# Great American Stakes

The Great American Stakes is a discontinued American Thoroughbred horse race last run annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Raced on dirt and open to two-year-old horses only, it was last run at a distance of five and a half furlongs.

## Historical notes

The race was inaugurated as a five furlong event at the Gravesend Race Track at Gravesend on Coney Island, New York. Passage off the Hart–Agnew Law that banned parimutuel betting. Enacted by the Republican controlled New York Legislature under Governor Charles Evans Hughes, left owners of Gravesend Race Track and other racing facilities in New York State struggling to stay in business without income from betting. 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 shut down of racing across the state during 1911 and 1912. When a February 21, 1913 ruling by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division saw horse racing return in 1913, the Great American Stakes was revived and over the years would be hosted by three different New York racetracks. While at Aqueduct Racetrack, the Great American Stakes earned Grade 3 status in 1973 and 1974.

### Success and failure of some Hall of Fame greats

While at Gravesend, the Great American Stakes attracted many of the top two-year-olds of the day including 1893 winner and future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Domino.
Over the years there were a number of upsets in the running of the Great American Stakes. In 1936, Fairy Hill defeated War Admiral and in 1977, in what became one of the great rivalries in the history of American racing, Alydar easily beat Affirmed.
Chronology of racetracks:
* Gravesend Race Track (1889–1910)
* Belmont Park (1913, 1957, 1975–1982)
* Aqueduct Racetrack (1914–1955, 1960–1974)
* Jamaica Race Course (1956, 1958–1959)

## Records

Speed record:
* 5 furlongs: 1:00.20 – Snark (1935)
* 5+1⁄2 furlongs: 1:03.80 – Laus' Cause (1982)
* 6 furlongs: 1:12.00 – Getthere Jack (1955)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 5- Eddie Arcaro (1937, 1941, 1949, 1956, 1958)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 – James G. Rowe Sr. (1889, 1902, 1921, 1926)
* 4 – James E. Fitzsimmons (1927, 1933, 1934, 1935)
Most wins by an owner:
* 4- Wheatley Stable (1927, 1933, 1934, 1935)
* 4- Harry Payne Whitney (1905, 1921, 1922, 1926)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Dist. (Furlongs) | Time |
| 1982 | Laus' Cause | 2 | Jorge Tejeira | Reynaldo H. Nobles | Robert E. Brennan | 5.5 F | 1:03.80 |
| 1981 | Full Venture | 2 | Donald Brumfield | Benjamin W. Perkins Jr. | Elkcam Stables (Mackle brothers) | 5.5 F | 1:04.60 |
| 1979 | J. P. Brother | 2 | Joe Imparato | John P. Campo | John P. Campo | 5.5 F | 1:05.60 |
| 1978 | Jose Binn | 2 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Jose A. Martin | Morton Binn | 5.5 F | 1:04.00 |
| 1977 | Alydar | 2 | Eddie Maple | John M. Veitch | Calumet Farm | 5.5 F | 1:03.60 |
| 1976 | Banquet Table | 2 | Jean Cruguet | George T. Poole Jr. | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney | 5.5 F | 1:04.60 |
| 1975 | Great Contractor | 2 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Roger Laurin | Howard P. Wilson | 8.5 F | 1:47.00 |
| 1974 | I'm In Business | 2 | Vincent Bracciale Jr. | James J. Toner | Brookfield Farm | 8.5 F | 1:45.00 |
| 1973 | Cannonade | 2 | Pete Anderson | Woody Stephens | John M. Olin | 8 F | 1:34.60 |
| 1972 | Decimator | 2 | Ron Turcotte | John P. Campo | Buckland Farm | 8 F | 1:37.00 |
| 1971 | Chevron Flight | 2 | Martin Fromin | Thomas H. Heard Jr. | Caesar P. Kimmel | 5.5 F | 1:04.40 |
| 1970 | Three Martinis | 2 | Rudy Turcotte | Roger Laurin | Edward Sawyer | 5.5 F | 1:04.20 |
| 1969 | Hagley | 2 | Manuel Ycaza | J. Woods Garth | Hickory Tree Stable | 5.5 F | 1:04.20 |
| 1968 | Prevailing | 2 | Ray Broussard | Warren A. Croll Jr. | Aisco Stable | 5.5 F | 1:03.80 |
| 1967 | Subpet | 2 | Ray Broussard | Warren A. Croll Jr. | Thomas Leclair | 5.5 F | 1:04.00 |
| 1966 | Native Prince | 2 | Ray Broussard | Raymond F. Metcalf | Edward R. Scharps | 5.5 F | 1:04.40 |
| 1965 | Our Michael | 2 | Johnny Sellers | Jimmy Pitt | Edgehill Farm (Leonard & Morris Fruchtman) | 5.5 F | 1:03.60 |
| 1964 | Time Tested | 2 | Braulio Baeza | Bill Winfrey | Ogden Mills Phipps | 5.5 F | 1:05.00 |
| 1963 | Raise A Native | 2 | Manuel Ycaza | Burley Parke | Louis Wolfson | 5.5 F | 1:02.60 |
| 1962 | Ahoy | 2 | Herb Hinojosa | J. Bowes Bond | Leon Levy | 5.5 F | 1:04.60 |
| 1961 | Sir Gaylord | 2 | Ismael Valenzuela | Casey Hayes | Christopher Chenery | 5.5 F | 1:04.00 |
| 1960 | Hail To Reason | 2 | Bobby Ussery | Hirsch Jacobs | Patrice Jacobs | 5.5 F | 1:05.00 |
| 1959 | Bally Ache | 2 | Sam Boulmetis Sr. | Jimmy Pitt | Edgehill Farm (Leonard & Morris Fruchtman) | 5.5 F | 1:04.40 |
| 1958 | First Landing | 2 | Eddie Arcaro | Casey Hayes | Christopher Chenery | 5.5 F | 1:04.00 |
| 1957 | Li'L Fella | 2 | Bobby Ussery | J. Bowes Bond | Jaclyn Stable (William S. Paley & Leon Levy) | 5.5 F | 1:05.40 |
| 1956 | King Hairan | 2 | Eddie Arcaro | Leonard H. Hunt | Leo Edwards & Harry B. Massey | 5.5 F | 1:04.40 |
| 1955 | Getthere Jack | 2 | Hedley Woodhouse | John J. Weipert Jr. | Lily-Ann Stable | 6 F | 1:12.00 |
| 1954 | Royal Coinage | 2 | Jack Skelly | Anthony J. Pupino | Clearwater Stable (F.L. Leatherbury & E.A. Roberts) | 6 F | 1:12.20 |
| 1953 | Fisherman | 2 | Claude Erickson | Sylvester Veitch | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney | 6 F | 1:12.20 |
| 1952 | Bradley | 2 | Ted Atkinson | William Post | Hope Iselin | 6 F | 1:11.20 |
| 1951 | Cousin | 2 | Nick Combest | Bill Winfrey | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II | 6 F | 1:13.00 |
| 1950 | Silver Wings | 2 | Glenn Laswell | Tom Smith | Maine Chance Farm | 6 F | 1:10.80 |
| 1949 | Navy Chief | 2 | Eddie Arcaro | Albert E. "Bert" Alexandra | E. P. Taylor | 6 F | 1:11.20 |
| 1948 | Prince Quest | 2 | Charles Leblanc | James Conway | Ben F. Whitaker | 6 F | 1:12.40 |
| 1947 | Star Bout | 2 | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 6 F | 1:11.00 |
| 1946 | I Will | 2 | Eric Guerin | George M. Odom | Jay Paley | 6 F | 1:13.20 |
| 1945 | Mist o' Gold | 2 | Wayne D. Wright | Don Cameron | Vera S. Bragg | 6 F | 1:12.80 |
| 1944 | Fighting Don | 2 | Ferrill Zufelt | William O. Hicks | Gertrude Donovan | 6 F | 1:11.80 |
| 1943 | Lucky Draw | 2 | Conn McCreary | Bert Mulholland | George D. Widener Jr. | 6 F | 1:12.00 |
| 1942 | Breezing Home | 2 | Vincent Nodarse | Matthew P. Brady | William Ziegler Jr. | 6 F | 1:11.60 |
| 1941 | Requested | 2 | Eddie Arcaro | J. H. "Blackie" McCoole | Ben F. Whitaker | 6 F | 1:12.40 |
| 1940 | Omission | 2 | Don Meade | J. P. "Sammy" Smith | Victor Emanuel | 6 F | 1:13.00 |
| 1939 | Johnnie J. | 2 | Sam Renick | Edward J. Legere | Carrie Hardin | 6 F | 1:11.80 |
| 1938 | El Chico | 2 | Nick Wall | Matthew P. Brady | William Ziegler Jr. | 6 F | 1:13.20 |
| 1937 | Maetall | 2 | Eddie Arcaro | George E. Phillips | Maemere Farm Stable (Dewitt Page) | 6 F | 1:13.00 |
| 1936 | Fairy Hill | 2 | Maurice Peters | Richard E. Handlen | Foxcatcher Farm | 6 F | 1:12.60 |
| 1935 | Snark | 2 | Francis Horn | James E. Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 5 F | 1:00.20 |
| 1934 | Dasher | 2 | Charles Kurtsinger | James E. Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 5 F | 1:00.40 |
| 1933 | Slapdash | 2 | Hank Mills | James E. Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 5 F | 1:01.20 |
| 1932 | Puchero | 2 | Buddy Hanford | Clyde Phillips | William Ziegler Jr. | 5 F | 1:00.40 |
| 1931 | Osculator | 2 | Pete Walls | Bennett W. Creech | William R. Coe | 5 F | 1:00.20 |
| 1930 | Equipoise | 2 | Raymond Workman | Fred Hopkins | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney | 5 F | 1:00.20 |
| 1929 | Grattan | 2 | Earl Steffen | Sam Hildreth | Rancocas Stable | 5 F | 1:00.00 |
| 1928 | Soul of Honor | 2 | George Fields | Robert A. Smith | Audley Farm Stable | 5 F | 0:59.40 |
| 1927 | Dice | 2 | Danny McAuliffe | James E. Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 5 F | 1:00.00 |
| 1926 | Pantella | 2 | Linus McAtee | James G. Rowe Sr. | Harry Payne Whitney | 5 F | 0:59.80 |
| 1925 | Navigator | 2 | Earl Sande | Clyde Phillips | Greentree Stable | 5 F | 1:00.00 |
| 1924 | Swope | 2 | Clarence Turner | Albert B. "Alex" Gordon | Bud Fisher | 5 F | 1:00.40 |
| 1923 | Rustic | 2 | George W. Carroll | Robert J. Walden | Alfred Hennen Morris | 5 F | 0:58.80 |
| 1922 | Goshawk | 2 | Lewis Morris | Fred Hopkins | Harry Payne Whitney | 5 F | 0:59.20 |
| 1921 | Broomster | 2 | Leslie Penman | James G. Rowe Sr. | Harry Payne Whitney | 5 F | 0:59.60 |
| 1920 | Touch Me Not | 2 | Clarence Kummer | William R. Midgley | Greentree Stable | 5 F | 0:59.20 |
| 1919 | Bonnie Mary | 2 | Willie Knapp | William Hogan | Philip A. Clark | 5 F | 0:58.40 |
| 1918 | Dunboyne | 2 | George Byrne | William Hogan | Philip A. Clark | 5 F | 0:59.60 |
| 1917 | Sun Briar | 2 | Willie Knapp | Henry McDaniel | Willis Sharpe Kilmer | 5 F | 1:01.40 |
| 1916 | Campfire | 2 | John McTaggart | T. J. Healey | Richard T. Wilson Jr. | 5 F | 1:00.00 |
| 1915 | Ormesdale | 2 | Joe McCahey | T. J. Healey | Richard T. Wilson Jr. | 5 F | 1:01.80 |
| 1914 | Lady Barbary | 2 | Clarence Turner | Richard F. Carman | Richard F. Carman | 5 F | 1:01.60 |
| 1913 | Gainer | 2 | John Wilson | H. I. Marshall | James L. Holland | 5 F | 0:59.60 |
| 1912 | 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. |
| 1911 | 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 | Babbler | 2 | Eddie Dugan | John Whalen | August Belmont Jr. | 5 F | 1:02.20 |
| 1909 | Starbottle | 2 | Eddie Dugan | A. Jack Joyner | August Belmont Jr. | 5 F | 1:02.80 |
| 1908 | Sir Martin | 2 | James Lee | John E. Madden | John E. Madden | 5 F | 1:00.60 |
| 1907 | Cohort | 2 | R. Lowe | William H. Karrick | Oneck Stable | 5 F | 1:00.00 |
| 1906 | Water Pearl | 2 | Joseph A. Jones | A. Jack Joyner | Sydney Paget | 5 F | 1:01.00 |
| 1905 | Burgomaster | 2 | Lucien Lyne | John W. Rogers | Harry Payne Whitney | 5 F | 1:01.00 |
| 1904 | Song and Wine | 2 | Frank O'Neill | Fred Burlew | Newton Bennington | 5 F | 1:02.60 |
| 1903 | Broomstick | 2 | George M. Odom | Peter Wimmer | Samuel S. Brown | 5 F | 1:00.00 |
| 1902 | Dalesman | 2 | Willie Shaw | James G. Rowe Sr. | J. R. & F. P. Keene | 5 F | 1:00.00 |
| 1901 | Blue Girl | 2 | Tommy Burns | John E. Madden | John E. Madden | 5 F | 1:02.80 |
| 1900 | Prince Charles | 2 | Nash Turner | John W. Rogers | William C. Whitney | 5 F | 1:02.20 |
| 1899 | Vulcain | 2 | Nash Turner | H. Eugene Leigh | H. Eugene Leigh | 5 F | 1:02.60 |
| 1898 | Jean Bereaud | 2 | Tod Sloan | Sam Hildreth | David Gideon & John Daly | 5 F | 1:01.75 |
| 1897 | Previous | 2 | Tod Sloan | Hardy Campbell Jr. | Michael F. Dwyer | 5 F | 1:01.75 |
| 1896 | George Kessler | 2 | Fred Taral | Matthew Byrnes | Matthew Byrnes | 5 F | 1:02.25 |
| 1895 | Applegate | 2 | John J. McCafferty | John J. McCafferty | John J. McCafferty | 5 F | 1:02.00 |
| 1894 | Waltzer | 2 | Henry Griffin | John Hyland | David Gideon & John Daly | 5 F | 1:04.25 |
| 1893 | Domino | 2 | Fred Taral | William Lakeland | J. R. & F. P. Keene | 5 F | 1:01.75 |
| 1892 | Sir Walter | 2 | Edward Garrison | Walter C. Rollins | Oneck Stable | 5 F | 1:01.25 |
| 1891 | St. Florian | 2 | George Taylor | R. Wyndham Walden | John A. & Alfred H. Morris | 5 F | 1:03.50 |
| 1890 | Russell | 2 | Edward Garrison | R. Wyndham Walden | John A. & Alfred H. Morris | 5 F | 1:02.00 |
| 1889 | St. Carlo | 2 | Edward Garrison | James G. Rowe Sr. | August Belmont | 5 F | 1:02.25 |