Jerome Handicap

The Jerome Handicap is a Grade II race for thoroughbred horses run each fall at one mile on the dirt at Belmont Park. It is open to three-year-olds and carries a purse of $150,000. The race is a prep race to several races of the Breeders' Cup.

The Jerome is the second oldest stakes race in the country and in 2008 will be in its 139th running. Named after Leonard W. Jerome, the founder of the old Jerome Park in The Bronx, a predecessor to Belmont Park...Mr. Jerome was the grandfather of The Right Honourable Sir Winston Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, etc.

On September 3, 1960, the great Kelso was ridden for the first time by Eddie Arcaro. They, of course, won the Jerome. In 1875, Aristides, the winner of the inaugural Kentucky Derby, won this race. In 1878, Duke of Magenta came home first. It's also been won by Fair Play in 1908, Bold Ruler in 1957, Carry Back in 1961, and Richter Scale in 1997.

Fitz Herbert, trained by the great Sam Hildreth, won this race on his way to the title of Horse of the Year in 1909 and in 1910.

The Jerome was first run at Jerome Park from 1866 to 1889, then at Morris Park until 1905. and also at Aqueduct Race Track in 1960 and from 1962 to 1967. It was not run at all from 1910 to 1913 and had two divisions from 1866 to 1870. It was set at two miles from 1871 to 1877; at a mile and three quarters from 1878 to 1889; at a mile and five sixteenths in 1890 1891 and 1903; at a mile and a half in 1892; at a mile and a quarter in 1893 1894 and from 1896 to 1909; at a mile and a furlong in 1895.

Winners of the Jerome Handicap

* 2008 - Tale of Ekati (Cornelio Velasquez)
* 2007 - Daaher (Mike Luzzi)
* 2006 – Discreet Cat (Garrett Gomez)
* 2005 - Silver Train (Edgar Prado)
* 2004 - Teton Forest (Shaun Bridgmohan)
* 2003 - During (Jose A. Santos)
* 2002 - Boston Common (Jorge F. Chavez)
* 2001 - Race Cancelled
* 2000 - Fusaichi Pegasus (Kent Desormeaux)
* 1999 - Doneraile Court (Chris Antley)
* 1998 - Limit Out (Jean-Luc Samyn)
* 1997 - Richter Scale (Shane Sellers)
* 1996 - Why Change (C. C. Lopez)
* 1995 - French Deputy (Gary Stevens)
* 1994 - Prenup (Jerry D. Bailey)
* 1993 - Schossberg (Jerry D. Bailey)
* 1992 - Furiously (Jerry D. Bailey)
* 1991 - Scan (Jose A. Santos)
* 1990 - Housebuster (Craig Perret)
* 1989 - De Roche (Dennis Carr)
* 1988 - Evening Kris (Jerry D. Bailey)
* 1987 - Afleet (Gary Stahlbaum)
* 1986 - Ogygian (Walter Guerra)
* 1985 - Creme Fraiche (Eddie Maple)
* 1984 - Is Your Pleasure (Don MacBeth)
* 1983 - A Phenomemon (Angel Cordero, Jr.)
* 1982 - Fit To Fight (Jerry D. Bailey)
* 1981 - Noble Nashua (Cash Asmussen)
* 1980 - Jaklin Klugman (Chris McCarron)
* 1979 - Czaravich (Jean Cruguet)
* 1978 - Sensitive Farms (Jacinto Vasquez)
* 1977 - Broadway Forli * (Pat Day)
* 1976 - Dance Spell (Ruben Hernandez)
* 1975 - Guards Up (Carlos Lopez)
* 1974 - Stonewalk (Angel Cordero, Jr.)
* 1973 - Step Nicely (Angel Cordero, Jr.)
* 1972 - True Knight (Angel Cordero, Jr.)
* 1971 - Tinajero (Eddie Belmonte)
* 1970 - Great Mystery (Phil Grimm)
* 1969 - Mr. Leader (Jorge Velasquez)
* 1968 - Iron Ruler (Jorge Velasquez)
* 1967 - High Tribute (Laffit Pincay, Jr.)
* 1966 - Bold and Brave (Braulio Baeza)
* 1965 - Bold Bidder (Eldon Nelson)
* 1964 - Irvkup (John L. Rotz)
* 1963 - Chateaugay (Braulio Baeza)
* 1962 - Black Beard (Braulio Baeza)
* 1961 - Carry Back (Johnny Sellers)
* 1960 - Kelso (Eddie Arcaro)
* 1959 - Intentionally (Manuel Ycaza)
* 1958 - Warhead (Eddie Arcaro)
* 1957 - Bold Ruler (Eddie Arcaro)
* 1956 - Reneged (Angel Valenzuela)
* 1955 - Traffic Judge (Eddie Arcaro)
* 1954 - Martyr (S. Small)
* 1953 - Navy Page (Nick Shuk)
* 1952 - Tom Fool (Ted Atkinson)
* 1951 - Alerted (Ovie Scurlock)
* 1950 - Hill Prince (Eddie Arcaro)
* 1949 - Capot (Ted Atkinson)
* 1948 - Coaltown (Newbold L. Pierson)
* 1947 - Donor (Job Dean Jessop)
* 1946 - Mahout (Eddie Arcaro)
* 1945 - Buzfuz (Tommy Luther)
* 1944 - Occupy (Otto Grohs)
* 1943 - Slide Rule (Jack Westrope)
* 1942 - King's Abbey (Carroll Bierman)
* 1941 - Stimady (P. Roberts)
* 1940 - Roman (Wayne D. Wright)
* 1939 - Easy Mon (Leon Haas)
* 1938 - Cravat (Alfred Robertson)
* 1937 - Pasha (Lester Balaski)
* 1936 - Goldeneye (Ira Hanford)
* 1935 - Good Harvest (Samuel Renick)
* 1934 - Kievex (Wayne D. Wright)
* 1933 - Golden Way (Mack Garner)
* 1932 - Larranga (Ray Workman)
* 1931 - Iron Clad (Lester Pichon)
* 1930 - Mr. Sponge (Mack Garner)
* 1929 - Soul of Honor (G. Fields)
* 1928 - Sun Edwin (Linus McAtee)
* 1927 - Osmand (Earl Sande)
* 1926 - Croyden (Linus McAtee)
* 1925 - Primrose (John Maiben)
* 1924 - Priscilla Ruley (John Maiben)
* 1923 - Chery Pie (Frank Coltiletti)
* 1922 - Kai-Sang (LaVerne Fator)
* 1921 - Tryster (Frank Coltiletti)
* 1920 - Busy Signal (Clarence Kummer)
* 1919 - Thunderclap (LaVerne Fator)
* 1918 - Sunny Slope (J. Callahan)
* 1917 - Bally (Lucien Lyke)
* 1916 - Spur (Johnny Loftus)
* 1915 - Trial By Jury (Thomas McTaggart)
* 1914 - Stromboli (Clarence Turner)
* 1909 - Fitz Herbert (Eddie Dugan)
* 1908 - Fair Play (C. Gilbert)
* 1907 - Perseverance (R. McDaniel)
* 1906 - Ironsides (Herman Radtke)
* 1905 - Bedouin (W. Shaw)
* 1904 - Ostrich (W. Crimmins)
* 1903 - Eugenia Burch (G. Fuller)
* 1902 - Hermis (B. Rice)
* 1901 - Blues (W. Shaw)
* 1900 - Alcedo (P. McCue)
* 1899 - King Barleycorn (George M. Odom)
* 1898 - Handball (Nash Turner)
* 1897 - Rensselaer (E. Hewitt)
* 1896 - Souffle (J. Hill)
* 1895 - Counter Tenor (Willie Simms)
* 1894 - Rubicon (W. Midgely)
* 1893 - Young Arion (J. Lamely)
* 1892 - Tammany (Edward Garrison)
* 1891 - Picknicker (Alonzo Clayton)
* 1890 - Tournament (W. Hayward)
* 1889 - Longstreet (Isaac Burns Murphy)
* 1888 - Prince Royal (Edward Garrison)
* 1887 - Firenze (Edward Garrison)
* 1886 - The Bard (W. Hayward)
* 1885 - Longview (W. Fitzpatrick)
* 1884 - Water Lily (M. Feakes)
* 1883 - George Kinney (W. Fitzpatrick)
* 1882 - Charley B. (Jim McLaughlin)
* 1881 - Barrett (M. Feakes)
* 1880 - Grenada (Lloyd Hughes)
* 1879 - Monitor (Lloyd Hughes)
* 1878 - Duke of Magenta (Lloyd Hughes)
* 1877 - Basil (S. Evans)
* 1876 - Charley Howard (W. Lakewood)
* 1875 - Aristides (R. Swim)
* 1874 - Acrobat (J. Sparling)
* 1873 - Tom Bowling (R. Swim)
* 1872 - Joe Daniels (James G. Rowe, Sr.)
* 1871 - Harry Bassett (James G. Rowe, Sr.)
* 1870 - Kingfisher (Burns)
* 1869 - Glenelg (C. Miller)
* 1868 - Bayonet (C. Miller)
* 1867 - Metairie (Hennessey)
* 1866 – Watson (A. Alexander)

* In 1977, To The Quick finished first but was disqualified and placed second and Affiliate who finished second was disqualified and placed third.