# Memorial Day Handicap

The Memorial Day Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1971 through 2014 at Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, Florida. Held on Memorial Day, it was an ungraded stakes race that had earned Grade III status in 2002–2007 and 2009–2010. The race was open to horses age three and older and was last raced on dirt over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs).
With the Vietnam War officially ended on April 30, 1975, the race was run as the Empty Saddle Handicap, done to demonstrate the real meaning of Memorial Day with a salute to the fallen soldiers of American wars.
In 2014, Calder's racing operations were leased to the Stronach Group, operators of Gulfstream Park, when Csaba won the race with Manoel Cruz in the saddle. Stronach Group did not pick up this race for their 2015 program.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1+1⁄16 miles on dirt : 1:44.59 by Where's Sterling in 2012
* 1+1⁄16 miles on turf : 1:40.80 by Born Mighty in 1998
Most wins by a jockey:
* 4 – Gene St. Leon (1974, 1975, 1977, 1988)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 3 – James E. Bracken (1976, 1988, 1990)
* 3 – Philip A. Gleaves (2010, 2013, 2014)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – Tartan Stable (1988, 1990)
* 2 – Donamire Farm (2004, 2005)
* 2 – Rolbea Thoroughbred Racing LLC (2008, 2009)
* 2 – Bruce Hollander & Cary Shapoff (2013, 2014)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Dist. (M) | Surface | Time | Win$ |
| 2014 | Csaba | 5 | Manoel Cruz | Philip A. Gleaves | Bruce Hollander & Cary Shapoff | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:47.17 | $45,000 |
| 2013 | Csaba | 4 | Manoel Cruz | Philip A. Gleaves | Bruce Hollander & Cary Shapoff | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:46.20 | $45,000 |
| 2012 | Where's Sterling | 5 | Juan N. Delgado | Luis M. Ramirez | Frank C. Calabrese | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:44.59 | $45,000 |
| 2011 | Motovato | 6 | Luis Saez | Martin D. Wolfson | Team Valor International & Gary Barber | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:46.48 | $45,000 |
| 2010 | Mambo Meister | 5 | Manoel Cruz | Philip A. Gleaves | Quantum Racing Team | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:45.70 | $60,000 |
| 2009 | Finallymadeit | 5 | Eduardo O. Nunez | Javier Negrete | Rolbea Thoroughbred Racing LLC | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:45.55 | $60,000 |
| 2008 | Finallymadeit | 4 | Eduardo O. Nunez | Javier Negrete | Rolbea Thoroughbred Racing LLC | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:47.10 | $23,000 |
| 2007 | Dry Martini | 4 | Elvis Trujillo | Harry Benson | Carol & George Nyren | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:46.41 | $60,000 |
| 2006 | Siphon City | 4 | Elvis Trujillo | Daniel C. Hurtak | Ray Larkin | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:45.87 | $60,000 |
| 2005 | Twilight Road | 8 | Phil Teator | David J. Fawkes | Donamire Farm | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:47.71 | $60,000 |
| 2004 | Twilight Road | 7 | Phil Teator | David J. Fawkes | Donamire Farm | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:45.79 | $60,000 |
| 2003 | Dancing Guy | 8 | Roger I. Velez | Newcomb Green | Newcomb Green | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:45.56 | $60,000 |
| 2002 | Best Of The Rest | 7 | Cornelio Velásquez | Edward Plesa Jr. | Beatrice Oxenberg | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:44.75 | $60,000 |
| 2001 | Hal's Hope | 4 | Roger I. Velez | Harold J. Rose | Rose Family Stable | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:45.81 | $45,000 |
| 2000 | Dancing Guy | 5 | José C. Ferrer | Newcomb Green | Frances Green | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:46.28 | $45,000 |
| 1999 | Wicapi | 7 | Eibar Coa | Joseph G. Calascibetta | Acclaimed Racing Stable | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:46.79 | $45,000 |
| 1998 | Born Mighty | 4 | José Alberto Rivera II | William P. White | Judson Van Worp | 11⁄16 M | turf | 1:40.80 | $30,000 |
| 1997 | Vilhelm | 5 | José C. Ferrer | Jacqueline A. Brittain | Keith C. Wold | 11⁄16 M | turf | 1:40.80 | $30,000 |
| 1996 | Marcie's Ensign | 4 | Eibar Coa | Luis Olivares | Cobble View Stable | 11⁄8 M | dirt | 1:50.00 | $30,000 |
| 1995 | Mr. Light Tres | 6 | Kristi L. Chapman | Carl A. Nafzger | James B. Tafel & Gardner Landon | 11⁄8 M | turf | 1:47.00 | $30,000 |
| 1994 | Final Sunrise | 4 | Pedro A. Rodriguez | Luis Olivares | J. K. Arriola & K. Barket Jr. | 11⁄8 M | dirt | 1:51.80 | $30,000 |
| 1993 | Boots 'n Buck | 4 | Mary Russ | Emanuel Tortora | Bee Bee Stables, Inc. & Toni Tortora | 11⁄8 M | dirt | 1:53.80 | $30,000 |
| 1992 | Jodi's Sweetie | 4 | Jorge C. Duarte | Martin D. Wolfson | Leslie Alexander | 11⁄8 M± | turf | 1:44.20 | $30,000 |
| 1991 | S. W. Wildcard | 5 | Pedro A. Rodriguez | George Gianos | Willis Family Stables, Inc. | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:46.80 | $34,110 |
| 1990 | Primal | 5 | Heberto Castillo Jr. | James E. Bracken | Tartan Stable | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:47.40 | $33,180 |
| 1989 | Hooting Star | 4 | José A. Vélez Jr. | Ralph Ziadie | Power House Racing Stable, Inc. | 11⁄16 M | turf | 1:41.20 | $33,300 |
| 1988 | Billie Osage | 4 | Gene St. Leon | James E. Bracken | Tartan Stable | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:46.20 | $33,150 |
| 1987 | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race |
| 1986 | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race |
| 1985 | Rexson's Hope | 4 | Gary W. Bain | Harold J. Rose | Elsie A. Rose Stable, Inc. | 1M, 70 yds | dirt | 1:43.60 | $33,660 |
| 1984 | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race |
| 1983 | Bolivar | 6 | Santiago B. Soto | Thomas S. Young | Thomas S. Young | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:46.20 | $23,700 |
| 1982 | Two's A Plenty | 5 | Alfredo Smith Jr. | Merritt A. Buxton | Mrs. A. W. Smith/Charles Largay/M. A. Buxton | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:45.40 | $19,470 |
| 1981 | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race | no race |
| 1980 | Poverty Boy | 5 | Martin Fromin | William A. Cole | Karil Vangeloff | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:45.60 | $20,565 |
| 1979 | Great Sound | 5 | Walter Guerra | Merritt A. Buxton | Universal Thoroughbred, Inc. | 11⁄16 M | turf | 1:45.40 | $20,835 |
| 1978 | One Moment | 5 | John Giovanni | Stanley M. Hough | A. Destout | 11⁄8 M | dirt | 1:52.20 | $21,240 |
| 1977 | Lightning Thrust | 4 | Gene St. Leon | Stanley M. Hough | Stirrup Hill Farm | 11⁄8 M± | turf | 1:45.80 | $21,780 |
| 1976 | Freepet | 6 | Ray Broussard | James E. Bracken | J. W. LaCroix | 11⁄8 M | dirt | 1:53.80 | $20,700 |
| 1975 | Plagiarize | 4 | Gene St. Leon | Reed M. Combest | Mr. & Mrs. Lewis E. Iandoli | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:45.80 | $13,800 |
| 1974 | Snurb | 4 | Gene St. Leon | Reed M. Combest | B.L.T. Stable | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:46.20 | $14,040 |
| 1973 | Correbtoso | 6 | Roger M. Danjean | Wayne E. Opperman | Peppermint Farm | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:47.80 | $10,620 |
| 1972 | Willmar | 4 | Kenny Knapp | Frank Gomez | Kenny Knapp | 11⁄16 M | dirt | 1:45.20 | $9,600 |
| 1971 | Anchorage | 4 | James Moseley | Harry Trotsek | L. W. Stellings | 1 M | dirt | 1:39.00 | $6,600 |