Agua Caliente Handicap
Encyclopedia
The Agua Caliente Handicap is a defunct thoroughbred
horse race that was once the premier event at Agua Caliente Racetrack
in Tijuana
, Baja California
, Mexico
, and the richest race in North America. The race has been won by many champions, including Round Table
, Gallant Sir
, who won it twice and in record time, Phar Lap
and Seabiscuit
.
Known also as the Coffroth Handicap, in the 1930s the event offered a $100,000 purse which drew some of the top horses in the United States and was the race in which Phar Lap
, ridden by Billy Elliot made his only North American appearance.
Gallant Sir
won the Agua Caliente Handicap two years in a row, the first as a four-year-old in 1933 when he broke the Agua Caliente track record set by Phar Lap the previous year.
After the 1934 racing season, the government of Mexico outlawed gambling until 1938 by which time the track had already been replaced by the new Santa Anita Park
in Arcadia, California
, United States
, as the choice of owners to run their horses
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horse race that was once the premier event at Agua Caliente Racetrack
Agua Caliente Racetrack
The Agua Caliente Racetrack is a greyhound racing and former horse racing track in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. It opened in December 1929 at a cost of $2.5 million.One year before, the Agua Caliente Casino and Hotel opened in June 1928....
in Tijuana
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
, Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and the richest race in North America. The race has been won by many champions, including Round Table
Round Table (horse)
Round Table was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse. He is considered the greatest turf horse in American racing history. He was foaled at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, on the night of April 6, 1954...
, Gallant Sir
Gallant Sir
Gallant Sir was an American Thoroughbred racehorse bred by renowned horseman Arthur B. Hancock at his Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. He was sired by the outstanding American Champion sire, Sir Gallahad III. His dam, Sun Spot, was a daughter of Omar Khayyam, the 1917 Kentucky Derby winner and...
, who won it twice and in record time, Phar Lap
Phar Lap
Phar Lap was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse whose achievements captured the public's imagination during the early years of the Great Depression. Foaled in New Zealand, he was trained and raced in Australia. Phar Lap dominated Australian racing during a distinguished career, winning a Melbourne...
and Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. From an inauspicious start, Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression...
.
Known also as the Coffroth Handicap, in the 1930s the event offered a $100,000 purse which drew some of the top horses in the United States and was the race in which Phar Lap
Phar Lap
Phar Lap was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse whose achievements captured the public's imagination during the early years of the Great Depression. Foaled in New Zealand, he was trained and raced in Australia. Phar Lap dominated Australian racing during a distinguished career, winning a Melbourne...
, ridden by Billy Elliot made his only North American appearance.
Gallant Sir
Gallant Sir
Gallant Sir was an American Thoroughbred racehorse bred by renowned horseman Arthur B. Hancock at his Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. He was sired by the outstanding American Champion sire, Sir Gallahad III. His dam, Sun Spot, was a daughter of Omar Khayyam, the 1917 Kentucky Derby winner and...
won the Agua Caliente Handicap two years in a row, the first as a four-year-old in 1933 when he broke the Agua Caliente track record set by Phar Lap the previous year.
After the 1934 racing season, the government of Mexico outlawed gambling until 1938 by which time the track had already been replaced by the new Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
in Arcadia, California
Arcadia, California
Arcadia is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and located approximately northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, as the choice of owners to run their horses
Winners
- 1958 - Round TableRound Table (horse)Round Table was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse. He is considered the greatest turf horse in American racing history. He was foaled at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, on the night of April 6, 1954...
- 1939 - 1957: no race
- 1938 - SeabiscuitSeabiscuitSeabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. From an inauspicious start, Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression...
- 1935 - 1937: no race
- 1934 - Gallant SirGallant SirGallant Sir was an American Thoroughbred racehorse bred by renowned horseman Arthur B. Hancock at his Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. He was sired by the outstanding American Champion sire, Sir Gallahad III. His dam, Sun Spot, was a daughter of Omar Khayyam, the 1917 Kentucky Derby winner and...
- 1933 - Gallant SirGallant SirGallant Sir was an American Thoroughbred racehorse bred by renowned horseman Arthur B. Hancock at his Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. He was sired by the outstanding American Champion sire, Sir Gallahad III. His dam, Sun Spot, was a daughter of Omar Khayyam, the 1917 Kentucky Derby winner and...
- 1932 - Phar LapPhar LapPhar Lap was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse whose achievements captured the public's imagination during the early years of the Great Depression. Foaled in New Zealand, he was trained and raced in Australia. Phar Lap dominated Australian racing during a distinguished career, winning a Melbourne...
- 1931 - Mike Hall
- 1930 - VictorianVictorian (horse)Victorian was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that was bred in Kentucky. He was bred and raced by Harry P. Whitney and is best known as the winner of the 1928 American Classic, the Preakness Stakes in which he was ridden by future Hall of Fame jockey Sonny Workman.When his racing career ended,...
- 1929 - Golden Prince
- 1928 - Crystal Pennant
- 1927 - Sir Harry
- 1926 - Carlaris
- 1925 - Atherstone
- 1924 - Runstar
- 1923 - Rebuke
- 1922 - Mulciber
- 1921 - Be Frank
- 1918 - 1920: no race
- 1917 - Sasin