Stagehand (horse)
Encyclopedia
Stagehand was an American
Thoroughbred
racehorse
who is the only horse to ever win the Santa Anita Handicap
and the Santa Anita Derby
in the same year.
Bred by the prominent horseman Joseph E. Widener
, Stagehand was sired by Sickle
, who was a son of the influential English
sire Phalaris
. His dam was Stagecraft, a daughter of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductee and Leading broodmare sire in North America
Fair Play
.
Maxwell Howard of Dayton, Ohio
purchased Stagehand for $8000 and raced him at tracks on the U.S. East Coast
as well as in California
. Trained by former jockey
and future Hall of Fame
inductee Earl Sande
, Stagehand was winless at age 2, but matured into a champion at 3. He began his 3-year-old campaign with a second-place finish in a 7-furlong race for maidens and then won three one-mile races in a row.
Next, he tackled stakes horses in the Santa Anita Derby for 3-year-olds on Feb. 22, 1938. Stagehand won by a half-length over Dauber, with Sun Egret third.
Just 10 days later, in the March 5, 1938 Santa Anita Handicap
, Stagehand was up against older horses, and was assigned just 100 pounds to carry. Champion
jockey Nick Wall
brought the colt from three lengths back to overtake and beat Seabiscuit
(who was burdened with 130 pounds) by a nose while setting a new track record in winning California's most prestigious race. As of 2007, Stagehand remains the only three-year-old to ever win the Santa Anita Handicap. His upset win in the "Big Cap" made him the only horse ever to win the Santa Anita Handicap and the Santa Anita Derby in the same year.
From his 15 starts in 1938, Stagehand won eight, finished second twice, and was third three times. His performances earned him 1938 U.S. Champion Three Year Old Colt honors.
Stagehand raced at age 4 in 1939, with his best result coming in the Widener Handicap
when he finished third to winner Bull Lea
. Retired to stud duty, he had modest success as the sire of several stakes race winners. His last foal was born in 1953.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
who is the only horse to ever win the 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...
and the Santa Anita Derby
Santa Anita Derby
The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $1 million. Inaugurated in 1935, it is considered the most important West Coast stepping-stone to the Kentucky Derby...
in the same year.
Bred by the prominent horseman Joseph E. Widener
Joseph E. Widener
Joseph Early Widener was a wealthy American art collector who was a founding benefactor of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C...
, Stagehand was sired by Sickle
Sickle (horse)
Sickle was an English Thoroughbred racehorse who was later exported to the US where he was twice the Leading sire in North America...
, who was a son of the influential English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
sire Phalaris
Phalaris (horse)
Phalaris was a British bred Thoroughbred racehorse, later a Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland and a Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland...
. His dam was Stagecraft, a daughter of 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 and Leading broodmare sire in North America
Leading broodmare sire in North America
The list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of broodmares in North America for each year since 1924. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won during the year by racehorses which were foaled by a daughter of the sire.-----References:* *...
Fair Play
Fair Play (horse)
Fair Play was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was successful on the track, but even more so as a sire.His grandsire was Spendthrift, whose grandsire was the English Triple Crown champion West Australian....
.
Maxwell Howard of Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
purchased Stagehand for $8000 and raced him at tracks on the U.S. East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
as well as in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Trained by former jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
and future 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 Earl Sande
Earl Sande
Earl H. Sande was an American Hall of Fame jockey and thoroughbred horse trainer.Born in Groton, South Dakota, Earl Sande started out as a bronco buster in the early 1900s but then became a successful American quarter horse rider before switching to thoroughbred horse racing in 1918...
, Stagehand was winless at age 2, but matured into a champion at 3. He began his 3-year-old campaign with a second-place finish in a 7-furlong race for maidens and then won three one-mile races in a row.
Next, he tackled stakes horses in the Santa Anita Derby for 3-year-olds on Feb. 22, 1938. Stagehand won by a half-length over Dauber, with Sun Egret third.
Just 10 days later, in the March 5, 1938 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...
, Stagehand was up against older horses, and was assigned just 100 pounds to carry. Champion
United States Champion Jockey by earnings
There is recognition for the United States Champion Jockey by earnings but no formal award is given to the jockey whose mounts earned the most purse money in American Thoroughbred racing. The American Racing Manual shows that since 1910 the following jockeys headed the annual earnings list the most...
jockey Nick Wall
Nick Wall
Nicholas J. "Nick" Wall was a Canadian jockey who competed successfully in Canada and was the 1938 Champion rider in the United States....
brought the colt from three lengths back to overtake and beat 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...
(who was burdened with 130 pounds) by a nose while setting a new track record in winning California's most prestigious race. As of 2007, Stagehand remains the only three-year-old to ever win the Santa Anita Handicap. His upset win in the "Big Cap" made him the only horse ever to win the Santa Anita Handicap and the Santa Anita Derby in the same year.
From his 15 starts in 1938, Stagehand won eight, finished second twice, and was third three times. His performances earned him 1938 U.S. Champion Three Year Old Colt honors.
Stagehand raced at age 4 in 1939, with his best result coming in the Widener Handicap
Widener Handicap
The Widener Handicap at Hialeah Park Race Track in Hialeah, Florida was a Grade III stakes race for Thoroughbred racehorses 3-years-old and up. It was run over a distance of 1¼ miles until 1993 when it was modified to 1 1/8 miles. Initially called the Widener Challenge Cup Handicap, the race was...
when he finished third to winner Bull Lea
Bull Lea
Bull Lea was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is best known as the foundation sire responsible for making Calumet Farm one of the most successful racing stables in American history...
. Retired to stud duty, he had modest success as the sire of several stakes race winners. His last foal was born in 1953.