Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap
The Saratoga Breeders’ Cup Handicap was, until it was discontinued in 2005, a Thoroughbred race for horses three-years-old and up run at Saratoga Race Course. A Grade II event, it was set in 1995 at one and one quarter miles on the dirt and offered a purse of $250,000.
This race is now known as the Ballston Spa Handicap and is restricted to fillies and mares.
Before its discontinuation by the New York Racing Association (NYRA) (fearful of bankruptcy and therefore cutting back on purses or the entire elimination of certain races), the Saratoga Breeders’ Cup had run for 87 years.
That year the NYRA also eliminated the Astarita, the Valley Stream, the Flash Stakes, the Cowdin Stakes, the Huntington, the Lawrence Realization Stakes (which moved to Belmont Park), the Belmont Breeders' Cup and the Meadowbrook Steeplechase.
Kentucky won the first two runnings of this race. His half-brother Tom Ochiltree won it in 1876. Parole won it twice: 1877 & 1878. Roamer won it in 1915. Friar Rock won it in 1916. And Exterminator won it four years in row: 1918 through 1921. Busanda won it twice: 1951 and 1952, as did Stymie in 1945 and 1946.
Past winners
- 2005 - Suave (John Velazquez)
- 2004 - Evening Attire (Cornelio Velasquez) (Funny Cide, Edgar Prado up, placed.)
- 2003 - Puzzlement (Jorge Chavez) (Volponi placed.)
- 2002 - Evening Attire (Gander won but as he was riderless, he was disqualified.)
- 2001 - Aptitude (Jerry Bailey) (Aptitude had placed in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.)
- 2000 - Pleasant Breeze
- 1999 - Running Stag (Shane Sellers)
- 1998 - Awesome Again
- 1997 - Cairo Express (Jean-Luc Samyn)
- 1996 - L'Carriere (Peaks and Valleys, Canadian Champion Three-Year-Old-Colt, 1995, placed.)
- 1995 - L'Carriere
- 1994 - Thunder Rumble
- 1993 - Fourstars Allstar
- 1988 - Steinlen (American Champion Male Turf Horse, 1989)
- 1963 - Will I Rule (Quick Pitch, American Champion Steeplechaser, 1967, placed.)
- 1955 - Chevation
- 1954 - Great Captain
- 1953 - Alerted
- 1952 - Busanda (Filly)
- 1951 - Busanda
- 1950 - Cochise
- 1949 - Doubtless
- 1948 - Snow Goose (Filly) (Miss Grillo, filly, placed.)
- 1947 - Talon
- 1946 - Stymie (Won in a walk-over.)
- 1945 - Stymie
- 1944 - Bolingbroke (Raced and won for 6 years)
- 1943 - Princequillo
- 1942 - Bolingbroke
- 1941 - Dorimar (Filly)
- 1940 - Isolater (GB) & Fenelon (Coupled as an entry, walked over.)
- 1939 - Isolater
- 1938 - War Admiral (Esposa, American Champion Handicap Mare, 1937 & 1938, placed.)
- 1937 - Count Arthur
- 1936 - Granville (Discovery, placed, beaten by 8 lengths.)
- 1935 - Count Arthur
- 1934 - Dark Secret (Faireno, American Champion Three-Year-Old Male of 1932, placed.)
- 1933 - Equipoise
- 1932 - War Hero (Dark Secret came in third.)
- 1931 - Twenty Grand (Sun Beau placed.)
- 1930 - Gallant Fox
- 1929 - Diavolo (Champion Handicap Horse, 1929)
- 1928 - Reigh Count
- 1927 - Chance Play
- 1926 - Espino
- 1925 - Mad Play
- 1924 - Mr. Mutt
- 1923 - My Own
- 1922 - Exterminator (Mad Hatter placed.)
- 1921 - Exterminator (Won in a walk-over.)
- 1920 - Exterminator (Cleopatra, Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, placed.)
- 1919 - Exterminator (Purchase placed.)
- 1918 - Johren (Roamer placed.)
- 1917 - Omar Khayyam
- 1916 - Friar Rock (Roamer placed. The Finn, Champion Three-Year-Old Male and sire of Zev, came in third.)
- 1915 - Roamer
- 1914 - Star Gaze
- 1912 - NOT RUN
- 1911 - NOT RUN
- 1910 - Countless
- 1909 - Olambala
- 1908 - NOT RUN
- 1907 - Running Water (Filly)
- 1906 - Go Between
- 1905 - Caughnawaga (Beldame placed.)
- 1904 - Beldame
- 1903 - Africander
- 1902 - Advance Guard
- 1901 - Blues
- 1892 through 1900 - NOT RUN
- 1891 - Los Angeles
- 1887 through 1890 - NOT RUN
- 1886 - Volante
- 1885 - Bob Miles
- 1884 - General Monroe
- 1883 - General Monroe
- 1882 - Thora (Champion daughter of Longfellow)
- 1881 - Checkmate
- 1880 - Long Taw
- 1879 - Bramble
- 1878 - Parole
- 1877 - Parole
- 1876 - Tom Ochiltree
- 1875 - Springbok and Preakness dead heated
- 1874 - Springbok
- 1873 - Joe Daniels (US Champion Three-Year-Old Male, 1872.)
- 1872 - Harry Bassett (US Champion Two-Year-Old Male, 1870, Three-Year-Old Male, 1871, Older Male, 1872)
- 1871 - Longfellow
- 1870 - Helmbold
- 1869 - Bayonet
- 1867 - Muggins
- 1866 - Kentucky
- 1865 - Kentucky