race 1991 No Race 1990 No Race 1989 Private Terms 4 Kent Desormeaux Charles H. Hadry Locust Hill Farm 1:49.40 II 1988 Lost Code 4 Craig Perret L. William Donovan Wendover Stable 1:50.20 II 1987 Waquoit 4 Chris McCarron Guido Federico Joseph Federico 1:49.00 II 1986 Skip Trial 4 Jean-Luc Samyn Sonny Hine Zelda Cohen 1:49.80 II 1985 Bounding Basque 5 Antonio Graell Woody Sedlacek Jacques D. Wimpfheimer 1:47.60 II 1984 Dixieland Band 4 Declan Murphy Charles Peoples Mary Sharp 1:52.00 II 1983 Let Burn 4 Jack Penney William W. Perry Scorpio Stable 1:48.80 II 1982 Silver Supreme 4 Eric Beitia Richard DeStasio Michael Berry 1:48.80 III 1981 Soldier Boy 5 Roger Danjean Dominique Imprescia Sandy Cooperstein 1:49.40 III 1980 Ring of Light 5 Frank Lovato, Jr. Pancho Martin Viola Sommer 1:50.40 III 1979 Island Sultan 4 John Ruane David Hofmans Buckland Farm 1:48.60 II 1978 Big John Taylor 4 Jacinto Vasquez Doug Peterson Karen L. Taylor 1:48.40 II 1977 Blue Times 6 Angel Cordero, Jr. Laz Barrera Aaron U. Jones 1:49.40 II 1977 Swinging Hal 4 Steve Pagano J. W. Woods John Martin 1:49.20 II 1976 Dancing Champ 4 Chris McCarron Bud Delp Windfields Farm 1:49.20 II 1975 Stonewalk 4 Ron Turcotte Daniel J. Lopez Timberland Stable 1:48.60 II 1974 Billy Come Lately 4 Don MacBeth D. Michael Smithwick Richard W. Palmer 1:48.60 II 1973 Riva Ridge 4 Ron Turcotte Lucien Laurin Meadow Stable 1:48.20 II 1972 Droll Role 4 Eddie Maple Thomas J. Kelly John M. Schiff 1:49.20 1971 Chompion 6 Jorge Velasquez Ivor G. Balding C. V. Whitney 2:34.40 1970 Semillant 5 Jean Cruguet Angel Penna, Sr. Sarah Hall 2:37.20 1969 Beau Marker 4 Leroy Moyers Lucien Laurin Reginald N. Webster 2:04.60 1968 Out Of The Way 3 John L. Rotz Max Hirsch King Ranch 2:02.80 1967 Good Knight 5 Karl Korte Arnold Scruton, Jr. Arnold Scruton 2:02.40 1966 Fast Count 3 Mike Venezia Ivor G. Balding C. V. Whitney 2:01.20 1965 Smart 6 Eldon Nelson Henry S. Clark Christiana Stable 2:01.60 1964 Smart 5 Eldon Nelson Henry S. Clark Christiana Stable 2:03.20 1963 Crimson Satan 4 Herberto Hinojosa Gordon R. Potter Crimson King Farm 2:01.20 1962 Air Pilot 8 Leroy Moyers Clyde Troutt Ada L. Rice 2:01.40 1961 Polylad 5 Eddie Arcaro Thomas M. Miles Mrs. Q. A. S. McKean 2:01.80 1960 Talent Show 5 Ray Broussard Clyde Troutt Ada L. Rice 2:03.60 1959 Air Pilot 5 Jack Leonard Clyde Troutt Ada L. Rice 2:02.40 1958 Promised Land 4 Pete D. Anderson Hirsch Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs 2:01.80 1957 Greek Spy 4 Eric Guerin Sherrill W. Ward Charles U. Bay 2:03.20 1956 Midafternoon 4 William Boland Thomas M. Waller Mrs. E. E. Robbins 2:04.00 1955 Helioscope 4 Sam Boulmetis, Sr. Frank Caltrone William G. Helis, Jr. 2:01.00 1954 Wise Margin 4 Keith Stuart S. N. Edmundson Sam Tufano 2:01.60 1953 Royal Vale 5 Jack Westrope James E. Ryan Esther D. du Pont 2:02.20 1952 To Market 4 William Boland Max Hirsch King Ranch 2:01.40 1951 One Hitter 5 Ted Atkinson John M. Gaver, Sr. Greentree Stable 2:02.20 1950 Cochise 4 Eddie Arcaro Virgil W. Raines Brandywine Stable 2:01.80 1949 First Nighter 4 Joseph Renick William J. Hirsch Sam A. Mason II 2:04.60 1948 Beauchef 5 Ruperto Donoso Robert T. Odom Andes Stable 2:02.60 1947 Stymie 6 Conn McCreary Hirsch Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs 1:50.00 1946 Pavot 4 Arnold Kirkland Oscar White Walter M. Jeffords 1:49.80 1945 First Fiddle 6 Johnny Longden Eddie Mulrenan Mrs. E. Mulrenan 1:49.40 1944 First Fiddle 5 Johnny Longden Eddie Mulrenan Mrs. E. Mulrenan 1:49.00 1943 Market Wise 5 Vincenzo Nodarse George W. Carroll Louis Tufano 1:52.00 1942 Whirlaway 4 George Woolf Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1:48.20 1941 War Relic 3 Ted Atkinson Walter A. Carter Glen Riddle Farm 1:48.60 1940 Eight Thirty 4 Harry Richards Bert Mulholland George D. Widener, Jr. 1:49.00 1939 Fighting Fox 4 James Stout James Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 1:52.00 1938 Menow 3 Nick Wall Duval A. Headley Hal Price Headley 1:52.60 1937 Seabiscuit 4 Red Pollard Tom Smith Charles S. Howard 1:49.00 1936 Time Supply 5 Raymond Workman Carl A. Roles Mrs. Frank A. Carreaud 1:49.80 1935 Top Row 4 George Woolf Albert A. Baroni Albert A. Baroni 1:49.40 * Day Court finished first in 1959 but was disqualified and placed second.
* Raced in two divisions in 1977.References
Categories:- Horse races in the United States
- Ungraded stakes races in the United States
- Open mile category horse races
- Breeders' Cup Challenge series
- Recurring sporting events established in 1935
- Sports in Boston, Massachusetts
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