# Flamingo Stakes

The Flamingo Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of a mile and one-eighth. Run as the Florida Derby until 1937, the inaugural event took place at Tampa Downs on February 27, 1926. There was no race in 1927 and 1928 but was revived in 1929 at Hialeah Park Race Track.

## Historical race notes

In 1937, Court Scandal won the first edition of the renamed Flamingo Stakes for owner Townsend Martin, an investment banker, polo player, and former part owner of the New York Jets football team.
With the introduction of the grading system for races in 1973, the Flamingo Stakes was given Grade I status which it held through 1989. Run in March or early April, for many years it was a very important early prep race for the Kentucky Derby. Nine winners of this race went on to win the Derby: Lawrin (1938), Faultless (1947) Citation (1948), Needles (1956), Tim Tam (1958), Carry Back (1961), Northern Dancer (1964), Foolish Pleasure (1975), Seattle Slew (1977), Spectacular Bid (1979).
In 1948, Citation won the Flamingo Stakes under regular jockey Al Snider. Six days later, Snider drowned while out fishing in the Florida Keys; Eddie Arcaro replaced him on Citation, going on to win the U.S. Triple Crown.
The Flamingo Stakes was run in two divisions in 1952.
Chief's Crown finished first in the 1985 Flamingo Stakes but was disqualified to second. A successful appeal was reported by The Washington Post as "Racing officials in Florida redressed an injustice yesterday and made Chief's Crown the official winner of the Flamingo Stakes."
Hialeah Park racetrack ran into financial problems and in 2001 the facility ceased racing operations. Frank Stronach's Thunder Blitz won the final running of the Flamingo Stakes.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1:46.80 @ 1 1/8 miles : Honest Pleasure (1976)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 4 – Eddie Arcaro (1942, 1944, 1955, 1957)
* 4 – Jorge Velásquez (1967, 1978, 1986, 1988)
* 4 – Jacinto Vásquez (1971, 1973, 1975, 1980)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 – Ben A. Jones (1938, 1939, 1947, 1948)
Most wins by an owner:
* 4 – Calumet Farm (1947, 1948, 1958, 1978)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Dist. (Miles) | Time | Grade |
| 2001 | Thunder Blitz | 3 | Edgar Prado | Joe Orseno | Frank Stronach | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.23 | G3 |
| 2000 | Trippi | 3 | Eibar Coa | Todd Pletcher | Dogwood Stable | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.04 | G3 |
| 1999 | First American | 3 | José Vélez Jr. | Eduardo C. Caramori | TNT Stud | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.90 | G3 |
| 1998 | Chilito | 3 | Gary Boulanger | H. Graham Motion | Joe Albritton | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.60 | G3 |
| 1997 | Frisk Me Now | 3 | Edwin L. King Jr. | Robert J. Durso | Carol R. Dender | 11⁄8 M | 1:52.32 | G3 |
| 1996 | El Amante | 3 | Ramon Perez | William I. Mott | Jack H. Smith III | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.20 | G3 |
| 1995 | Pyramid Peak | 3 | Herb McCauley | John T. Ward Jr. | John C. Oxley | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.00 | G3 |
| 1994 | Meadow Flight | 3 | Craig Perret | James T. Ryerson | Ben J. Aliyuee Stables | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.60 | G3 |
| 1993 | Forever Whirl | 3 | Abdiel Toribio | Marty Wolfson | Irving Ellis & Alan Reskin | 11⁄8 M | 1:51.20 | Listed |
| 1992 | Pistols and Roses | 3 | Heberto Castillo Jr. | George Gianos | Willis Family Stables | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.79 | Listed |
| 1990 | – 1991 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1989 | Awe Inspiring | 3 | Craig Perret | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Phipps | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.60 | G1 |
| 1988 | Cherokee Colony | 3 | Jorge Velásquez | John P. Campo | Buckland Farm | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.40 | G1 |
| 1987 | Talinum | 3 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas | Nelson Bunker Hunt | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.00 | G1 |
| 1986 | Badger Land | 3 | Jorge Velásquez | D. Wayne Lukas | D. Wayne Lukas | 11⁄8 M | 1:47.00 | G1 |
| 1985 | Chief's Crown | 3 | Don MacBeth | Roger Laurin | Star Crown Stable | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.40 | G1 |
| 1984 | Time For A Change | 3 | Jerry Bailey | Angel Penna Sr. | Ogden Mills Phipps | 11⁄8 M | 1:47.00 | G1 |
| 1983 | Current Hope | 3 | Alex Solis | Roger Laurin | Kaskel, Bakera, Levey, Laurin | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.40 | G1 |
| 1982 | Timely Writer | 3 | Jeffrey Fell | Dominic Imprescia | Peter & Francis Martin | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.60 | G1 |
| 1981 | Tap Shoes | 3 | Ruben Hernandez | Horatio Luro | Leone J. Peters | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.20 | G1 |
| 1980 | Superbity | 3 | Jacinto Vásquez | Melvin Calvert | Frances A. Genter | 11⁄8 M | 1:51.20 | G1 |
| 1979 | Spectacular Bid | 3 | Ron Franklin | Bud Delp | Hawksworth Farm (Harry Meyerhoff) | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.40 | G1 |
| 1978 | Alydar | 3 | Jorge Velásquez | John M. Veitch | Calumet Farm | 11⁄8 M | 1:47.00 | G1 |
| 1977 | Seattle Slew | 3 | Jean Cruguet | William H. Turner Jr. | Karen & Mickey Taylor | 11⁄8 M | 1:47.40 | G1 |
| 1976 | Honest Pleasure | 3 | Braulio Baeza | LeRoy Jolley | Bertram R. Firestone | 11⁄8 M | 1:46.80 | G1 |
| 1975 | Foolish Pleasure | 3 | Jacinto Vásquez | LeRoy Jolley | John L. Greer | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.40 | G1 |
| 1974 | Bushongo | 3 | Don MacBeth | Frank A. Bonsal | Marion duPont Scott | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.00 | G1 |
| 1973 | Our Native | 3 | Jacinto Vásquez | William J. Resseguet Jr. | Margaret J. Pritchard | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.80 | G1 |
| 1972 | Hold Your Peace | 3 | Carlos H. Marquez Sr. | Arnold N. Winick | Maribel G. Blum | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.40 |
| 1971 | Executioner | 3 | Jacinto Vásquez | Edward J. Yowell | October House Farm | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.20 |
| 1970 | My Dad George | 3 | Ray Broussard | Frank J. McManus | Raymond M. Curtis | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.60 |
| 1969 | Top Knight | 3 | Manuel Ycaza | Ray Metcalf | Steven B. Wilson | 11⁄8 M | 1:47.80 |
| 1968 | Wise Exchange * | 3 | Eddie Belmonte | Hirsch Jacobs | Isidor Bieber | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.20 |
| 1967 | Reflected Glory | 3 | Jorge Velásquez | Hirsch Jacobs | Isidor Bieber | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.60 |
| 1966 | Buckpasser | 3 | Bill Shoemaker | Edward A. Neloy | Ogden Phipps | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.00 |
| 1965 | Native Charger | 3 | John L. Rotz | Ray Metcalf | Warner Stable | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.00 |
| 1964 | Northern Dancer | 3 | Bill Shoemaker | Horatio Luro | Windfields Farm | 11⁄8 M | 1:47.80 |
| 1963 | Never Bend | 3 | Manuel Ycaza | Woody Stephens | Cain Hoy Stable | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.40 |
| 1962 | Prego * | 3 | Larry Adams | Thomas M. Waller | Robert Lehman | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.00 |
| 1961 | Carry Back | 3 | Johnny Sellers | Jack A. Price | Mrs. Katherine Price | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.60 |
| 1960 | Bally Ache | 3 | Bobby Ussery | Jimmy Pitt | Edgehill Farm | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.00 |
| 1959 | Troilus | 3 | Chris Rogers | Charles Peoples | Bayard Sharp | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.20 |
| 1958 | Tim Tam * | 3 | Bill Hartack | Horace A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.80 |
| 1957 | Bold Ruler | 3 | Eddie Arcaro | James E. Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable | 11⁄8 M | 1:47.00 |
| 1956 | Needles | 3 | David Erb | Hugh L. Fontaine | D. & H. Stable | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.40 |
| 1955 | Nashua | 3 | Eddie Arcaro | James E. Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.60 |
| 1954 | Turn-To | 3 | Henry E. Moreno | Eddie Hayward | Cain Hoy Stable | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.40 |
| 1953 | Straight Face | 3 | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.40 |
| 1952-1 | Blue Man | 3 | Conn McCreary | Woody Stephens | White Oak Stable | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.00 |
| 1952-2 | Charlie McAdam | 3 | Sam Boulmetis Sr. | A. G. (Bob) Robertson | John C. Clark | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.00 |
| 1951 | Yildiz | 3 | Warren Mehrtens | Oscar White | Sarah F. Jeffords | 11⁄8 M | 1:51.20 |
| 1950 | Oil Capitol | 3 | Kenny Church | Harry Trotsek | Thomas Gray & Cora Trotsek | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.20 |
| 1949 | Olympia | 3 | Ted Atkinson | Ivan H. Parke | Fred W. Hooper | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.80 |
| 1948 | Citation | 3 | Albert Snider | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.00 |
| 1947 | Faultless | 3 | Albert Snider | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.60 |
| 1946 | Round View | 3 | Louis Hildebrandt | Hollie Hughes | Stephen "Laddie" Sanford | 11⁄8 M | 1:52.00 |
| 1945 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1944 | Stir Up | 3 | Eddie Arcaro | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 11⁄8 M | 1:52.40 |
| 1943 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1942 | Requested | 3 | Eddie Arcaro | J. H. "Blackie" McCoole | Ben F. Whitaker | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.60 |
| 1941 | Dispose | 3 | Alfred Robertson | Max Hirsch | King Ranch | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.80 |
| 1940 | Woof Woof | 3 | Irving Anderson | James W. Healy | John Hay Whitney | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.20 |
| 1939 | Technician | 3 | Ira Hanford | Ben A. Jones | Woolford Farm | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.20 |
| 1938 | Lawrin | 3 | Wayne D. Wright | Ben A. Jones | Woolford Farm | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.80 |
| 1937 | Court Scandal | 3 | Earl Steffen | Walter Burrows | Townsend B. Martin | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.60 |
| 1936 | Brevity | 3 | Wayne D. Wright | Pete Coyne | Joseph E. Widener | 11⁄8 M | 1:48.20 |
| 1935 | Black Helen | 3 | Don Meade | William A. Hurley | Edward R. Bradley | 11⁄8 M | 1:51.00 |
| 1934 | Time Clock | 3 | Mack Garner | Robert A. Smith | Brookmeade Stable | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.20 |
| 1933 | Charley O. | 3 | John Gilbert | J. Thomas Taylor | Estate of R. M. Eastman | 11⁄8 M | 1:49.60 |
| 1932 | Evening | 3 | Robert Leischman | A. Jack Joyner | George D. Widener Jr. | 11⁄8 M | 1:50.80 |
| 1931 | Lightning Bolt | 3 | Charles Kurtsinger | James W. Healy | Liz Whitney | 11⁄8 M | 1:51.80 |
| 1930 | Titus | 3 | Alfred Robertson | Robert B. Odom | Arthur W. Wentzel | 11⁄8 M | 1:52.00 |
| 1929 | Upset Lad | 3 | James H. Burke | Willie Knapp | Belle Isle Stable | 11⁄8 M | 1:53.40 |
| 1927 | – 1928 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1926 | Torcher | 3 | Strother Griffin | Earl E. Major | Earl E. Major | 11⁄8 M | 1:57.20 |
Note:
    1968 – Iron Ruler disqualified from first to second
    1962 – Sunrise County disqualified from first to third
    1958 – Jewel's Reward disqualified from first to second