Keene Memorial Stakes

The Keene Memorial Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run for twenty years from 1913 through 1932 at Belmont Park, in Elmont, New York. The race was created to honor James R. Keene who died on January 3, 1913. A Wall Street stockbroker, Keene was a major owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses and would become one of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame's Pillars of the Turf. [1] [2]

Keene Memorial Stakes
Discontinued stakes race
LocationBelmont Park,
Elmont, New York,
United States
Inaugurated1913
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Race information
Distance4.5 furlongs
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationTwo years old

Historical notes

The distance for the first two editions of the Keene Memorial Stakes were set at six furlongs over the main course. Then, in 1915 the race was shortened to five and one-half furlongs and transferred to the track's straight course. In 1926 the distance was reduced to four and one-half furlongs.

Reflecting a recognition by stable owners of James R. Keene's place in Thoroughbred racing history, every single winner of the Keene Memorial Stakes during the twenty years it was run was owned by one of the Who's Who of that era.

The inaugural running of the Keene Memorial Stakes took place on July 5, 1913 and was won by the filly Stake and Cap. She was owned by the prominent Virginia businessman Thomas Fortune Ryan who raced under the nom de course Oak Ridge Stable.[3] [4]

The 1914 Keene Memorial was won by James Butler's filly Comely for whom the Comely Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack would be named.[5] [6] James R. Keene was the breeder of Comely and sold her in a package deal to James Butler who bought the entire 1912 crop produced by his Castleton Stud.[7]

The 1917 Keene Memorial Stakes was run in a heavy rainstorm and no time was recorded.

Just three days after winning his career debut the legendary Man o' War easily won the 1919 edition.[8]

The 1925 winner Friar's Carse went on to earn American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly honors.

In 1930, that year's American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Equipoise would have a career that saw him earn at total of six National Championship honors including twice as the American Horse of the Year and become a National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame inductee.[9] [10]

The 1932 Keene Memorial Stakes was won by Sonny Whitney's colt Caterwaul who defeated ten other two-year-olds.[11]

By late fall of 1932 the Great Depression saw economic conditions worsening which forced the Westchester Racing Association, operators of Belmont Park, to eliminate five races. As a result, the May 14, 1932 race would prove to be the Keene Memorial's final running.[12]

Records

Speed record:

  • 1:05 0/0 @ 5.5 furlongs : Ormsdale
  • 0:51 2/5 @ 4.5 furlongs : Afterglow

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
 Dist.
(Furlongs)		 Time
 Win$
1932 Caterwaul 2 Raymond Workman Thomas J. Healey Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney 4.5 F 0:52.40 $7,500
1931 Fall Apple 2 Alfred Robertson Fred Hopkins Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney 4.5 F 0:54.80 $7,075
1930 Equipoise 2 Raymond Workman Fred Hopkins Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney 4.5 F 0:52.60 $7,625
1929 Mokatam 2 Earl Steffen Sam Hildreth Rancocas Stable 4.5 F 0:52.40 $8,100
1928 Simba 2 Laverne Fator Sam Hildreth Rancocas Stable 5.5 F 1:07.80 $7,825
1927 Dice 2 Danny McAuliffe James E. Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable 4.5 F 0:52.00 $7,575
1926 Afterglow 2 Linus McAtee James G. Rowe Sr. Harry Payne Whitney 4.5 F 0:51.40 $6,625
1925 Friar's Carse 2 Albert Johnson Gwyn R. Tompkins Glen Riddle Farm 5.5 F 1:05.40 $6,750
1924 Laplander 2 Linus McAtee William M. Garth Joshua S. Cosden 5.5 F 1:07.20 $5,577
1923 Mint Briar 2 Albert Johnson John I. Smith Willis Sharpe Kilmer 5.5 F 1:05.40 $6,050
1922 Cherry Pie 2 Lawrence Lyke Scott P. Harlan Greentree Stable 5.5 F 1:05.40 $6,200
1921 William A 2 Earl Sande Sam Hildreth Rancocas Stable 5.5 F 1:05.20 $6,525
1920 Tryster 2 Eddie Ambrose James G. Rowe Sr. Harry Payne Whitney 5.5 F 1:05.60 $5,150
1919 Man o' War 2 Johnny Loftus Louis Feustel Glen Riddle Farm 5.5 F 1:05.60 $4,200
1918 Hannibal 2 Willie Knapp Thomas J. Healey Richard T. Wilson Jr. 5.5 F 1:05.00 $6,850
1917 Tracksend 2 Johnny Loftus Walter B. Jennings A. Kingsley Macomber 5.5 F 0:00.00 $5,350
1916 Ivory Black 2 Frank Keogh John H. McCormack James Butler 5.5 F 1:04.40 $3,900
1915 Ormesdale 2 Joe McCahey Thomas J. Healey Richard T. Wilson Jr. 5.5 F 1:05.00 $2,325
1914 Comely 2 John McCabe Richard C. Benson James Butler 6 F 1:13.20 $4,600
1913 Stake and Cap 2 Joe McCahey William M. Carter Oak Ridge Stable 6 F 1:14.20 $3,275

References
  1. "Jockey Clubs Tribute to Mr. Keene". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1913-01-12. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  2. "James R. Keene". Racingmuseum.org. 2019-01-01. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
  3. "Belmont Park Form Chart". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1913-07-06. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  4. "Stake For Thomas Fortune Ryan: Stake and Cap Carries Virginian's Colors to Victory in the Keene Memorial". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1913-07-06. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  5. "Comely Stakes". New York Racing Association. 2019-11-29. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  6. "Keene Memorial For A Keene Bred Filly". The Sun (New York City), page 17. 1914-06-14. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  7. "Castleton-Bred Two-Year-Olds That Won $70,000 for J. Butler". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1914-12-17. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  8. "Belmont Park Form Chart". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1919-06-10. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  9. The Bloodhorse.com Champion's history charts Archived September 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  10. "Equipoise". National Museum of Racing. Archived from the original on 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
  11. "Daily Racing Form Charts: Belmont Park". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1932-05-16. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  12. "Abandon Keene Memorial". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1932-11-16. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
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