The Seabiscuit Handicap is a

Grade II In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

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 ...

for three-years-old and older over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles (

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) on the

turf Sod is the upper layer of turf that is harvested for transplanting. Turf consists of a variable thickness of a soil medium that supports a community of turfgrasses. In British and Australian English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', ...

track scheduled annually in late November at

Del Mar Racetrack The Del Mar Fairgrounds is an event venue in Del Mar, California. It hosts the annual San Diego County Fair. The venue sits on a property along the Pacific Ocean coastline. It includes the Del Mar Racetrack, built in 1936 by the Del Mar Thoroug ...

Del Mar, California Del Mar (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Of the Sea") is a beach city in San Diego County, California, located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Established in 1885 as a seaside resort, the city incorporated in 1959. The population was 3,954 ...

. The event currently carries a purse of $200,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 17 July 1977 as the Citation Handicap at

Hollywood Park Racetrack Hollywood Park was a thoroughbred horse racing, race course located in Inglewood, California, about 3 miles (5 km) from Los Angeles International Airport and adjacent to The Forum (Inglewood, California), the Forum indoor arena. In 1994, t ...

Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the city had a population of 107,762. ...

over a distance of miles on the dirt track. The event was named after the eighth winner of the American Triple Crown in 1948,

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 ...

. Citation had won the

Hollywood Gold Cup The Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of miles on the dirt held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California in May. The race currently offers a purse of $200,000 ...

at the

in last victory of his career. In 1979 for the third running of the event,

American Graded Stakes Committee The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) is an American trade organization for Thoroughbred racehorse owners and breeders, which is based in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1961, TOBA's stated mission is to "improve the economics, in ...

classified the event as Grade III. In 1980 the event was run over a mile and was won by the Irish-bred Caro Bambino who equalled the course record set by Swaps in 1956. In 1991 the event was downgraded and moved to the Hollywood Park autumn meeting and run at a distance of miles. In 1983 the event was scheduled on the turf track over a distance of miles and was split into two divisions. The event also was run in split divisions in 1991. In 1984 the event was upgraded back to Grade III but due to the unexpected wet weather the race was run on the dirt track which was rated as sloppy. US Hall of Fame jockey

Bill Shoemaker William Lee Shoemaker (August 19, 1931 – October 12, 2003) was an American jockey, considered one of the greatest. For 29 years he held the world record for the most professional jockey victories. Early life Referred to as "Bill", "Willie," ...

teamed up with US Hall of Fame trainer

Charles E. Whittingham Charles Edward Whittingham (April 13, 1913 – April 20, 1999) was an American Thoroughbred race horse trainer who is one of the most acclaimed trainers in U.S. racing history. Early career Born in Chula Vista, California, Whittingham began wor ...

to easily win on the Argentine-bred Lord At War by three lengths in a slow time of 1:50. In 1987 the event was upgraded once more to

and once again

would train an Argentine-bred Forlitano to victory. Forlitano would win again in 1988. In 1999 the distance of the event was decrease to back to the original miles. In 2004 the event was upgraded to the highest classification of Grade I. The race was not run in 2005 due to problems with Hollywood Park's grass course not being ready after the turf course was reseeded. The event was downgraded back to Grade II for the 2010 renewal. With the closure of Hollywood Park Racetrack in 2013 the event was moved to Del Mar Racetrack. With the relocation of the event the Del Mar Administration renamed the event to the Seabiscuit Handicap in honor of the 1938 US Horse of the Year,

Seabiscuit Seabiscuit (May 23, 1933 – May 17, 1947) was a champion thoroughbred racehorse in the United States who became the top money-winning racehorse up to the 1940s. He beat the 1937 Triple Crown winner, War Admiral, by four lengths in a two-hors ...

as set by Daily Racing Form and Turf & Sport Digest Awards.

Records

Speed record: * miles: 1:39.67 – Ashkal Way (2006) * miles: 1:44.78 – Fastness (IRE) (1995) Margins: * lengths – Al Mamoon (1986) Most wins: * 2 - Forlitano (ARG) (1987, 1988) * 2 - Good Journey (2001, 2002) 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 ...

: * 4 - Garrett K. Gomez (1998, 2006, 2011, 2012) Most wins by a trainer: * 5 - Philip D'Amato (2015, 2017, 2020, 2022, 2023) Most wins by an owner : * 3 - Evergreen Farm (1987, 1988, 1995)

Winners

''Legend:''
''Notes:''
§ Ran as an

entry Entry may refer to: *Entry, West Virginia, an unincorporated community in the United States *Entry (cards), a term used in trick-taking card-games *Entry (economics), a term in connection with markets *Entry (film), ''Entry'' (film), a 2013 Indian ...

External links

2021 Del Mar Media Guide

References

{{reflist, 2 Horse races in California Del Mar Racetrack Graded stakes races in the United States Grade 2 stakes races in the United States Open mile category horse races Turf races in the United States 1977 establishments in California Horse races established in 1977

History

Records

Winners

See also

External links

References