Washington Park Futurity Stakes

Horse race
Washington Park Futurity
Discontinued stakes race
LocationWashington Park Race Track
Woodlawn, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Inaugurated1937
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Websiten/a
Race information
Distance6.5 furlongs
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationTwo-year-olds
WeightAssigned
Purse$200,000

The Washington Park Futurity Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the now defunct Washington Park Race Track in Woodlawn, Chicago. A race on dirt for two-year-olds, it was first run in 1937 as a six furlong event. Placed on hiatus for two years, it returned as an annual feature in 1940.

From 1959 through 1961 the race was hosted by Chicago's Arlington Park race track where it was run at a distance of 6+1⁄2 furlongs. Made permanent at Arlington Park, the Washington Park Futurity was merged with the Arlington Futurity Stakes and is known as the Arlington-Washington Futurity Stakes.

Race notes

During its tenure, the Washington Park Futurity hosted some of the best horses in the United States.

  • The 1941 edition was won by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Alsab.
  • In 1947, Bewitch won, Citation finished second, and Free America was third. All three horses were owned by Calumet Farm and all were trained by Jimmy Jones.[1]
  • 1953 winner Hasty Road went on to win the 1954 Preakness Stakes
  • 1959 winner Venetian Way won the next year's Kentucky Derby

Records

Speed record: (at distance of 6 furlongs)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by an owner:

  • 3 - John Marsch (1942, 1943, 1944)
  • 3 - Fred W. Hooper (1946, 1956, 1960)

Winners

Year
 Winner
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
 Time
1961 Ridan Bill Hartack LeRoy Jolley Mrs. Moody Jolley 1:18.00
1960 Crozier Braulio Baeza Charles R. Parke Fred W. Hooper 1:15.20
1959 Venetian Way Manuel Gonzalez Victor J. Sovinski Sunny Blue Farm 1:09.60
1958 Restless Wind Bill Shoemaker Horatio Luro Llangollen Farm Stable 1:09.60
1957 Jewel's Reward Bill Hartack Ivan H. Parke Maine Chance Farm 1:11.20
1956 Greek Game † Bill Hartack Ivan H. Parke Fred W. Hooper 1:10.80
1955 Swoon's Son David Erb Lex Wilson E. Gay Drake 1:09.60
1954 Royal Note Eddie Arcaro Frank Gilpin Wilton Stable 1:10.80
1953 Hasty Road Eddie Arcaro Harry Trotsek Hasty House Farm 1:12.80
1952 Mr. Paradise Eddie Arcaro Howard C. Hoffman Ada L. Rice 1:10.60
1951 Oh Leo Paul J. Bailey Milton Resseguet James H. Dunn 1:10.20
1950 To Market Angel Rivera William J. Hirsch Sam A. Mason II 1:12.00
1949 Curtice Ovie Scurlock Robert V. McGarvey Jean Denemark 1:10.20
1948 Model Cadet Anthony Skoronski Tom Smith Ada L. Rice 1:12.20
1947 Bewitch Douglas Dodson Jimmy Jones Calumet Farm 1:10.40
1946 Education John Adams Ivan H. Parke Fred W. Hooper 1:12.20
1945 Revoked Albert Bodiou Howard Wells Dr. Eslie Ashbury 1:11.80
1944 Free For All Otto Grohs Burley Parke John Marsch 1:12.00
1943 Occupy Lyle Whiting Burley Parke John Marsch 1:13.40
1942 Occupation Lester Balaski Burley Parke John Marsch 1:12.00
1941 Alsab Robert Vedder Sarge Swenke Albert Sabath 1:11.00
1940 Porter's Cap Carroll Bierman Tom Smith Charles S. Howard 1:12.80
1937 Tiger Alfred Robertson Robert V. McGarvey Milky Way Farm Stable 1:11.00
† In 1956, California Kid won but was disqualified bumping in the stretch and set back to second.

Notes

  1. ^ https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/419932141.html?dids=419932141:419932141&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+17%2C+1947&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Bewitch+Grabs+Rich+Futurity&pqatl=google [dead link]

References

  • June 26, 1937 Palm Beach Post article on the inaugural running of the Washington Park Futurity
  • September 3, 1961 New York Times article on the 1961 edition of the Washington Park Futurity