The Sysonby Handicap was an American

Thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a 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 jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

first run in 1946 at

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a thoroughbred racing, thoroughbred horse racetrack in Elmont, New York, just east of New York City limits best known for hosting the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United Stat ...

Elmont, New York Elmont is an unincorporated Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located in northwestern Hempstead, New York, Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, New York, United States, along its border with the borough ...

. Placed on hiatus after the 1959 edition, the race was revived in 1967 at

Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack within ...

where it was run one last time. An event for horses of either sex age three and older, it was run on dirt over a distance of a mile through 1958 then the following year increased to a mile and a quarter. For the final running in 1967 it became a sprint race of seven

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 foot (unit), feet, 220 yards, 40 rod (unit), rods, 10 chain (unit), chains, or a ...

s. The race was named in honor of U. S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Sysonby who was selected #30 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century.

Historical race notes

Lucky Draw won the 1946 inaugural running in a year in which he set six

track records Track Record (a.k.a. Track Records) was founded in 1966 in London by Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, then managers of the rock group The Who. It was one of the first British-owned independent record labels in the United Kingdom. The most succ ...

including equaling a

World record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organizatio ...

. He won the Sysonby by 10 lengths and although it was run over a muddy racetrack, it was still in a fast time. Other notable Sysonby Handicap winners were four

American Horse of the Year The American Award for Horse of the Year, or simply Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to san ...

and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductees Armed, Triple Crown winner

Citation A citation is a reference to a source. More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated alphanumeric expression embedded in the body of an intellectual work that denotes an entry in the bibliographic references section of the work for the purpose o ...

, and

Tom Fool Tom Fool (March 31, 1949 – August 20, 1976) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1953 American Horse of the Year and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Racing Hall of Fame. He sired the champi ...

. In addition,

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness racing, harness and Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine ...

inductee Arise won this race.

Records

Speed record: * 1:35.00 @ 1 mile : Cohoes (1958) Most wins: *

(1952, 1953) * High Gun (1954, 1955) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

: * 3 -

Ted Atkinson Theodore Frederick Atkinson (June 17, 1916 – May 5, 2005) was a Canadian-born American thoroughbred horse racing jockey, inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1957. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His sister was ...

(1949, 1952, 1953) Most wins by a trainer: * 4 - John M. Gaver Sr. (1949, 1952, 1953, 1958) Most wins by an owner: * 4 - Greentree Stable (1949, 1952, 1953, 1958)

Winners

References

{{reflist Discontinued horse races in New York (state) Open sprint category horse races Belmont Park Aqueduct Racetrack Recurring sporting events established in 1946 Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1967 1946 establishments in New York (state) 1967 disestablishments in New York (state)