# Merchants and Citizens Handicap

The Merchants and Citizens Handicap is a discontinued American Thoroughbred horse race which was first run in 1900 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Open to horses aged three and older, it was contested on dirt. The inaugural event was won by Orville Richards' gelding Charentus and the final running in 1960 by Gustave Ring's Don Poggio. In between them, some of the races most notable winners include U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductees Roamer, Sir Barton, Exterminator (1921) and Discovery (1935).
The 1919 U. S. Triple Crown winner Sir Barton set a world record of 1:55 3/5 for 1 3/16 miles on dirt in winning the August 28, 1920 edition of the Merchants and Citizens Handicap.

## Records

Speed record:
* 2:55.80 – Don Poggio (1960) at 13⁄4 miles
* 1:54.60 – Reveille Boy (1932) at 13⁄16
Most wins:
* 2 – Herbert (1901, 1902)
* 2 – Sir John Johnson (1909, 1910)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 6 – Ted Atkinson (1943, 1945, 1947, 1950, 1953, 1955)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 6 – James E. Fitzsimmons (1914, 1930, 1933, 1934, 1940, 1941)
Most wins by an owner:
* 4 – Belair Stud (1930, 1934, 1940, 1941)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Dist. (Miles) | Time |
| 1960 | Don Poggio | 4 | Sam Boulmetis Sr. | Pancho Martin | Gustave Ring | 13⁄4 M | 2:55.80 |
| 1959 | Cross Channel | 5 | Manuel Ycaza | Edward A. Christmas | Howell E. Jackson | 13⁄4 M | 2:56.00 |
| 1958 | Civet | 5 | Raul Sterling | T. F. McMahon | Byrnalnan Stable | 13⁄4 M | 2:58.80 |
| 1957 | Admiral Vee | 5 | Willie Lester | H. Allen Jerkens | Edward Seinfeld | 13⁄4 M | 2:59.60 |
| 1956 | Thinking Cap | 4 | Paul J. Bailey | Henry S. Clark | Christiana Stables | 13⁄4 M | 3:02.80 |
| 1955 | First Aid | 5 | Ted Atkinson | Preston M. Burch | Brookmeade Stable | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.00 |
| 1954 | Capeador | 4 | Nick Shuk | Preston M. Burch | Brookmeade Stable | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.00 |
| 1953 | One Hitter | 7 | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 13⁄16 M | 1:56.60 |
| 1952 | Crafty Admiral | 4 | Eric Guerin | Robert B. Odom | Charfran Stable (Charles & Frances Cohen) | 13⁄16 M | 1:57.40 |
| 1951 | County Delight | 4 | Eric Guerin | James E. Ryan | Rokeby Stable | 13⁄16 M | 1:57.40 |
| 1950 | My Request | 5 | Ted Atkinson | James P. Conway | Florence Whitaker | 13⁄16 M | 1:56.60 |
| 1949 | Chains | 4 | Gordon Glisson | Preston M. Burch | Brookmeade Stable | 13⁄16 M | 1:57.20 |
| 1948 | Beauchef | 5 | Ruperto Donoso | Robert B. Odom | Andes Stable | 13⁄16 M | 1:59.00 |
| 1947 | Loyal Legion | 3 | Ted Atkinson | Oscar White | Walter M. Jeffords Sr. | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.00 |
| 1946 | Lucky Draw | 5 | Conn McCreary | Bert Mulholland | George D. Widener Jr. | 13⁄16 M | 1:55.40 |
| 1945 | Coronal | 5 | Ted Atkinson | George P. "Maj" Odom | Dell Stables (Herman Delman) | 13⁄16 M | 1:56.20 |
| 1944 | Princequillo | 4 | George Woolf | Horatio Luro | Boone Hall Stable | 13⁄16 M | 1:56.20 |
| 1943 | Lochinvar | 4 | Ted Atkinson | Andy Schuttinger | Joseph M. Roebling | 13⁄16 M | 1:55.00 |
| 1942 | Olympus | 7 | Don Meade | Eddie Hayward | Barrington Stable | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.00 |
| 1941 | Fenelon | 4 | James Stout | James E. Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.80 |
| 1940 | Isolater | 7 | James Stout | James E. Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud | 13⁄16 M | 1:56.80 |
| 1939 | Sickle T | 4 | Ronnie Nash | Jack Howard | Florence Whitaker | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.40 |
| 1938 | Great Union | 3 | Sam Renick | Louis Feustel | Elizabeth Graham Lewis | 13⁄16 M | 1:57.80 |
| 1937 | Count Arthur | 5 | Lester Balaski | Lon Johnson | Fannie Hertz | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.00 |
| 1936 | Esposa | 4 | Nick Wall | Matthew P. Brady | Middleburg Stable (William Ziegler Jr.) | 13⁄16 M | 2:00.40 |
| 1935 | Discovery | 4 | John Bejshak | Joseph H. Stotler | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II | 13⁄16 M | 1:57.40 |
| 1934 | Faireno | 5 | Tommy Malley | James E. Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.60 |
| 1933 | Dark Secret | 4 | Hank Mills | James E. Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 13⁄16 M | 1:57.40 |
| 1932 | Reveille Boy | 5 | Raymond Workman | John A. Best | John A. Best | 13⁄16 M | 1:54.60 |
| 1931 | Curate | 5 | Mack Garner | Peter W. Coyne | Joseph E. Widener | 13⁄16 M | 1:56.60 |
| 1930 | Frisius | 4 | Whitey Abel | James E. Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud | 13⁄16 M | 1:56.60 |
| 1929 | Petee-Wrack | 4 | John Maiben | William M. Booth | John R. Macomber | 13⁄16 M | 2:02.20 |
| 1928 | Chance Shot | 4 | Earl Sande | Peter W. Coyne | Joseph E. Widener | 13⁄16 M | 2:03.20 |
| 1927 | Chance Play | 4 | Earl Sande | John I. Smith | Arden Farm Stable | 13⁄16 M | 1:59.20 |
| 1926 | Flagstaff | 6 | Laverne Fator | Willie Knapp | La Brae Stable (H. H. Cotton) | 13⁄16 M | 1:59.00 |
| 1925 | Spot Cash | 5 | John Maiben | James W. Healy | Albert C. Bostwick Jr. | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.00 |
| 1924 | Sunsini | 4 | Willie Kelsay | Frank M. Bray | Lilane Stable (Mrs. William L. Walker) | 13⁄16 M | 2:05.20 |
| 1923 | Bunting | 4 | Clarence Kummer | James G. Rowe Sr. | Harry Payne Whitney | 13⁄16 M | 1:56.40 |
| 1922 | Devastation | 4 | Laverne Fator | Max Hirsch | Stephen Petit | 13⁄16 M | 2:05.00 |
| 1921 | Exterminator | 6 | Willie Kelsay | Willie Knapp | Willis Sharpe Kilmer | 13⁄16 M | 1:57.40 |
| 1920 | Sir Barton | 4 | Earl Sande | H. Guy Bedwell | J. K. L. Ross | 13⁄16 M | 1:55.60 |
| 1919 | Cudgel | 5 | Earl Sande | H. Guy Bedwell | J. K. L. Ross | 13⁄16 M | 1:57.40 |
| 1918 | Midway | 4 | Harold Thurber | John S. Ward | James W. Parrish | 13⁄16 M | 1:56.20 |
| 1917 | Clematis | 4 | Merritt C. Buxton | Thomas M. Murphy | Oscar Lewisohn | 13⁄16 M | 2:02.40 |
| 1916 | The Finn | 4 | Andy Schuttinger | Edward W. Heffner | Harry C. Hallenbeck | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.00 |
| 1915 | Roamer | 4 | James Butwell | Andrew J. Goldsborough | Andrew Miller | 13⁄16 M | 1:59.00 |
| 1914 | Star Gaze | 4 | John McTaggart | James E. Fitzsimmons | Herbert L. Pratt | 13⁄16 M | 2:03.80 |
| 1913 | Sam Jackson | 5 | Tommy Davies | Jack L. McGinnis | V. M. McGinnis | 13⁄16 M | 2:01.60 |
| 1911 | – 1912 | No racing due to Hart–Agnew Law | No racing due to Hart–Agnew Law | No racing due to Hart–Agnew Law | No racing due to Hart–Agnew Law | No racing due to Hart–Agnew Law | No racing due to Hart–Agnew Law |
| 1910 | Sir John Johnson | 5 | George Archibald | David Woodford | Beverwyck Stable (Frank J. Nolan) | 13⁄16 M | 2:01.60 |
| 1909 | Sir John Johnson | 4 | James Butler Jr. | David Woodford | Beverwyck Stable (Frank J. Nolan) | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.00 |
| 1908 | Dandelion | 6 | Carroll Shilling | John E. Madden | Francis R. Hitchcock | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.80 |
| 1907 | Running Water | 4 | Walter Miller | Thomas Welsh | Newcastle Stable | 13⁄16 M | 1:58.40 |
| 1906 | Red Leaf | 4 | Charles Koerner | J. Oliver Keene | J. Oliver Keene | 13⁄16 M | 2:02.00 |
| 1905 | Outcome | 4 | Harry W. Baird | Woodford Clay | Woodford Clay | 13⁄16 M | 2:02.60 |
| 1904 | Molly Brant | 4 | George M. Odom | Hubert H. Hyner | John Sanford | 11⁄8 M | 1:51.60 |
| 1903 | Hermis | 4 | George M. Odom | William Shields | Edward R. Thomas | 11⁄8 M | 1:51.60 |
| 1902 | Herbert | 5 | Lewis Smith | Walter C. Rollins | Walter C. Rollins | 11⁄8 M | 1:56.40 |
| 1901 | Herbert | 4 | Lewis Smith | Walter C. Rollins | Walter C. Rollins | 11⁄8 M | 1:51.20 |
| 1900 | Charentus | 6 | Willie Shaw | Jim McLaughlin | Orville L. Richards | 11⁄16 M | 1:45.50 |