The Berkeley Handicap is a Grade III

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

 race for thoroughbred

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...

 horses held on the dirt at Golden Gate Fields

Golden Gate Fields

Golden Gate Fields is an American horse racing track straddling both Albany, California and Berkeley, California along the shoreline of San Francisco Bay adjacent to the Eastshore Freeway in the San Francisco Bay Area...

 in Albany, California

Albany, California

Albany is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. The population was 18,539 at the 2010 census.-History:In 1908, a group of local women protested the dumping of Berkeley garbage in their community...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Highlighting the Labor Day

Labor Day

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...

 weekend, it's a race for three-year-olds and up of either gender and run at a distance of one and one sixteenth mile. The Berkeley was the richest race of the fall meeting, offering a purse of US$150,000.

In 2009, it will run on May 25 as part of the spring program.

Restless Con holds the track record at this distance of 1:39:50 on June 14, 1991.

Past winners

• 2011 - Uh Oh Bango (Aaron Gryder
  Aaron Gryder
  Aaron Tod Gryder is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey.Growing up fifteen minutes away from the Santa Anita racetrack, as a boy Gryder had no contact with horses other than his father and his grandparents' interest in attending the nearby races...
  
  ) (Bold Chieftain placed)
• 2010 - Run it (Chad Schvaneveldt) (Bold Chieftain placed)
• 2009 - Autism Awareness (David Lopez) (Bold Chieftain placed)
• 2008 - McCann's Mojave (Frank Alvarado)
• 2007 - My Creed (Modesto Linares) (Argentian
  Argentina
  Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
  
   stakes winner, Visa Parade, placed.)
• 2006 - Spellbinder (Roberto Gonzalez)
• 2005 - Desert Boom
• 2004 - Snorter (Multiple stakes winner, Taste of Paradise, came in third.)
• 2003 - I’madrifter
• 2002 - Irisheyesareflying
• 2001 - Blade Prospector (Brz)
• 2000 - Voice of Destiny
• 1999 - Hal's Pal
• 1998 - Wild Wonder
• 1997 - NOT RUN
• 1996 - Houston Fleet M D
• 1995 - Double Jab (Cleante, multiple Grade I winner in Argentina
  Argentina
  Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
  
  , came in third.)
• 1994 - River Special (Twice a Grade I winner.)
• 1993 - Infamous Deed
• 1992 - Music Prospector (Flying Continental came in third.)
• 1991 - High Energy
• 1990 - On the Menu
• 1989 - Ongoing Mister
• 1988 - Sanger Chief
• 1987 - Rocky Marriage
• 1986 - Sun Master (Grade I winner, Beldare Lear, placed.)
• 1984 - Songhay
• 1982 - Foyts Ack
• 1981 - Head Hawk
• 1980 - NOT RUN
• 1979 - Gustoso
• 1978 - Boy Tike
• 1977 - Lino
• 1976 - Branford Court
• 1975 - Star of Kuwait
• 1974 - Yvetot
• 1973 - Yvetot
• 1968 - Mainsheet
• 1967 - Carang
• 1966 - High Perch
• 1965 - Hasty Trip
• 1964 - Saris Song (Filly
  Filly
  A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
  
  )
• 1963 - More Megaton
• 1960 - Free Copy
• 1959 - Revel
• 1958 - Nushie (Filly
  Filly
  A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
  
  )
• 1957 - Fire Alarm
• 1956 - Lucky G L
• 1955 - Noir
• 1953 - Berseem
• 1952 - Big Noise
• 1951 - Simonsez
• 1950 - Bullremember (Filly
  Filly
  A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
  
  )
• 1949 - Moonrush
• 1948 - Moonrush (won the 1951 Santa Anita Handicap
  Santa Anita Handicap
  The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season...
  
  )