# Governor's Cup (harness racing)

The Governor's Cup is an American harness racing event run annually for two-year-old Standardbred pacers at a distance of one mile. First run in 1985 as a fixed event at Garden State Park, that track closed on May 3, 2001 and the Governor's Cup would then be run at various race venues in the U.S. Northeast and in Ontario, Canada. In 2013, the race became part of the 'Fall Four' stakes and alternated between Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey and Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Since 2017, it has been held at Meadowlands Racetrack.

## Historical race events

In a 2011 Hambletonian Society, Inc. article on trainer Ray Schnittker, in referring to the 2009 Governor's Cup winner One More Laugh, author Jay Bergman wrote: "His [One More Laugh] victory in the Governor’s Cup at Harrah's Chester at two may go down as the greatest single effort by a two-year-old in the sports history."
At Woodbine Racetrack, 2010 winner Big Jim, a $35,000 yearling purchase who would go on to career earnings of $1,541,924, set a then world record time of 1:49 1/5 for two-year-old pacers. Through 2015 his time is still the Governor's Cup stakes record.

## Locations

* Garden State Park Racetrack (GSP) (1985-2000)
* Meadowlands Racetrack (Mmx) (2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2013, 2015, 2017-2023)
* Mohawk Raceway (Moh) (2003)
* Woodbine Racetrack (Wdb) (2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016)
* Harrah's Chester Racetrack (Chst) (2009, 2011)

## Records
### Most wins by a driver

* 6 – John Campbell (1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2002)

### Most wins by a trainer

* 4 – Robert McIntosh (1995, 1998, 2001, 2008)

### Stakes record

* 1:49 1/5 – Big Jim (2010) (Wdb)
* 1:49 2/5 – El Rey (2022) (Mmx)
* 1:52 1/5 – Western Hanover (1991) (GSP)

## Winners of the Governor's Cup Stakes

| Year | Winner | Driver | Trainer | Owner | Time | Purse | Track |
| 2023 | Captain Luke | Todd McCarthy | Tony Alagna | Robert LeBlanc, Pryde Stables Inc., Brad Grant, Steven Head | 1:51 0/0 | $454,000 | Mmx |
| 2022 | El Rey | Scott Zeron | Tony Alagna | Brittany Farms LLC, El Rey Racing | 1:49 2/5 | $430,000 | Mmx |
| 2021 | Early Action | Brian Sears | Joe Holloway | Val D'Or Farms, Ted Gewertz | 1:50 0/0 | $386,000 | Mmx |
| 2020 | Always A Miki | Dexter Dunn | Nancy Takter | Christina Takter, Goran Anderberg, Herb Liverman, Rojan Stables | 1:50 2/5 | $371,900 | Mmx |
| 2019 | Papi Rob Hanover | David Miller | Brett Pelling | David McDuffee | 1:51 1/5 | $401,850 | Mmx |
| 2018 | Captain Crunch | Scott Zeron | Nancy Johnasson | 3 Brothers Stable, Christina Takter, Rojan Stables, Caviart Farms | 1:50 3/5 | $469,300 | Mmx |
| 2017 | Lost In Time | Scott Zeron | Jimmy Takter | A Rocknroll Dance Racing, Denny Miller, William Rufenacht, Team S Racing Stable | 1:50 1/5 | $411,000 | Mmx |
| 2016 | Downbytheseaside | David Miller | Brian Brown | Country Club Acres Inc., Joe Sbrocco, Richard Lombardo | 1:51 1/5 | $520,000 | Wdb |
| 2015 | Boston Red Rocks | Tim Tetrick | Steve Elliot | Peter Blood, Rick Berks | 1:50 3/5 | $413,000 | Mmx |
| 2014 | Artspeak | Scott Zeron | Tony Alagna | Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz, Joe Sbrocco, In The Gym Partners | 1:50 4/5 | $565,000 | Wdb |
| 2013 | JK Endofanera | Brian Sears | Ron Burke | 3 Brothers Stables | 1:51 4/5 | $534,500 | Mmx |
| 2011 | A Rocknroll Dance | Yannick Gingras | Jim Mulinix | Jim Mulinix, Denny Miller, Jerry Silva, Theresa Silva | 1:51 0/0 | $510,000 | Chst |
| 2010 | Big Jim | Phil Hudon | James Dean | James Carr | 1:49 1/5 | $709,000 | Wdb |
| 2009 | One More Laugh | Tim Tetrick | Ray Schnittker | Ray Schnittker, Mathias Meinzinger, Jerry Silva | 1:49 2/5 | $600,000 | Chst |
| 2008 | Nebupanezzar | Steve Condren | Robert McIntosh | Peter Pan Stables Inc. (Robert Glazer) | 1:51 2/5 | $820,000 | Wdb |
| 2007 | Santanna Blue Chip | Jody Jamieson | Carl R. Jamieson | C. R. Jamieson, 140545 Ontario Ltd., Jeffrey R. Gillis, George Arthur Stable | 1:53 1/5 | $731,700 | Wdb |
| 2006 | Sutter Hanover | David Miller | Mark Harder | Deena Frost, Sampson Street Stable, Fox Hollow Farm, TLP Stable | 1:52 0/0 | $450,000 | Mmx |
| 2005 | Jereme's Jet | Paul MacDonell | Thomas Harmer | Genesis Racing Stable (Jolene Leahy ) | 1:53 3/5 | $593,032 | Wdb |
| 2004 | Syncro's Z Tam | Patrick Lachance | Patrick Lachance | MJGB Racing Stable | 1:53 1/5 | $237,400 | Mmx |
| 2003 | I Am A Fool | Ronald Pierce | Brett Pelling | Perfect World Enterprises | 1:54 1/5 | $652,898 | Moh |
| 2002 | Allamerican Native | John Campbell | Mark Capone | David Scharf, A&G Stables, Jerry Silva | 1:53 1/5 | $520,000 | Mmx |
| 2001 | Western Shooter | John Campbell | Robert McIntosh | Robert McIntosh, CSX Stables, Michael Koehler Walnut Hall Ltd' | 1:50 0/0 | $500,000 | Mmx |
| 2000 | Bettor's Delight | Eric Ledford | Scott McEneny | John B. Grant | 1:52 2/5 | $545,300 | GSP |
| 1999 | Tyberwood | Richard Silverman | Gary Machiz | Leon Machiz | 1:51 4/5 | $572,400 | GSP |
| 1998 | Island Fantasy | Michel Lachance | Robert McIntosh | Robert Waxman | 1:52 0/0 | $600,000 | GSP |
| 1997 | Sealed N Delivered | Ronald Pierce | Christopher Ryder | Sampson Street Stables | 1:52 2/5 | $590,600 | GSP |
| 1996 | The Big Dog | Joe Anderson | Joe Anderson | John J. Leahy & Jayne Cummins | 1:51 3/5 | $612,600 | GSP |
| 1995 | Live or Die | Steve Condren | Robert McIntosh | | 1:54 2/5 | $600,000 | GSP |
| 1994 | CA Connection | Joe Anderson | Kevin Thomas | | 1:54 1/5 | $616,400 | GSP |
| 1993 | Magical Mike | John Campbell | Tommy Haughton | Shadow Lne Farm | 1:54 3/5 | $550,000 | GSP |
| 1992 | Life Sign | John Campbell | Gene Riegle | George Segal | 1:53 1/5 | $537,800 | GSP |
| 1991 | Western Hanover | Bill Fahy | Gene Riegle | George Segal | 1:52 1/5 | $584,300 | GSP |
| 1990 | Artsplace | John Campbell | Gene Riegle | George Segal, Brian Monieson | 1:53 0/0 | $655,600 | GSP |
| 1989 | In The Pocket | John Campbell | Dr. Ken Seeber | LPG Standardbreds Inc. | 1:54 2/5 | $681,100 | GSP |
| 1988 | How Bout It | Tommy Haughton | Tommy Haughton | | 1:54 3/5 | $705,100 | GSP |
| 1987 | No Race | - | No Race | No Race | No Race | 0:00 0/0 | ---- |
| 1986 | Redskin | Bill O'Donnell | Jerry Smith | Jerry Smith | 1:55 0/0 | $1,513,500 | GSP |
| 1985 | Barberry Spur | Bill O'Donnell | Richard Stillings | Roy D. Davis & Barberry Farms | 1:54 1/5 | $1,257,500 | GSP |