Young America Stakes
Encyclopedia
The Young America Stakes is a discontinued Thoroughbred horse race
that was run annually at the Meadowlands Racetrack
in East Rutherford, New Jersey
.
Inaugurated in 1977, the Young America Stakes evolved to become an important end of October/early November event for two-year-olds. The race was contested over a distance of 11/16 miles. Run on dirt from inception in 1977 through 1990, at its peak in the mid 1980s it was a Grade 1 event offering a purse of $500,000 and had been attracting such horses as U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductee, Spectacular Bid
and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
colt, Deputy Minister
. However, the event was hurt by the advent of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile
in 1984 which was raced at around the same time and on dirt. In an attempt to survive, in 1991 the Young America was shifted to a race on turf
. Already having lost it Grade 1 status, in 1993 it was downgraded from a Grade II event to a Grade III.
Forevere Casting, ridden by jockey Eddie Delahoussaye
won the inaugural running of the Young America Stakes in November 1977, winning the purse of $144,500 with a victory by a neck in 1:45.6 over Believe It.
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
jockey
Jorge Velásquez
won this race four times; in 1978 with Spectacular Bid
, in 1979 with Koluctoo Bay, in 1980 with Lord Avie
and in 1987 aboard Firery Ensign. After a disappointing start, Firery Ensign came back to win the $500,000 race in a time of 1:45, winning by 1¼ lengths to give Velásquez his fourth winner in the 11th running of the race.
There was another "Young America Stakes" raced in the last decades of the 19th century at a racetrack in Nashville, Tennessee
.
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...
that was run annually at the Meadowlands Racetrack
Meadowlands Racetrack
The Meadowlands Racetrack is a horse racing track at the MetLife Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States.The track hosts both thoroughbred racing and harness racing...
in East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
.
Inaugurated in 1977, the Young America Stakes evolved to become an important end of October/early November event for two-year-olds. The race was contested over a distance of 11/16 miles. Run on dirt from inception in 1977 through 1990, at its peak in the mid 1980s it was a Grade 1 event offering a purse of $500,000 and had been attracting such horses as 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, Spectacular Bid
Spectacular Bid
Spectacular Bid was an American Thoroughbred race horse. "The Bid" as he was known was one of the most dominant gallopers of his time...
and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
colt, Deputy Minister
Deputy Minister (horse)
Deputy Minister was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred horse racing Champion. At age two, he won eight out of his nine starts and was voted the 1981 Sovereign and Eclipse Award winner as North American Champion 2-Yr-Old, and was also voted Canada's Sovereign Award for Horse of the Year...
. However, the event was hurt by the advent of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Breeders' Cup Juvenile
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships....
in 1984 which was raced at around the same time and on dirt. In an attempt to survive, in 1991 the Young America was shifted to a race on turf
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
. Already having lost it Grade 1 status, in 1993 it was downgraded from a Grade II event to a Grade III.
Forevere Casting, ridden by jockey Eddie Delahoussaye
Eddie Delahoussaye
Edward J. Delahoussaye is a retired American Thoroughbred jockey from New Iberia, Louisiana.He began his career in 1968 and ten years later became the top American jockey with 384 wins...
won the inaugural running of the Young America Stakes in November 1977, winning the purse of $144,500 with a victory by a neck in 1:45.6 over Believe It.
National Museum of Racing and 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...
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:...
Jorge Velásquez
Jorge Velasquez
Jorge Velásquez is a thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey.Jorge Velasquez career in thoroughbred racing began in his native Panama but as a teenager moved to the United States...
won this race four times; in 1978 with Spectacular Bid
Spectacular Bid
Spectacular Bid was an American Thoroughbred race horse. "The Bid" as he was known was one of the most dominant gallopers of his time...
, in 1979 with Koluctoo Bay, in 1980 with Lord Avie
Lord Avie
Lord Avie was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse.-Background:A descendant of the great Nearco through his sire Lord Gaylord, his mare, Avie, was a daughter of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Gallant Man...
and in 1987 aboard Firery Ensign. After a disappointing start, Firery Ensign came back to win the $500,000 race in a time of 1:45, winning by 1¼ lengths to give Velásquez his fourth winner in the 11th running of the race.
There was another "Young America Stakes" raced in the last decades of the 19th century at a racetrack in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
Winners
- 1995 - Defacto
- 1994 - Miss Union Avenue
- 1993 - Seattle Rob
- 1992 - Mischievous Music
- 1991 - Maston
- 1990 - Southern Sign
- 1989 - Roanoke
- 1988 - Irish Actor
- 1987 - Firey Ensign
- 1986 - Conquistarose
- 1985 - Storm CatStorm CatStorm Cat was an American Thoroughbred stallion whose breeding fee during the peak of his stud career was $500,000, the highest in the world. As such, he was one of the few horses with a 24-hour armed guard....
- 1984 - Script Ohio
- 1983 - SwaleSwale (horse)Swale was an American thoroughbred racehorse. He is best known for winning the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes in 1984...
- 1982 - Slewpy
- 1981 - Deputy MinisterDeputy Minister (horse)Deputy Minister was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred horse racing Champion. At age two, he won eight out of his nine starts and was voted the 1981 Sovereign and Eclipse Award winner as North American Champion 2-Yr-Old, and was also voted Canada's Sovereign Award for Horse of the Year...
- 1980 - Lord AvieLord AvieLord Avie was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse.-Background:A descendant of the great Nearco through his sire Lord Gaylord, his mare, Avie, was a daughter of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Gallant Man...
- 1979 - Koluctoo Bay
- 1978 - Spectacular BidSpectacular BidSpectacular Bid was an American Thoroughbred race horse. "The Bid" as he was known was one of the most dominant gallopers of his time...
- 1977 - Forever Casting