Hanshin Cup Handicap
Encyclopedia
The Hanshin Cup Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race
held annually during the last week of May at Arlington Park
racetrack in the Arlington Heights
suburb of Chicago, Illinois. A Grade III
event open to horses three years of age and older, it is contested on Polytrack over a distance of 8 furlong
s and currently offers a purse of $100,000.
The race was inaugurated in 1941 as the Equipoise Mile in honor of the great colt Equipoise
. It was raced under that name from 1941 through 1963 and in 1966 and 1967. In 1964 and 1965 it was raced as the Equipoise Handicap then from 1968 through 1997.
The race was hosted by the Washington Park Race Track
from 1943 through 1945. It was run in two divisions in 1945.
The race was not run from 1970 through 1978 and in 1988. It was on hiatus again in 1998 and 1999 but returned as the Hanshin Cup Handicap in 2000.
U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductee Swoon's Son
won back-to-back runnings of this race in 1957-58.
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
held annually during the last week of May at Arlington Park
Arlington Park
Arlington Park is a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago region has been a popular sport since the early days of the city in the 1830s, and at one time Chicago had more horse racing tracks than any other major metropolitan area...
racetrack in the Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Arlington Heights is a village in Cook and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it lies about 25 miles northwest of the city's downtown. The population was 75,101 at the 2010 census....
suburb of Chicago, Illinois. 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...
event open to horses three years of age and older, it is contested on Polytrack over a distance of 8 furlong
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....
s and currently offers a purse of $100,000.
The race was inaugurated in 1941 as the Equipoise Mile in honor of the great colt Equipoise
Equipoise (horse)
Equipoise was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse, a chestnut bred in the United States by Harry Payne Whitney and owned by his son, Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney...
. It was raced under that name from 1941 through 1963 and in 1966 and 1967. In 1964 and 1965 it was raced as the Equipoise Handicap then from 1968 through 1997.
The race was hosted by the Washington Park Race Track
Washington Park Race Track
Washington Park Race Track was a popular horse racing venue in the Chicago metropolitan area from 1884 until 1977. It had two locations during its existence. It was first situated in what is the current location of the Washington Park Subdivision of the Woodlawn community area of Chicago in Cook...
from 1943 through 1945. It was run in two divisions in 1945.
The race was not run from 1970 through 1978 and in 1988. It was on hiatus again in 1998 and 1999 but returned as the Hanshin Cup Handicap in 2000.
U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
inductee Swoon's Son
Swoon's Son
Swoon's Son is an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. Foaled February 13, 1953 in Lexington, Kentucky, he was bred and raced by E...
won back-to-back runnings of this race in 1957-58.
Past winners
- 2011 - Workin for Hops (James GrahamJames Graham-British noblemen:*James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose , Scottish nobleman and soldier*James Graham, 2nd Marquess of Montrose *James Graham, 3rd Marquess of Montrose...
) - 2010 - Country Flavor (Inez Karlsson)
- 2009 - Vacation (John Velazquez)
- 2008 - Coragil Cat (Diego SanchezDiego SánchezDiego J. Sanchez is an American mixed martial artist of Mexican descent, with a background in wrestling and Gaidojutsu, system of submission wrestling developed by his longtime trainer Greg Jackson...
) - 2007 - Spotsgone (Earlie FiresEarlie FiresEarlie Stancel Fires is a retired United States' Racing Hall of Fame jockey.Fires began riding professionally in 1964 and led all American apprentices in wins that year with 224. He retired on September 21, 2008 having won 6,470 races at racetracks across North America...
) - 2006 - Gouldings Green (Corey Lanerie)
- 2005 - Lord of the Game (Eusebio Razo, Jr.)
- 2004 - Crafty Shaw (Craig PerretCraig PerretCraig Perret is an American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He began riding horses at age five and by seven was riding quarter horses in match races...
) - 2003 - Apt to Be (Eusebio Razo, Jr.)
- 2002 - Bonapaw (Gerard MelanconGerard MelanconGerard Melancon is an American jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. On April 19, 2007 he won the 3,000th race of his career at Evangeline Downs in Lafayette, Louisiana.-Year-end charts:...
) - 2001 - Bright Valour (Robby AlbaradoRobby AlbaradoRobby J. Albarado is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He began riding at the age of 12 at bush tracks in his native Louisiana and after turning professional, earned his first win at Evangeline Downs in 1990...
) - 2000 - Bright Valour (Jesse CampbellJesse CampbellJesse Gilbert Campbell, Jr. is a former American football safety in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, and the New York Giants. He played college football at North Carolina State University and was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 1991...
)