# Hudson Stakes

The Hudson Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race first run in 1887 at Gravesend Race Track in Gravesend, New York. A race for two-year-old horses of either sex, it was run on dirt over a distance of five furlongs.
The Hudson Stakes carries the name of the early 17th century explorer, Henry Hudson, for whom New York's Hudson River was named. An annual event, the it was last run at the Gravesend track in 1910, at a time when New York state racetrack owners were struggling to survive following the June 11, 1908 passage of the Hart–Agnew anti-betting legislation. Implemented by the Republican controlled New York Legislature under Governor Charles Evans Hughes. the law contained penalties that allowed for fines and up to a year in prison. Further restrictive legislation was passed by the New York Legislature in 1910 which deepened the financial crisis for track operators and led to a complete shutdown of racing across the state during 1911 and 1912. A February 21, 1913 ruling by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division saw horse racing return in 1913. However, it was too late for the Gravesend horse racing facility and it never reopened.
In 1914 the running of the Hudson Stakes was taken up by Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. It was won by Sea Shell under jockey Joe McCahey who would go on to win that year's national riding title with the most purse money won by any American jockey.

## Historical race notes

The 1918 edition of the Hudson Stakes saw the Aqueduct track record for five furlongs on dirt broken when High Time won in a time 58 2/5. High Time would have a very successful career at stud, becoming the Leading sire in North America in 1928 and the Leading broodmare sire in North America in 1936 and again in 1940.
The legendary Man o' War won the 1919 Hudson Stakes carrying at least 15 pounds more than any of his rivals. Although on a track rated as fast, he winning time of 1:01 3/5 was the slowest of any winner during the 19 years it was hosted by the Aqueduct track.
The Great Depression brought difficult times once again for Thoroughbred racing and it would lead to the final running of the Hudson Stakes taking place on June 18, 1932. The event was won by Jerome H. Louchheim's Sandy Bill in a time of 58 seconds, the fastest in the history of the race.
In 1978, Belmont Park revived usage of the Hudson name with the Hudson Handicap, a mile race for New York-bred horses age three and older. It has since been renamed the Hudson Stakes.

## Records

Speed record:
* 0:58 flat @ 5 furlongs: Sandy Bill (1932)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 3 – Linus McAtee (1923, 1926, 1930)
* 3 – Laverne Fator (1928, 1929, 1931)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 – Sam Hildreth (1898, 1917, 1928, 1929)
Most wins by an owner:
* 4 – Harry P. Whitney (1916, 1923, 1924, 1926)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Dist. (Miles) | Time | Win $ |
| 1932 | Sandy Bill | 2 | Francis Horn | Clarence Buxton | Jerome H. Louchheim | 5 F | 0:58.00 | $4,625 |
| 1931 | Makalu | 2 | Laverne Fator | Alex Gordon | Fair Stable | 5 F | 0:59.60 | $6,075 |
| 1930 | Sovietta | 2 | Linus McAtee | A. Jack Joyner | George D. Widener Jr. | 5 F | 1:00.00 | $6,275 |
| 1929 | Grattan | 2 | Laverne Fator | Sam Hildreth | Rancocas Stable | 5 F | 1:00.00 | $7,300 |
| 1928 | Mei Foo | 2 | Laverne Fator | Sam Hildreth | Rancocas Stable | 5 F | 1:01.00 | $6,175 |
| 1927 | Dice | 2 | Danny McAuliffe | James E. Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 5 F | 0:59.20 | $5,700 |
| 1926 | Witchmount | 2 | Linus McAtee | James G. Rowe Jr. | Harry P. Whitney | 5 F | 1:00.20 | $5,150 |
| 1925 | Sarmaticus | 2 | Frank Coltiletti | George M. Odom | Robert L. Gerry Sr. | 5 F | 1:00.00 | $5,200 |
| 1924 | Elf | 2 | James H. Burke | James G. Rowe Jr. | Harry P. Whitney | 5 F | 0:59.20 | $5,150 |
| 1923 | Transmute | 2 | Linus McAtee | Fred Hopkins | Harry P. Whitney | 5 F | 0:58.80 | $5,500 |
| 1922 | Sunference | 2 | Albert Johnson | Eugene Wayland | Willis Sharpe Kilmer | 5 F | 0:59.40 | $5,525 |
| 1921 | Sweep By | 2 | José Rodriguez | Walter S. House | Mrs. A. R. Lawson | 5 F | 0:59.20 | $5,275 |
| 1920 | General J M Gomez | 2 | Tommy Murray | William L. McDaniel | Alfredo H. Diaz | 5 F | 0:59.00 | $3,150 |
| 1919 | Man o' War | 2 | Johnny Loftus | Louis Feustel | Glen Riddle Farm | 5 F | 1:01.60 | $2,825 |
| 1918 | High Time | 2 | Edward Taplin | Harry A. Morrissey | Henry A. Porter | 5 F | 0:58.40 | $3,650 |
| 1917 | Drastic | 2 | James Butwell | Sam Hildreth | August Belmont Jr. | 5 F | 1:00.20 | $3,050 |
| 1916 | Tumbler | 2 | Thomas McTaggart | James G. Rowe Sr. | Harry P. Whitney | 5 F | 1:00.60 | $1,925 |
| 1915 | Paddy Whack | 2 | Charles B. Borel | Richard Benson | James Butler | 5 F | 1:01.00 | $1,525 |
| 1914 | Sea Shell | 2 | Joe McCahey | Jack D. Adkins | Roderick J. MacKenzie | 5 F | 1:00.00 | $8,050 |
| 1911 | - 1913 | No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. |
| 1910 | Trap Rock | 2 | Eddie Dugan | Thomas Welsh | August Belmont Jr. | 5 F | 1:02.40 | $3,560 |
| 1909 | No race held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No race held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No race held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No race held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No race held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No race held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No race held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. | No race held due to the Hart–Agnew Law. |
| 1908 | Lawton Wiggins | 2 | James Lee | John E. Madden | John E. Madden | 5 F | 1:01.00 | $5,690 |
| 1907 | Royal Vane | 2 | George Mountain | Fred Burlew | Fred Burlew | 5 F | 1:00.60 | $5,895 |
| 1906 | Gretna Green | 2 | LaVerne Sewell | James G. Rowe Sr. | James R. Keene | 5 F | 1:01.80 | $4,660 |
| 1905 | Jacobite | 2 | Willie Davis | A. Jack Joyner | Sidney Paget | 5 F | 1:02.00 | $4,080 |
| 1904 | Glorifier | 2 | Willie Gannon | James H. McCormick | Louis V. Bell | 5 F | 1:00.60 | $3,720 |
| 1903 | Palmbearer | 2 | Willie Gannon | James G. Rowe Sr. | Foxhall P. Keene | 5 F | 1:01.00 | $5,080 |
| 1902 | River Pirate | 2 | George M. Odom | Peter G. Wimmer | Samuel S. Brown | 5 F | 1:00.40 | $3,950 |
| 1901 | Hanover Queen | 2 | Henry Spencer | R. Wyndham Walden | Alfred H. & Dave H. Morris | 5 F | 1:02.20 | $2,910 |
| 1900 | Prince Charles | 2 | Nash Turner | Peter G. Wimmer | William Collins Whitney | 5 F | 1:01.60 | $3,900 |
| 1899 | High Order | 2 | Patrick A. McCue | Peter G. Wimmer | Augustus Eastin & Samuel Edward Larabie | 5 F | 1:01.50 | $4,530 |
| 1898 | Jean Bereaud | 2 | Tod Sloan | Sam Hildreth | John Daly | 5 F | 1:02.50 | $4,040 |
| 1897 | George Keene | 2 | Samuel Doggett | Edward L. Graves | E. L. Graves & Co. | 5 F | 1:02.75 | $2,980 |
| 1896 | Arbuckle (DH) George Kessler | 2 2 | John J. McCafferty Fred Taral | John J. McCafferty Matthew Byrnes | John J. McCafferty Matthew Byrnes | 5 F | 1:03.00 | $2,335 $2,335 |
| 1895 | Applegate | 2 | Lester Reiff | John J. McCafferty | John J. McCafferty | 5 F | 1:03.00 | $4,000 |
| 1894 | Gotham | 2 | John Lamley | John E. Campbell | Jacob Ruppert Jr. | 5 F | 1:02.25 | $3,430 |
| 1893 | Halton | 2 | Tod Sloan | Charles Boyle | Charles Boyle & Charles Littlefield Sr. | 5 F | 1:03.50 | $5,680 |
| 1892 | Wallace | 2 | Fred Taral | | Kanataka Stable | 5 F | 1:05.00 | $4,020 |
| 1891 | Georgia | 2 | Fred Littlefield | R. Wyndham Walden | John A. & Alfred H. Morris | 5 F | 1:03.00 | $6,500 |
| 1890 | Grey Rock | 2 | Marty Bergen | W. H. Roller | Hoboken Stable (Gottfried F. Walbaum) | 5 F | 1:05.75 | $5,470 |
| 1889 | Ballarat | 2 | Anthony Hamilton | Matthew M. Allen | George Hearst | 5 F | 1:02.50 | $5,840 |
| 1888 | Oregon | 2 | Jim McLaughlin | Frank McCabe | Dwyer Brothers Stable | 5 F | 1:04.00 | $2,535 |
| 1887 | King Fish | 2 | Jim McLaughlin | Frank McCabe | Dwyer Brothers Stable | 5 F | 1:02.75 | $2,160 |