# Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap

The Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of six furlongs on the dirt held annually in late July at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.

## History

The inaugural running of the event was on 17 August 1985 as the A Phenomenon Stakes, the sixth event on the card that day and was won by the Richard E. Dutrow Sr. trained Cognizant, who won in a time of 1:093⁄5. The event was named after the winner of the 1983 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga, A Phenomenon. A Phenomenon suffered a life-ending injury in the 1984 Forego Handicap.
The event was classified as Grade III in 1990 and in 1995 upgraded to Grade II.
In 2000, the event was renamed to honor Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. who had died in 1999. Vanderbilt was a very prominent Thoroughbred owner who also served as chairman of the board of the New York Racing Association from 1971 to 1975.
In 2010 the event was upgraded to Grade I.
The 2019 winner Imperial Hint set a new track record for the six-furlong distance, winning for the second time in a time of 1:07.92.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1:07.92 – Imperial Hint (2019)
Margins
* 8 lengths – El Deal (2017)
Most wins:
* 2 – Cognizant (1985, 1986)
* 2 – Imperial Hint (2018, 2019)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 4 – Pat Day (1985, 1986, 1992, 1993)
* 4 – Javier Castellano (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 – Steven M. Asmussen (2010, 2013, 2020, 2022)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – Happy Valley Farm (1985, 1986)
* 2 – H. Joseph Allen (1988, 2006)
* 2 – Hobeau Farm (1991, 1998)
* 2 – Shadwell Racing (1999, 2008)
* 2 – Raymond Mamone (2018, 2019)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade |
| Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap |||||||||||
| 2024 | Nakatomi | 5 | Tyler Gaffalione | Wesley A. Ward | Qatar Racing & Mrs. Fitriani Hay | 6 furlongs | 1:09.97 | $350,000 | I |
| 2023 | Elite Power | 5 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | William I. Mott | Juddmonte | 6 furlongs | 1:09.22 | $350,000 | I |
| 2022 | Jackie's Warrior | 4 | Joel Rosario | Steven M. Asmussen | J. Kirk & Juby Robison | 6 furlongs | 1:09.74 | $350,000 | I |
| 2021 | Lexitonian | 5 | Jose Lezcano | Jack Sisterson | Calumet Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:09.38 | $350,000 | I |
| 2020 | Volatile | 6 | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen | Three Chimneys Farm & Phoenix Thoroughbred III | 6 furlongs | 1:09.61 | $232,500 | I |
| 2019 | Imperial Hint | 6 | Javier Castellano | Luis Carvajal Jr. | Raymond Mamone | 6 furlongs | 1:07.92 | $350,000 | I |
| 2018 | Imperial Hint | 5 | Javier Castellano | Luis Carvajal Jr. | Raymond Mamone | 6 furlongs | 1:08.98 | $350,000 | I |
| 2017 | El Deal | 6 | Javier Castellano | Jorge Navarro | Michelle & Albert Crawford | 6 furlongs | 1:09.26 | $350,000 | I |
| 2016 | A. P. Indian | 6 | Joe Bravo | Arnaud Delacour | Green Lantern Stables | 6 furlongs | 1:08.25 | $350,000 | I |
| 2015 | Rock Fall | 4 | Javier Castellano | Todd A. Pletcher | Stonestreet Stables | 6 furlongs | 1:08.75 | $350,000 | I |
| 2014 | Palace | 5 | Cornelio Velásquez | Linda L. Rice | Antonino Miuccio | 6 furlongs | 1:08.56 | $350,000 | I |
| 2013 | Justin Phillip | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Steven M. Asmussen | Zayat Stables | 6 furlongs | 1:08.59 | $392,000 | I |
| 2012 | Poseidon's Warrior | 4 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Robert E. Reid Jr. | Swilcan Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:09.40 | $400,000 | I |
| 2011 | Sean Avery | 5 | Joe Bravo | Allen Iwinski | Black Swan | 6 furlongs | 1:09.71 | $250,000 | I |
| 2010 | Majesticperfection | 4 | Shaun Bridgmohan | Steven M. Asmussen | Padua Stables | 6 furlongs | 1:08.63 | $250,000 | I |
| 2009 | Fabulous Strike | 6 | Ramon A. Dominguez | Todd M. Beattie | Walter Downey | 6 furlongs | 1:08.69 | $250,000 | II |
| 2008 | Abraaj | 5 | Alan Garcia | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Shadwell Racing | 6 furlongs | 1:10.23 | $250,000 | II |
| 2007 | Diabolical | 4 | Mario G. Pino | Steve Klesaris | Puglisi Stables & Steve Klesaris | 6 furlongs | 1:08.67 | $260,000 | II |
| 2006 | War Front | 4 | José A. Santos | H. Allen Jerkens | H. Joseph Allen | 6 furlongs | 1:10.21 | $208,200 | II |
| 2005 | Pomeroy | 4 | Eibar Coa | Patrick L. Biancone | Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith | 6 furlongs | 1:08.69 | $200,000 | II |
| 2004 | Speightstown | 6 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Eugene & Laura Melnyk | 6 furlongs | 1:08.04 | $200,000 | II |
| 2003 | Private Horde | 4 | Jason P. Lumpkins | S. Joe Cain | Billy R. Tucker | 6 furlongs | 1:09.18 | $200,000 | II |
| 2002 | Orientate | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | D. Wayne Lukas | Robert & Beverly Lewis | 6 furlongs | 1:09.72 | $200,000 | II |
| 2001 | Five Star Day | 5 | Garrett K. Gomez | C. Beau Greely | Columbine Stable & Kitchwa Stables | 6 furlongs | 1:08.57 | $200,000 | II |
| 2000 | † Successful Appeal | 4 | Edgar S. Prado | John C. Kimmel | Starview Stable & John T. L. Jones, Jr | 6 furlongs | 1:09.21 | $200,000 | II |
| A Phenomenon Handicap |||||||||||
| 1999 | Intidab | 6 | Robbie Davis | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Shadwell Racing | 6 furlongs | 1:09.00 | $150,000 | II |
| 1998 | Kelly Kip | 4 | Jean-Luc Samyn | H. Allen Jerkens | Hobeau Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:09.60 | $137,575 | II |
| A Phenomenon Stakes |||||||||||
| 1997 | Royal Haven | 5 | Richard Migliore | Gasper S. Moschera | Barbara J. Davis | 6 furlongs | 1:09.60 | $108,700 | II |
| 1996 | Prospect Bay | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | John C. Kimmel | Lucille Conover | 6 furlongs | 1:08.20 | $109,600 | II |
| A Phenomenon Handicap |||||||||||
| 1995 | Not Surprising | 5 | Robbie Davis | Judson Van Worp | Robert Van Worp | 6 furlongs | 1:09.60 | $111,900 | II |
| 1994 | Boundary | 4 | John R. Velazquez | William I. Mott | Mrs. W. H. Perry | 6 furlongs | 1:08.60 | $109,800 | III |
| A Phenomenon Stakes |||||||||||
| 1993 | Gold Spring (ARG) | 5 | Pat Day | Jesse N. Wigginton | Ross Harris | 6 furlongs | 1:09.20 | $117,800 | III |
| 1992 | For Really | 5 | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas | Regal Oak Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:08.60 | $119,200 | III |
| 1991 | Kid Russell | 5 | Rafael Mojica Jr. | H. Allen Jerkens | Hobeau Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:09.40 | $119,000 | III |
| 1990 | Prospectors Gamble | 5 | Julio A. Garcia | Brian A. Mayberry | Jan Siegel | 6 furlongs | 1:09.20 | $84,000 | III |
| 1989 | Mr. Nickerson | 3 | José A. Santos | Mark J. Reid | Robert H. A. Nixon | 6 furlongs | 1:08.80 | $87,750 | |
| 1988 | High Brite | 4 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas | H. Joseph Allen | 6 furlongs | 1:10.00 | $84,000 | |
| 1987 | Banker's Jet | 5 | Jorge L. Vargas | Salvatore J. Longo | Gerald Fineberg | 6 furlongs | 1:09.00 | $82,830 | |
| 1986 | Cognizant | 5 | Pat Day | Richard E. Dutrow Sr. | Happy Valley Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:09.20 | $55,300 | |
| 1985 | Cognizant | 4 | Pat Day | Richard E. Dutrow Sr. | Happy Valley Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:09.60 | $55,600 | |
Notes:
† In the 2000 running Intidab crossed the finish line first but was later disqualified; Successful Appeal was declared the winner.