Delaware Handicap

The Delaware Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid July at Delaware Park Racetrack in Wilmington, Delaware. The Grade 2 race is open to fillies and mares, age three and up, willing to race one mile and three-sixteenths on the dirt.

For the Saratoga Race Course horse race, see Delaware Handicap (Saratoga).
Delaware Handicap
Grade 2 race
LocationDelaware Park Racetrack
Wilmington, Delaware,
United States
Inaugurated1937
Race typeThoroughbred – Flat racing
Websitewww.delawarepark.com
Race information
Distance1+3⁄16 Miles (9+1⁄2 Furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationFillies, Three-years-old and up
WeightHandicap
PurseUS$500,000[1]

The race was inaugurated as the New Castle Handicap as part of the racing schedule with the 1937 opening of Delaware Park Racetrack. In 1953, the new $100,000 purse offered by the New Castle Handicap made it the richest race in the world for fillies and mares.[2] In 1955 it was renamed the Delaware Handicap.

The race was held at Saratoga from 1982 until 1985.

In 2017, champion filly Songbird won as the shortest-priced favorite in the race's history at 1-9 odds.[3]

In 2023, Delaware Park management announced that the race would be shortened to 1+3⁄16 miles, citing difficulties in attracting top fillies and mares to run the 1+1⁄4-mile distance.[4]

In 1939, Shangay Lily won the race as a seven year old, and is the oldest winner of the race.

Records

Speed record:

  • 1:59.80 – Coup de Fusil (1987) (At former distance of 1+1⁄4 miles)

Most wins by a horse

  • 2 – Endine (1958, 1959)
  • 2 – Obeah (1969, 1970)
  • 2 – Blessing Angelica (1971, 1972)
  • 2 – Susan's Girl (1973, 1975)
  • 2 – Nastique (1988, 1989)
  • 2 – Royal Delta (2012, 2013)
  • 2 – Elate (2018, 2019)

Most wins by an owner:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner
 Dist.
(Miles)		 Time Gr.
2023 Idiomatic 4 Florent Geroux Brad Cox Juddmonte 1-3/16 m 1:56.41 G2
2022 Miss Leslie 4 Angel Cruz Claudio A. Gon BB Horses 1-1/4 m 2:04.50 G2
2021 Miss Marissa 4 Daniel Centeno James Ryerson Cammarota Racing LLC 1-1/4 m 2:04.50 G2
2020 Dunbar Road 4 Irad Ortiz Jr. Chad Brown Peter M. Brant 1-1/8 m 1:49.02 G2
2019 Elate 5 José Ortiz William I. Mott Claiborne Farm & Adele Dilschneider 1-1/4 m 2:02.51 G2
2018 Elate 4 José Ortiz William I. Mott Claiborne Farm & Adele Dilschneider 1-1/4 m 2:04.83 G2
2017 Songbird 4 Mike Smith Jerry Hollendorfer Fox Hill Farms Inc. (Rick Porter) 1-1/4 m 2:03.96 G1
2016 I'm a Chatterbox 4 Florent Geroux J. Larry Jones Fletcher & Carolyn Gray 1-1/4 m 2:02.64 G1
2015 Sheer Drama 5 Joe Bravo David Fawkes Harold L. Queen 1-1/4 m 2:01.58 G1
2014 Belle Gallantey 5 José Ortiz Rudy R. Rodriguez Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables LLC (Michael Caruso), Gary Aisquith 1-1/4 m 2:01.15 G1
2013 Royal Delta 5 Mike Smith William I. Mott Besilu Stables 1-1/4 m 2:02.04 G1
2012 Royal Delta 4 Mike Smith William I. Mott Besilu Stables 1-1/4 m 2:03.51 G2
2011 Blind Luck 4 Garrett Gomez Jerry Hollendorfer Mark Dedomenico, John Carver, Peter Abruzzo, Jerry Hollendorfer 1-1/4 m 2:01.28 G2
2010 Life at Ten 5 John R. Velazquez Todd Pletcher Candy DeBartolo 1-1/4 m 2:03.21 G2
2009 Swift Temper 5 Alan Garcia Dale L. Romans Mark H. Stanley 1-1/4 m 2:03.41 G2
2008 Hystericalady 5 Garrett Gomez Jerry Hollendorfer Rancho San Miguel et al. 1-1/4 m 2:02.37 G2
2007 Unbridled Belle 4 Ramon Domínguez Todd A. Pletcher Team Valor Stables LLC 1-1/4 m 2:01.16 G2
2006 Fleet Indian 5 José A. Santos Todd A. Pletcher Paul H. Saylor 1-1/4 m 2:02.08 G2
2005 Island Sand 4 Jerry D. Bailey J. Larry Jones B. A. Man Stable (James Osborne) 1-1/4 m 2:02.89 G2
2004 Summer Wind Dancer 4 Victor Espinoza Jeff Mullins Richard & Yvette Wira, Linda Vetter 1-1/4 m 2:03.63 G2
2003 Wild Spirit 4 Jerry D. Bailey Robert J. Frankel Sumaya U.S. Stables (Oussama Aboughazale) 1-1/4 m 2:02.95 G2
2002 Summer Colony 4 John R. Velazquez Mark A. Hennig Edward P. Evans 1-1/4 m 2:04.52 G3
2001 Irving's Baby 4 Ramon Domínguez Todd A. Pletcher Anstu Stables, Inc. 1-1/4 m 2:05.21 G3
2000 Lu Ravi 5 Pat Day Carl E. Bowman Yoshio Fujita 1-1/4 m 2:02.21 G3
1999 Tap to Music 4 Pat Day Joseph Orseno Stronach Stables 1-1/4 m 2:02.15 G3
1998 Amarillo 4 Julie Krone John H. Forbes Phantom House Farm (racing partnership, John Forbes, Jr. director) 1-1/4 m 2:04.20 G3
1997 Power Play 5 Larry Reynolds H. Graham Motion Robert A. Leonard 1-1/4 m 2:03.40 G3
1996 Urbane 4 Alex Solis Randy K. Bradshaw Samantha Siegel 1-1/4 m 2:01.80 G3
1995 Night Fax 4 Jeff Carle William H. Turner Jr. Audley Farm Stable 1-1/4 m 2:02.80 G2
1994 With A Wink 4 Richard Migliore D. Wayne Lukas Melvin Hatley 1-1/4 m 2:03.20 G2
1993 Green Darlin 4 Mike Luzzi Lawrence E. Murray Sondra D. Bender 1-1/4 m 2:03.60 G2
1992 Brilliant Brass 5 Edgar Prado Carlos A. Garcia Elaine L. Bassford 1-1/4 m 2:03.00 G2
1991 Crowned 4 Rick Wilson Benjamin W. Perkins Jr. Bohemia Stable 1-1/4 m 2:04.00 G2
1990 Seattle Dawn 4 Robert Colton Michael Dickinson Dinwiddie Farm (Stewart Bainum) 1-1/4 m 2:03.00 G2
1989 Nastique 5 Eddie Maple Stephen L. DiMauro Chaus Stable (Bernard Chaus) 1-1/4 m 2:01.20 G1
1988 Nastique 4 Eddie Maple Stephen L. DiMauro Chaus Stable (Bernard Chaus) 1-1/4 m 2:07.60 G1
1987 Coup de Fusil 5 Ángel Cordero Jr. Jan H. Nerud Tartan Stable 1-1/4 m 1:59.80 G1
1986 Shocker T. 4 Gene St. Leon George Gianos Thomasina Caporella 1-1/4 m 2:02.20 G1
1985 Basie 4 Jean Cruguet Flint S. Schulhofer Frances A. Genter 1-1/4 m 2:02.00 G1
1984 Adored 4 Laffit Pincay Jr. Laz Barrera Ethel D. Jacobs 1-1/4 m 2:03.20 G1
1983 May Day Eighty 4 Jacinto Vásquez David A. Whiteley Calumet Farm 1-1/4 m 2:03.20 G1
1982 Jameela 6 Jack Kaenel Hyman Ravich Peter M. Brant 1-1/4 m 2:02.60 G1
1981 Relaxing 5 Ángel Cordero Jr. Angel Penna Sr. Ogden Phipps 1-1/4 m 2:01.00 G1
1980 Heavenly Ade 4 Jerry D. Bailey Mary Edens Adele W. Paxson 1-1/4 m 2:00.00 G1
1979 Likely Exchange 5 Mark S. Sellers Thomas H. Stevens G. Watts Humphrey Jr. 1-1/4 m 2:03.40 G1
1978 Late Bloomer 4 Jorge Velásquez John M. Gaver Jr. Greentree Stable 1-1/4 m 2:02.20 G1
1977 Our Mims 3 Jorge Velásquez John M. Veitch Calumet Farm 1-1/4 m 2:01.00 G1
1976 Optimistic Gal 3 Eddie Maple LeRoy Jolley Diana M. Firestone 1-1/4 m 2:01.00 G1
1975 Susan's Girl 6 Ray Broussard Ross Finstermaker Fred W. Hooper 1-1/4 m 2:01.80 G1
1974 Krislin 5 Ángel Cordero Jr. Stephen A. DiMauro Harold I. Snyder 1-1/4 m 2:01.60 G1
1973 Susan's Girl 4 Laffit Pincay Jr. John W. Russell Fred W. Hooper 1-1/4 m 2:01.80 G1
1972 Blessing Angelica 4 Eddie Belmonte H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm 1-1/4 m 2:00.60
1971 Blessing Angelica 3 Jacinto Vásquez H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm 1-1/4 m 2:03.40
1970 Obeah 5 Leroy Moyers Henry S. Clark Christiana Stables 1-1/4 m 2:02.60
1969 Obeah 4 John L. Rotz Henry S. Clark Christiana Stables 1-1/4 m 2:04.20
1968 Politely 5 Ángel Cordero Jr. George M. Baker Bohemia Stable 1-1/4 m 2:02.80
1967 Straight Deal II 5 Bobby Ussery Hirsch Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs 1-1/4 m 2:02.20
1966 Open Fire 5 Frank Lovato Virgil W. Raines Brandywine Stable 1-1/4 m 2:00.40
1965 Steeple Jill 4 John Ruane Bert Mulholland George D. Widener Jr. 1-1/4 m 2:02.80
1964 Old Hat 5 Buck Thornburg Charles C. Norman Stanley Conrad 1-1/4 m 2:04.00
1963 Waltz Song 5 Sheridan Mellon Thomas F. White Thomas F. White 1-1/4 m 2:04.00
1962 Seven Thirty 4 Larry Adams Bert Mulholland George D. Widener Jr. 1-1/4 m 2:02.60
1961 Airmans Guide 4 Howard Grant Bert B. Williams Hugh A. Grant 1-1/4 m 2:02.40
1960 Quill 4 Bobby Ussery Lucien Laurin Reginald N. Webster 1-1/4 m 2:02.40
1959 Endine 5 Paul J. Bailey Henry S. Clark Christiana Stable 1-1/4 m 2:03.60
1958 Endine 4 Eldon Nelson Henry S. Clark Christiana Stable 1-1/4 m 2:03.00
1957 Princess Turia 4 Bill Hartack Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm 1-1/4 m 2:05.00
1956 Flower Bowl 4 Logan Batcheller Preston M. Burch Brookmeade Stable 1-1/4 m 2:03.00
1955 Parlo 4 Eric Guerin Richard E. Handlen Foxcatcher Farms 1-1/4 m 2:02.40
1954 Gainsboro Girl 4 Augustine Catalano Walter D. Carroll Shawmut Farm (Richard A. Jenks) 1-1/4 m 2:02.60
1953 Grecian Queen 3 Ted Atkinson James P. Conway Florence Whitaker 1-1/4 m 2:02.80
1952 Kiss Me Kate 4 Ronnie Nash Oscar White Walter M. Jeffords 1-1/4 m 2:02.60
1951 Busanda 4 Eric Guerin Bart Sweeny Ogden Phipps 1-1/4 m 2:04.60
1950 Adile 4 John Gilbert Oscar White Walter M. Jeffords 1-1/16 m 1:44.60
1949 Allie's Pal 4 Robert J. Martin Morrie Sidell Samuel D. Sidell 1-1/16 m 1:46.40
1948 Miss Grillo 6 Ira Hanford Horatio Luro Mill River Stable 1-1/16 m 1:49.00
1947 Elpis 5 Arthur F. Skelton Larney Hansman William G. Helis 1-1/16 m 1:46.60
1946 Bridal Flower 3 Abelardo DeLara James W. Smith John R. Bradley 1-1/16 m 1:43.80
1945 Plucky Maud 4 Robert Permane Oleg Dubassoff Lazy F Ranch 1-1/16 m 1:42.60
1944 Everget 3 Arnold Kirkland Virgil W. Raines Brandywine Stable 1-1/16 m 1:44.80
1943 Race not held due to wartime restrictions
1942 Monida 5 Abelardo DeLara William S. Cotton Constance Morabito 1-1/16 m 1:45.60
1941 Dotted Swiss 4 Maurice Peters Max Hirsch W. Arnold Hanger 1-1/16 m 1:49.00
1940 Tedbriar 3 Jimmy Lynch John Porter Jones William H. Lipscomb 1-1/16 m 1:43.80
1939 Shangay Lily 7 Ruperto Donoso John L. Roberts William V. McGrath 1-1/16 m n/a
1938 Marica 5 Robert Dotter Howard Wells Thomas D. Taggart 1-1/16 m 1:45.60
1937 Rosenna 3 Maurice Peters Richard E. Handlen William du Pont Jr. 1-1/16 m 1:43.80

References
  1. "Delaware Handicap (Gr. 2)". Equibase. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  2. "First To Enter Racing Classic". The Morning Herald, Hagerstown, Maryland. 1953-03-25. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  3. "Songbird Holds Fast in Delaware Handicap". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2017-07-16.
  4. "Delaware Handicap Shortened To 1 3/16 Miles; Track Plans 85 Live Racing Dates In 2023". paulickreport.com. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
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