The Donn Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1959 through 2016 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. A race for horses age four and older, it was contested on turf from inception through 1964 at a distance of a mile and one-half. From 1965 onwards it was raced on dirt at a mile and one-eighth with the exception of 1976 when the distance was set at seven furlongs (7/8 mile).

Donn Handicap
Grade I stakes race (discontinued)
LocationGulfstream Park
Hallandale Beach, Florida, USA
Inaugurated1959
Last run2016
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Websitewww.gulfstreampark.com
Race information
Distance1-1/8 miles (9 furlongs)
SurfaceTurf (1959-1964),
Dirt (1965-2016)
Trackleft-handed
QualificationFour-year-olds and up
WeightHandicap
Purse$500,000

The race was named after the Donn family, who for many years owned and operated the racetrack.

Three horses have won the race twice. Inaugurated at a distance of a mile and a half on turf, the only horse to ever win the race twice at that distance was One-Eyed-King who did it back-to-back in 1959 and 1960.[1] In 1965, future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Gun Bow won the first edition at its present distance of one and one-eighth miles on dirt.[2] Under those same race conditions, Pistols and Roses won it back-to-back in 1993 and 1994 as did another Hall of Fame inductee Cigar in the two ensuing years.[3][4]

A total of three horses that have won the Donn Handicap went on to be named either the Eclipse Award for American Horse of the Year or American Champion Older Male Horse that year: Saint Liam, Skip Away and Cigar. In addition, reigning Horse of the Year Invasor won the Donn in 2007 prior to taking the Dubai World Cup.

The final running of the Donn Handicap took place on February 6, 2016.[5]

From 2017, the Donn Handicap was replaced on the Gulfstream racing calendar by the Pegasus World Cup.[6]

Records

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Speed record:

  • 1-1/8 miles on dirt: 1:46.40, Jumping Hill (1979)
  • 1-1/2 miles on turf: 2:25.80, One-Eyed-King (1959) & Jay Fox (1962)

Most wins by a horse:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

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Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Dist.
(mi.)
Time
Win$
Gr.
2016 Mshawish 6 John Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Al Shaqab Racing 1-1/8 1:47.89 $300,000 G1
2015 Constitution 5 Javier Castellano Todd A. Pletcher Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC (managers: Randy Gullatt & Steve Davison) 1-1/8 1:49.51 $300,000 G1
2014 Lea 5 Joel Rosario William I. Mott Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider 1-1/8 1:46.86 $300,000 G1
2013 Graydar 4 Edgar Prado Todd A. Pletcher Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC (managers: Randy Gullatt & Steve Davison) 1-1/8 1:48.25 $300,000 G1
2012 Hymn Book 6 John Velazquez C. R. McGaughey Stuart S. Janney III 1-1/8 1:49.16 $300,000 G1
2011 Giant Oak 5 Shaun Bridgmohan Chris M. Block Virginia H. Tarra Trust 1-1/8 1:48.23 $300,000 G1
2010 Quality Road 4 John Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Edward P. Evans 1-1/8 1:47.49 $300,000 G1
2009 Albertus Maximus 5 Alan Garcia Kiaran McLaughlin Shadwell Stable 1-1/8 1:50.96 $300,000 G1
2008 Spring At Last 4 Eibar Coa Doug O'Neill J. Paul Reddam & WinStar 1-1/8 1:48.35 $300,000 G1
2007 Invasor 4 Fernando Jara Kiaran McLaughlin Shadwell Racing 1-1/8 1:48.43 $300,000 G1
2006 Brass Hat 5 Willie Martinez William B. Bradley Fred F. Bradley 1-1/8 1:47.79 $300,000 G1
2005 Saint Liam 5 Edgar Prado Richard E. Dutrow Jr. William & Suzanne Warren 1-1/8 1:48.43 $300,000 G1
2004 Medaglia d'Oro 5 Jerry D. Bailey Robert J. Frankel Edmund A. Gann 1-1/8 1:47.68 $300,000 G1
2003 Harlan's Holiday 4 John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Starlight Stable LLC (Jack & Laurie Wolf) 1-1/8 1:49.17 $300,000 G1
2002 Mongoose 4 Edgar Prado H. James Bond Mary & Gary West 1-1/8 1:49.63 $300,000 G1
2001 Captain Steve 4 Jerry D. Bailey Bob Baffert Michael E. Pegram 1-1/8 1:48.95 $300,000 G1
2000 Stephen Got Even 4 Shane Sellers Nick Zito Stephen & Tomisue Hilbert 1-1/8 1:48.50 $300,000 G1
1999 Puerto Madero 5 Kent Desormeaux Richard Mandella Haras Santa Olga (Eugenio Zegers León) 1-1/8 1:48.34 $300,000 G1
1998 Skip Away 5 Jerry D. Bailey Sonny Hine Carolyn Hine 1-1/8 1:50.17 $180,000 G1
1997 Formal Gold 4 Joe Bravo William W. Perry John D. Murphy 1-1/8 1:47.49 $180,000 G1
1996 Cigar 6 Jerry D. Bailey William I. Mott Allen E. Paulson 1-1/8 1:49.12 $180,000 G1
1995 Cigar 5 Jerry D. Bailey William I. Mott Allen E. Paulson 1-1/8 1:49.68 $180,000 G1
1994 Pistols and Roses 5 Heberto Castillo Jr. George Gianos Willis Family Stables Inc. (Sheldon Willis) 1-1/8 1:50.67 $180,000 G1
1993 Pistols and Roses 4 Heberto Castillo Jr. George Gianos Willis Family Stables Inc. (Sheldon Willis) 1-1/8 1:50.10 $240,000 G1
1992 Sea Cadet 4 Alex Solis Ron McAnally Verne H. Winchell 1-1/8 1:48.17 $300,000 G1
1991 Jolie's Halo 4 Robin Platts Happy Alter Arthur I. Appleton 1-1/8 1:47.50 $300,000 G1
1990 Primal 5 Earlie Fires James E. Bracken Tartan Stable 1-1/8 1:50.00 $120,000 G1
1989 Cryptoclearance 5 José A. Santos Scotty Schulhofer Philip Teinowitz 1-1/8 1:48.80 $120,000 G1
1988 Jade Hunter 4 Jerry D. Bailey Richard J. Lundy Summa Stable & Allen E. Paulson 1-1/8 1:48.80 $120,000 G1
1987 Little Bold John 5 Mike A. Gonzalez John J. "Jerry" Robb Hidden Hill Farm et al. 1-1/8 1:48.80 $96,660 G2
1986 Creme Fraiche 4 Eddie Maple Woody Stephens Brushwood Stable (Elizabeth Ranney Moran) 1-1/8 1:51.20 $77,280 G2
1985 Mo Exception 4 Robert Breen Ken Masters Kenneth Kleier 1-1/8 1:48.60 $74,280 G2
1984 Play Fellow 4 Pat Day Harvey L. Vanier Nancy A. Vanier, Carl Lauer, Robert Victor 1-1/8 1:49.00 $53,955 G2
1983 Deputy Minister 4 Don MacBeth Reynaldo H. Nobles Due Process Stable 1-1/8 1:48.60 $60,840 G2
1982 Joanie's Chief 5 Jean-Luc Samyn Gene Jacobs M/M Peter Barbarino 1-1/8 1:49.00 $57,330 G2
1981 Hurry Up Blue 4 Carlos Lopez Reynaldo H. Nobles Due Process Stable 1-1/8 1:49.00 $51,345 G2
1980 Lot O' Gold 4 Don Brumfield W. E. "Smiley" Adams Frederick E. Lehmann 1-1/8 1:48.80 $54,600 G2
1979 Jumping Hill 7 Jeffrey Fell Horatio Luro El Peco Ranch (George A. Pope Jr.) 1-1/8 1:46.40 $60,150 G2
1978 Man's Man 4 Robert Woodhouse Thomas W. Kelley Glenn S. Bromagen 1-1/16 1:42.20 $39,000 G2
1977 Legion 7 Larry Saumell Gerald F. Jabalee Ralph E. Chapman 1-1/8 1:48.80 $37,400 G2
1976 Foolish Pleasure 4 Braulio Baeza LeRoy Jolley John L. Greer 7/8 1:21.40 $37,980 G2
1975 Proud And Bold 5 Gene St. Leon John Zarthar Robert Van Worp Sr. 1-1/8 1:48.00 $35,280 G2
1974 Forego 4 Heliodoro Gustines Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. Lazy F Ranch 1-1/8 1:48.60 $36,000 G3
1973 Triumphant 4 Braulio Baeza Joseph M. Bollero Russell L. Reineman 1-1/8 1:47.80 $37,560 G3
1972 Going Straight 4 Mickey Solomone Elwood McCann Donamire Farm (Don & Mira Ball) 1-1/8 1:51.20 $37,140
1971 Judgable 4 Walter Blum Herbert Nadler Saul Nadler 1-1/8 1:47.00 $39,120
1970 Twogundan 4 Earlie Fires Clyde Troutt Ada L. Rice 1-1/8 1:51.20 $39,600
1969 Funny Fellow 4 Braulio Baeza Edward A. Neloy Wheatley Stable 1-1/8 1:49.20 $44,200
1968 Favorable Turn 4 Eddie Belmonte Eugene Jacobs Herbert A. Allen Sr. 1-1/8 1:48.20 $45,500
1967 Francis U. 4 Ronald J. Campbell Del W. Carroll Michael G. Phipps 1-1/8 1:50.40 $41,100
1966 Tronado 6 Balsamino Moreira Arnold N. Winick Herbert Herff & Joseph La Croix 1-1/8 1:49.20 $39,550
1965 Gun Bow 5 Walter Blum Edward A. Neloy Gedney Farm (Mrs. John T. Stanley & Harry P. Albert) 1-1/8 1:50.00 $36,650
1964 Cedar Key 4 Manuel Ycaza Donald McCoy Jerry Basta 1-1/2 2:26.00 $39,750
1963 Tutankhamen 5 Bill Shoemaker Frank J. McManus Greentree Stable 1-1/2 2:26.00 $27,835
1962 Jay Fox 4 Larry Gilligan Jr. James W. Smith Brae Burn Farm (James O. McCue) 1-1/2 2:28.40 $26,505
1961 General Arthur 7 Larry Gilligan Jr. James W. Smith Brae Burn Farm (James O. McCue) 1-1/2 2:25.80 $28,395
1960 One-Eyed-King 6 Manuel Ycaza Woody Stephens Cain Hoy Stable 1-1/2 2:27.20 $17,375
1959 One-Eyed-King 5 Johnny Sellers Woody Stephens Cain Hoy Stable 1-1/2 2:25.80 $18,200

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ycaza Rides One-Eyed King to Victory in Handicap". New York Times, Section Sports, page 6. 1960-03-27. Archived from the original on 2020-05-06. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  2. ^ "Scoreboard: Who Won Mar. 19, 1965". Time. 1965-03-19. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  3. ^ "Donn Comes Up 'Roses' Again". Sun-Sentinel. 1994-02-06. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  4. ^ "Cigar, what greatness is all about". ESPN. 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  5. ^ "Mshawish beats Valid to the wire in Donn Handicap". ESPN. 2016-02-16. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  6. ^ "Graded Stakes (2017)". Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.