Long Island Handicap

The original Long Island Handicap was established in 1894 at Sheepshead Bay Race Track in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York. The race was open to horses of either gender age three and older and run on dirt over a distance of one mile and one furlong. It was last run in 1910 when the racetrack closed as a result of the Hart–Agnew Law, an anti-gambling bill passed into law by the Legislature of the State of New York

A second edition of the Long Island Handicap was inaugurated in 1956 at Belmont Park. Through 1971 the race was open to horses of either gender, age three and older. It was hosted by Belmont Park in 1956–1960, 1962, 1964–1965, 1968–1969, 1972, 1975–1977, and 1989–1993.

The modern-day race was contested on dirt from 1956 to 1959, 1972, 1975, 1989, 1997, and again in 2000. Since inception it has been raced at various distances:

• 1 mile, 1 furlong : 1894–1910
• 1 mile : 1972
• ​1 ¹⁄₁₆ miles : 1973–1977
• ​1 ³⁄₁₆ miles : 1959, 1961, 1963–1967, 1970–1971
• ​1 ³⁄₈ miles : 1960, 1962, 1968–1969, 1989, 1997, 2000
• ​1 ¹⁄₂ miles: 1990–1996, 1998–1999, 2001–present
• ​1 ⁵⁄₈ miles : 1956–1958

It was run in two divisions in 1958, 1962, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1985, 1990, and 1998.

Speed record: (at current distance of ​1 ¹⁄₂ miles on turf)

• 2:29.00 – Villandry (1992)

Most wins:

• 2 – Parka (1964, 1965)
• 2 – Hush Dear (1982, 1983)
• 2 – Criticism (2008, 2009)

Most wins by an owner:

• 5 – Cragwood Stables (1967, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1976)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 5 – Jorge Velásquez (1969, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1980)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 5 – MacKenzie Miller (1967, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1976)

• June 29, 1894 New York Times article on Sir Walter winning the Long Island Handicap
• The 2009 Long Island Handicap at Bloodhorse.com