The Widener Handicap at Hialeah Park Race Track in Hialeah, Florida was a Grade III stakes race for Thoroughbred racehorses 3-years-old and up. It was run over a distance of miles (10 furlongs) until 1993 when it was modified to miles. Initially called the Widener Challenge Cup Handicap, the race was named for Hialeah Park owner Joseph E. Widener. It was first run in 1936 as the East Coast counterpart to the Santa Anita Handicap in California.
The magnificence of the Hialeah Park facilities drew the rich and famous to the track and a purse of $50,000 quickly made the Widener Handicap one of the major events of the winter racing season, drawing many of the country's top horses. The March 16, 1942 issue of TIME magazine said: "nearly every glamor horse in the U.S. was entered in Florida's Widener Handicap, richest race of the winter season."http://jcgi.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,801393,00.html
In 1973 the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association began the grading of races and the Widener Handicap was given Grade I status, the highest designation. The Widener Handicap was a Grade 1 race in 1989 when financial difficulties saw racing at Hialeah Park suspended. On resumption in 1992, the race lost its graded stakes status but earned back a Grade III ranking in 1994 and remained at that until its final running in 2001.
In 2000, the Widener Handicap was run at Gulfstream Park then returned to Hialeah Park in 2001. At the end of that year, financial difficulties spelled the demise of Hialeah Park and with it the Widener Handicap.
When Mary Russ won the 1982 Widener Handicap it marked the first time in the history of North American Thoroughbred racing that a female jockey won a Grade I event.New York Times, February 28, 1982
Three horses won the Widener twice and all were owned by Calumet Farm who won this race eight times, more than any other owner.
Record holders Speed record: At miles: 1:45.52 – Albert the Great (2001) At miles: 1:58.60 – Turkoman (1986)
Most wins: 2 – Armed (1946,1947) 2 – Bardstown (1957,1959) 2 – Yorky (1961, 1962)
Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Pat Day (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999)
Most wins by a trainer: 5 – Horace A. Jones (1949, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1962)
Most wins by an owner: 8 – Calumet Farm (1939, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1962)
Winners Year WinnerAge Jockey Trainer Owner Dist. Time2001 Albert the Great4 Jorge Chavez Nick Zito Tracy Farmer1-1/81:45.522000 Blazing Sword †6 Javier CastellanoKathleen O'Connell Gilbert G. Campbell1-1/81:51.731999 Golden Missile4 Pat Day Patrick B. Byrne Frank Stronach1-1/81:47.731998 Frisk Me Now4 Pat Day Robert J. Durso Carol R. Dender1-1/81:47.441997 Tejano Run5 Pat Day Kenneth G. McPeek Roy K. Monroe1-1/81:48.351996 Mecke4 Pat Day Emanuel Tortora James R. Lewis Jr.1-1/81:52.031995 Party Manners4 Shane Sellers C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Mills Phipps1-1/81:47.331994 West By West5 Jean-Luc Samyn George R. Arnold II John H. Peace1-1/81:49.981993 Honest Ensign5 Pedro Rodriguez Guillaume Soyer Navair Stable (Clarence Hill Jr.)1-1/8 1:48.801992 Race not held1991 Sports View4 Chris Antley D. Wayne Lukas Edward A. Cox Jr. et al.1-1/42:02.581990 Race not held1989 Cryptoclearance5 José A. Santos Flint S. Schulhofer Philip Teinowitz1-1/41:59.401988 Personal Flag5 Randy Romero C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps1-1/42:01.801987 Launch a Pegasus5 Jorge Velásquez Lawrence W. Jennings Pegasus Racing Stable1-1/42:01.601986 Turkoman4 Chris McCarron Gary F. Jones Saron Stable (Corbin Robertson)1-1/41:58.601985 Pine Circle4 Don MacBeth C. R. McGaughey III Loblolly Stable1-1/42:00.401984 Mat-Boy5 Jorge Valdivieso Carlos Mancero Noroma Stable (Argentine partnership)1-1/41:59.801983 Swing Till Dawn4 Craig Perret Chuck Marikian Paniolo Ranch et al. (Sherwood Chillingworth) et al.1-1/42:01.201982 Lord Darnley4 Mary L. Russ Roger Laurin George F. Getty II1-1/42:02.401981 Land of Eire6 Earlie Fires Joseph S. Nash C. V. Collins1-1/42:01.001980 Private Account4 Jeffrey Fell Angel Penna Sr. Ogden Phipps1-1/42:03.201979 Jumping Hill7 Jeffrey Fell Horatio Luro El Peco Ranch (George A. Pope Jr.)1-1/42:03.001978 Silver Series4 Ángel Cordero Jr. Oscar Dishman Jr. Dr. Archie R. Donaldson1-1/42:02.201977 Yamanin5 Garth Patterson George T. Poole Hajime Doi1-1/42:01.201976 Hatchet Man5 Heliodoro Gustines John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable1-1/42:02.001975 Forego5 Heliodoro Gustines Sherrill W. Ward Lazy F Ranch1-1/42:01.801974 Forego4 Heliodoro Gustines Sherrill W. Ward Lazy F Ranch1-1/42:01.201973 Vertee4 John Ruane H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm1-1/42:00.801972 Good Counsel4 Ángel Cordero Jr. Lou Rondinello Darby Dan Farm1-1/42:02.601971 True North5 Robert Woodhouse George T. Poole C. V. Whitney1-1/42:03.801970 Never Bow4 Eddie Belmonte H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm1-1/42:01.001969 Yumbel8 Fernando Toro Julian Serna Jr. Walnut Hill Farm1-1/42:03.201968 Sette Bello6 Earlie Fires James P. Conway Robert Lehman1-1/42:01.601967 Ring Twice4 William Boland Bert Mulholland George D. Widener Jr.1-1/42:00.601966 Pia Star5 Johnny Sellers Clyde Troutt Ada L. Rice1-1/42:01.601965 Primordial8 Sandino Hernandez Santiago L. Ledwith Santiago L. Ledwith1-1/42:03.601964 Mongo5 Wayne Chambers Frank A. Bonsal Marion duPont Scott1-1/42:01.201963 Beau Purple6 William Boland H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm1-1/42:01.801962 Yorky5 Steve Brooks Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm1-1/42:02.001961 Yorky4 Johnny Sellers Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm1-1/42:01.001960 Bald Eagle5 Manuel Ycaza Cain Hoy Stable Woody Stephens1-1/41:59.601959 Bardstown7 Steve Brooks Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm1-1/42:01.201958 Oligarchy4 Sam Boulemetis J. Elliott Burch Brookmeade Stable1-1/42:01.401957 Bardstown5 Bill Hartack Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm1-1/42:03.001956 Nashua4 Eddie Arcaro James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud1-1/42:02.001955 Hasty Road4 John Adams Harry Trotsek Hasty House Farm1-1/42:02.401954 Landlocked4 John Heckmann Robert L. Dotter James Cox Brady Jr.1-1/42:03.201953 Oil Capitol6 Conn McCreary Harry Trotsek Hasty House Farm & Cora Trotsek1-1/42:02.401952 Spartan Valor4 James Stout Frank Catrone William G. Helis Jr.1-1/42:03.201951 Sunglow4 Douglas Dodson Preston M. Burch Brookmeade Stable1-1/42:02.201950 Royal Governor6 Chris Rogers James E. Ryan Esther du Pont Weir1-1/42:06.001949 Coaltown4 Ted Atkinson Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm1-1/42:02.001948 El Mono4 Porter Roberts Roscoe Troxler Daniel Lamont1-1/42:01.001947 Armed6 Douglas Dodson Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm1-1/42:01.601946 Armed5 Douglas Dodson Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm1-1/42:02.401945 Race not held1944 Four Freedoms4 Eddie Arcaro John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable1-1/42:04.601943 Race not held1942 The Rhymer4 Eddie Arcaro John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable1-1/42:05.201941 Big Pebble5 George Seabo William B. Finnegan Circle M. Ranch (Edward S. Moore)1-1/42:02.801940 Many Stings5 Ruperto Donoso Mose Shapoff Le Mar Stock Farm1-1/42:03.001939 Bull Lea4 Irving Anderson Frank J. Kearns Calumet Farm1-1/42:02.401938 War Admiral4 Charles Kurtsinger George Conway Glen Riddle Farm1-1/42:03.801937 Columbiana4 Hubert LeBlanc William J. Hirsch William J. Hirsch1-1/42:02.001936 Mantagna4 Eddie Litzenberger George E. Phillips William H. Furst1-1/42:01.80
† In 2000 Lemon Drop Kid finished 1st but was disqualified to 4th for interference.
References