United States Hotel Stakes
| Class | Discontinued stakes |
|---|---|
| Location | Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Springs, New York, United States |
| Inaugurated | 1880 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 6 furlongs |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Two-year-olds |
| Weight | Weight-For-Age |
| Purse | Varied over the years |
The United States Hotel Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in the late summer or early autumn until 1955 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It was run on dirt over a distance of six furlongs. Raced in the pre-grading era, for most of its existence the race was one of the premier shorter distance competitions for two-year-old horses in the United States.[1] [2]
The first running of the United States Hotel Stakes took place in 1880 and was raced for three-year-olds until 1895 when it was changed to a competition for two-year-olds. The inaugural race was won by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Luke Blackburn. It was so successful that in 1901 the New York Times was reporting that it was a "rich" race because it offered a purse of $10,000.[3]
While Man o' War, who would be ranked No.1 in the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century, and other great horses in the history of American Thoroughbred racing won this race, it is also notable for two notable horses who did not. In 1929, the ensuing year's U.S. Triple Crown champion and future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Gallant Fox finished second. Whirlaway, another U.S. Triple Crown champion and future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, suffered the same fate in 1940.
The last horse to win the United States Hotel Stakes was Career Boy, a colt owned by prominent horseman Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney who went on to be voted the American Champion Male Turf Horse for 1956.[4]The runner-up was Canadian Champ, the 1956 Canadian Horse of the Year and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee.[5]
Records
[edit]Speed record (2 year olds):
- 1:06.80 @ 5.5 furlongs: Skilful (1902)
- 1:10.40 @ 6 furlongs: Air Hero (1945)
Speed record (3 year olds):
- 2:36.00 @ 12 furlongs: Hindoo (1881) & Drake Carter (1883)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 4 - Jim McLaughlin (1880, 1881, 1882, 1887)
- 4 - Eric Guerin (1946, 1950, 1953, 1954)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 6 - James G. Rowe Sr. (1881, 1882, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1915)
Most wins by an owner:
- 5 - Dwyer Brothers Stable (1881, 1882, 1886, 1887, 1888)
Winners of the United States Hotel Stakes
[edit]Winners
[edit]| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
Dist. (Miles) |
Time | Win $ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Career Boy | 2 | Hedley Woodhouse | Sylvester Veitch | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney | 6 F | 1:12.40 | $17,200 | |
| 1954 | Summer Tan | 2 | Eric Guerin | Sherrill W. Ward | Dorothy Bryan Firestone | 6 F | 1:12.60 | $18,700 | |
| 1953 | Wise Pop | 2 | Eric Guerin | Stanley Hazzard | Mrs. Claude H. Johannsen Jr. | 6 F | 1:12.80 | $19,075 | |
| 1952 | Tahitian King | 2 | Raymond York | James P. Conway | Florence D. Whitaker | 6 F | 1:12.80 | $15,625 | |
| 1951 | Jet Master | 2 | Eddie Arcaro | George M. Odom | Marlboro Stud Farm (Joseph Eitinger) | 6 F | 1:12.20 | $16,225 | |
| 1950 | Northern Star | 2 | Eric Guerin | James E. Ryan | Esther du Pont Weir | 6 F | 1:13.00 | $14,275 | |
| 1949 | More Sun | 2 | Dave Gorman | Preston M. Burch | Brookmeade Stable | 6 F | 1:12.00 | $14,500 | |
| 1948 | The Admiral | 2 | Douglas Dodson | James E. Fitzsimmons | Ogden Phipps | 6 F | 1:13.80 | $14,400 | |
| 1947 | My Request | 2 | Eddie Arcaro | James P. Conway | Florence D. Whitaker | 6 F | 1:11.60 | $15,375 | |
| 1946 | I Will | 2 | Eric Guerin | George M. Odom | Jacob "Jay" Paley | 6 F | 1:15.00 | $14,275 | |
| 1945 | Air Hero | 2 | John Gilbert | John P. (Doc) Jones | Crispin Oglebay | 6 F | 1:10.40 | $18,100 | |
| 1944 | Pavot | 2 | George Woolf | Oscar White | Walter M. Jeffords Sr. | 6 F | 1:12.20 | $17,000 | |
| 1943 | Boy Knight | 2 | Steve Brooks | John P. (Doc) Jones | Crispin Oglebay | 6 F | 1:13.20 | $9,275 | |
| 1942 | Devils Thumb | 2 | Conn McCreary | Cecil C. Wilhelm | William E. Boeing | 6 F | 1:12.80 | $9,925 | |
| 1941 | Buster | 2 | Irving Anderson | Duval A. Headley | John H. Whitney | 6 F | 1:12.40 | $9,675 | |
| 1940 | Attention | 2 | Leon Haas | Max Hirsch | Anne C. Corning | 6 F | 1:11.80 | $11,075 | |
| 1939 | Flight Command | 2 | Raymond Workman | Sylvester Veitch | Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney | 6 F | 1:13.40 | $9,625 | |
| 1938 | El Chico | 2 | Nick Wall | Matthew P. Brady | William Ziegler Jr. | 6 F | 1:13.20 | $10,300 | |
| 1937 | Chaps | 2 | Eddie DeCamillis | Hugh Dufford | Alvin Untermyer | 6 F | 1:14.60 | $7,700 | |
| 1936 | Reaping Reward | 2 | Harry Richards | Robert V. McGarvey | Milky Way Farm | 6 F | 1:12.60 | $8,225 | |
| 1935 | Postage Due | 2 | Sam Renick | Joseph H. Stotler | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II | 6 F | 1:13.20 | $8,900 | |
| 1934 | Balladier | 2 | Don Meade | Herbert J. Thompson | Edward R . Bradley | 6 F | 1:13.00 | $5,450 | |
| 1933 | Red Wagon | 2 | John Bejshak | Joseph H. Stotler | Sagamore Farm Stable | 6 F | 1:14.00 | $6,625 | |
| 1932 | Ladysman | 2 | Bobby Jones | Bennett W. Creech | William Robertson Coe | 6 F | 1:12.80 | $10,875 | |
| 1931 | Morfair | 2 | Frank Munden | Joseph P. (Sammy) Smith | Dorwood Stable (Victor Emanuel) | 6 F | 1:11.80 | $11,850 | |
| 1930 | Jamestown | 2 | Linus McAtee | A. Jack Joyner | George D. Widener Jr. | 6 F | 1:11.60 | $13,575 | |
| 1929 | Caruso | 2 | Mack Garner | Bennett W. Creech | William Robertson Coe | 6 F | 1:12.00 | $14,000 | |
| 1928 | Comstockery | 2 | George Ellis | Thomas W. Murphy | Greentree Stable | 6 F | 1:13.00 | $13,275 | |
| 1927 | Nassak | 2 | Laverne Fator | Samuel C. Hildreth | Rancocas Stable | 6 F | 1:12.40 | $13,250 | |
| 1926 | Scapa Flow | 2 | Frank Coltiletti | Scott P. Harlan | Walter M. Jeffords Sr. | 6 F | 1:14.40 | $11,525 | |
| 1925 | Pompey | 2 | Laverne Fator | William H. Karrick | Sheshone Stable | 6 F | 1:16.60 | $10,650 | |
| 1924 | Sunny Man | 2 | Ray Carter | Joseph P. (Sammy) Smith | Willis Sharpe Kilmer | 6 F | 1:13.00 | $10,225 | |
| 1923 | St. James | 2 | Earl Sande | A. Jack Joyner | George D. Widener Jr. | 6 F | 1:12.60 | $13,575 | |
| 1922 | Martingale | 2 | Clarence Kummer | William M. Garth | Joshua S. Cosden | 6 F | 1:15.00 | $10,075 | |
| 1921 | Morvich | 2 | Frank Keogh | Frederick Burlew | Benjamin Block | 6 F | 1:11.20 | $9,075 | |
| 1920 | Nancy Lee | 2 | Frank Keogh | John H. McCormack | P. A. Clark (nom de course for William Woodward Sr.) | 6 F | 1:11.80 | $7,900 | |
| 1919 | Man o' War | 2 | Johnny Loftus | Louis Feustel | Glen Riddle Farm | 6 F | 1:12.40 | $7,600 | |
| 1918 | Billy Kelly | 2 | Robert Simpson | William Perkins | William Perkins & William F. Polson | 6 F | 1:12.40 | $8,825 | |
| 1917 | Papp | 2 | Lawrence Allen | Max Hirsch | George W. Loft | 6 F | 1:14.40 | $8,975 | |
| 1916 | Deer Trap | 2 | Everett Haynes | John Whalen | August Belmont Jr. | 6 F | 1:14.00 | $5,850 | |
| 1915 | Dominant | 2 | Tommy McTaggart | James G. Rowe Sr. | Lewis S. Thompson | 6 F | 1:13.40 | $3,900 | |
| 1914 | Garbage | 2 | Tommy Davies | J. Simon Healy | Edward B. Cassatt | 6 F | 1:12.40 | $3,690 | |
| 1913 | Old Rosebud | 2 | John McCabe | Frank D. Weir | Hamilton C. Applegate | 6 F | 1:13.40 | $2,475 | |
| 1912 | No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law | ||||||||
| 1911 | |||||||||
| 1910 | Naushon | 2 | James Butwell | Thomas J. Healey | Richard T. Wilson Jr. | 6 F | 1:14.00 | $8,240 | |
| 1909 | Grasmere | 2 | Richard Scoville | James G. Rowe Sr. | James R. Keene | 6 F | 1:14.80 | $1,200 | |
| 1908 | Hilarious | 2 | Joe Notter | James G. Rowe Sr. | James R. Keene | 6 F | 1:15.00 | $8,250 | |
| 1907 | Restigouche | 2 | Walter Miller | James G. Rowe Sr. | James R. Keene | 6 F | 1:15.00 | $8,250 | |
| 1906 | De Mund | 2 | Herman Radtke | John W. May | Paul J. Rainey | 6 F | 1:14.00 | $8,790 | |
| 1905 | Burgomaster | 2 | Arthur Redfern | John W. Rogers | Harry Payne Whitney | 6 F | 1:13.80 | $8,370 | |
| 1904 | Woodsaw | 2 | Lucien Lyne | A. Jack Joyner | Sidney Paget | 5.5 F | 1:09.00 | $8,250 | |
| 1903 | Montreson | 2 | Arthur Redfern | Thomas J. Healey | Richard T. Wilson Jr. | 5.5 F | 1:12.00 | $9,780 | |
| 1902 | Skilful | 2 | Frank Landry | John P. Mayberry | Charles R. Ellison | 5.5 F | 1:06.80 | $10,480 | |
| 1901 | Masterman | 2 | John Bullman | John J. Hyland | August Belmont Jr. | 5.5 F | 1:08.00 | $7,250 | |
| 1900 | Race not held | ||||||||
| 1899 | Kinley Mack | 3 | Henry Spencer | Peter Wimmer | Samuel E. Larabie & Augustus Eastin | 8.5 F | 1:54.60 | $1,750 | |
| 1898 | George Keene | 3 | Tod Sloan | Thomas Welsh | Sidney Paget | 9 F | 1:57.00 | $1,470 | |
| 1897 | Braw Lad | 3 | Willie Martin | Henry Stull | 8 F | 1:45.50 | $900 | ||
| 1896 | Race not held | ||||||||
| 1895 | Axiom | 3 | Alonzo Clayton | Frank McCabe | Philip J. Dwyer | 5 F | 1:02.75 | $1,385 | |
| 1894 | Peacemaker | 3 | John Lamley | Goughacres Stable (B. Frank Clyde & Thomas C. Clyde) | 7 F | 1:29.00 | $2,950 | ||
| 1893 | Deception | 3 | Patrick McDermott | Walter B. Jennings | Walter B. Jennings | 9 F | 1:55.25 | $1,450 | |
| 1892 | Copyright | 3 | E. Morris | J. C. Carr | 8.5 F | 1:56.50 | $1,450 | ||
| 1891 | Bermuda | 3 | George Anderson | Byron McClelland | Byron McClelland | 12 F | 2:39.00 | $1,010 | |
| 1890 | Sinaloa | 3 | Shelby Barnes | Robert E. Campbell | Santa Anita Stable | 12 F | 2:37.50 | $1,270 | |
| 1889 | Retrieve | 3 | Isaac E. Lewis | John McGinty | Labold Bros. (Alexander S. & Isaac H. Labold) | 12 F | 2:38.50 | $1,330 | |
| 1888 | Ballston | 3 | John P. Neumeyer | Frank McCabe | Dwyer Brothers Stable | 12 F | 2:40.00 | $1,350 | |
| 1887 | Hanover | 3 | Jim McLaughlin | Frank McCabe | Dwyer Brothers Stable | 12 F | 2:38.50 | $1,850 | |
| 1886 | Inspector B | 3 | William Fitzpatrick | Frank McCabe | Dwyer Brothers Stable | 12 F | 2:42.75 | $1,750 | |
| 1885 | Favor | 3 | John Spellman | Green B. Morris | Green B. Morris & James D. Patton | 12 F | 2:40.00 | $1,500 | |
| 1884 | Kosciusko | 3 | John Stoval | Sanford T. Haydon & John N. Barry | 12 F | 2:40.50 | $1,500 | ||
| 1883 | Drake Carter | 3 | John Spellman | Green B. Morris | Green B. Morris & James D. Patton | 12 F | 2:36.00 | $1,600 | |
| 1882 | Frankie B. | 3 | Jim McLaughlin | James G. Rowe Sr. | Dwyer Brothers Stable | 12 F | 2:40.50 | $2,100 | |
| 1881 | Hindoo | 3 | Jim McLaughlin | James G. Rowe Sr. | Dwyer Brothers Stable | 12 F | 2:36.00 | $2,900 | |
| 1880 | Luke Blackburn | 3 | Jim McLaughlin | Capt. Jim Williams | Capt. Jim Williams | 12 F | 2:41.00 | $1,800 | |
References
[edit]- ^ "History of United States Hotel Stakes 1880-1921". Daily Racing Form (Library of Congress Record). Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ "United States Hotel Stakes". Pedigree Query. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ "BELMONT'S HORSE WON.; Masterman Captured the Rich United States Hotel Stakes on Saratoga's Track". The New York Times. 18 August 1901.
- ^ The Bloodhorse.com Champion's history charts
- ^ "Canadian Champ - Hall of Fame Inductee, 2007". Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Retrieved 14 October 2024.