Donn Handicap

Grade I race
Donn Handicap
Location	Gulfstream Park Hallandale Beach, Florida, USA
Inaugurated	1959
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.gulfstreampark.com
Race information
Distance	1⅛ miles (9 furlongs)
Track	Dirt, left-handed
Qualification	Four-year-olds and up
Weight	Handicap
Purse	$500,000

The Donn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late January/early February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.

The race is named after the Donn family, who for many years owned and operated the racetrack.

The Donn Handicap is a Grade I race open to horses four years old and up. It is raced on dirt over a distance of one and one-eighth miles and currently offers a $500,000 purse. Recently the race has become the premier prep race in North America for the Dubai World Cup.

Three horses have won the race twice. Inaugurated at a distance of a mile and a half, the only horse to ever win the race twice at that distance was One-Eyed-King who did it back-to-back in 1959 and 1960. At its present distance of one and one-eighth miles, Pistols and Roses won it back-to-back in 1993 and 1994 as did the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Cigar for the two ensuing years.

A total of three horses that have won the Donn Handicap went on to be named either the Eclipse Award for American Horse of the Year or American Champion Older Male Horse that year: Saint Liam, Skip Away and Cigar. In addition, reigning Horse of the Year Invasor won the Donn in 2007 prior to taking the Dubai World Cup.

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 1⅛ miles)

• 1-1/8 miles - 1:46.40 - Jumping Hill (1979)

Most wins by a horse:

• 2 - Cigar (1995 & 1996)
• 2 - Pistols and Roses (1993 & 1994)
• 2 - One-Eyed-King (1959 & 1960)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 2 - Kiaran McLaughlin (2009 & 2007)
• 2 - Todd A. Pletcher (2010 & 2003)
• 2 - William I. Mott (1995 & 1996)
• 2 - George Gianos (1993 & 1994)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 6 - Jerry D. Bailey (1988, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001 & 2004)

Most wins by an owner:

• 2 - Allen E. Paulson (1995 & 1996)
• 2 - Shadwell Stable (2007 & 2009)
• 2 - Pistols and Roses (1993 & 1994)

Winners of the Donn Handicap since 1972

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance (Miles)	Time	Purse	Grade
2011	Giant Oak	5	Shaun Bridgmohan	Chris M. Block	Virginia H. Tarra Trust	1-1/8	1:48.23	$500,000	I
2010	Quality Road	4	John Velazquez	Todd A. Pletcher	Edward P. Evans	1-1/8	1:47.49	$500,000	I
2009	Albertus Maximus	5	Alan Garcia	Kiaran McLaughlin	Shadwell Stable	1-1/8	1:50.96	$500,000	I
2008	Spring At Last	4	Eibar Coa	Doug O'Neill	Reddam / WinStar	1-1/8	1:48.35	$500,000	I
2007	Invasor	4	Fernando Jara	Kiaran McLaughlin	Shadwell Racing	1-1/8	1:48.43	$500,000	I
2006	Brass Hat	5	Willie Martinez	William B. Bradley	Fred F. Bradley	1-1/8	1:47.79	$500,000	I
2005	Saint Liam	5	Edgar Prado	Richard E. Dutrow, Jr.	William & Suzanne Warren	1-1/8	1:48.43	$500,000	I
2004	Medaglia d'Oro	5	Jerry D. Bailey	Robert J. Frankel	Edmund A. Gann	1-1/8	1:47.68	$500,000	I
2003	Harlan's Holiday	4	John R. Velazquez	Todd A. Pletcher	Starlight Stable LLC	1-1/8	1:49.17	$500,000	I
2002	Mongoose	4	Edgar Prado	H. James Bond	Gary & Mary West	1-1/8	1:49.63	$500,000	I
2001	Captain Steve	4	Jerry D. Bailey	Bob Baffert	Michael E. Pegram	1-1/8	1:48.95	$500,000	I
2000	Stephen Got Even	4	Shane Sellers	Nick Zito	Stephen & Tomisue Hilbert	1-1/8	1:48.50	$500,000	I
1999	Puerto Madero	5	Kent Desormeaux	Richard Mandella	Haras Santa Olga	1-1/8	1:48.34	$500,000	I
1998	Skip Away	5	Jerry D. Bailey	Sonny Hine	Carolyn Hine	1-1/8	1:50.17	$300,000	I
1997	Formal Gold	4	Joe Bravo	William W. Perry	John D. Murphy	1-1/8	1:47.49	$300,000	I
1996	Cigar	6	Jerry D. Bailey	William I. Mott	Allen E. Paulson	1-1/8	1:49.12	$300,000	I
1995	Cigar	5	Jerry D. Bailey	William I. Mott	Allen E. Paulson	1-1/8	1:49.68	$300,000	I
1994	Pistols and Roses	5	Heberto Castillo, Jr.	George Gianos	Willis Family Stables	1-1/8	1:50.67	$300,000	I
1993	Pistols and Roses	4	Heberto Castillo, Jr.	George Gianos	Willis Family Stables	1-1/8	1:50.10	$400,000	I
1992	Sea Cadet	4	Alex Solis	Ron McAnally	Verne H. Winchell	1-1/8	1:48.17	$500,000	I
1991	Jolie's Halo	4	Robin Platts	Happy Alter	Arthur I. Appleton	1-1/8	1:47.50	$500,000	I
1990	Primal	5	Earlie Fires	Jimmy Bracken	Tartan Farm	1-1/8	1:50.00	$200,000	I
1989	Cryptoclearance	5	Jose A. Santos	Scotty Schulhofer	Philip Teinowitz	1-1/8	1:48.80	$200,000	I
1988	Jade Hunter	4	Jerry D. Bailey	Richard J. Lundy	Summa Stable/Paulson	1-1/8	1:48.80	$200,000	I
1987	Little Bold John	5	Mike A. Gonzalez	John Robb	Hidden Hill Farm et al.	1-1/8	1:48.80	$200,000	I
1986	Creme Fraiche	4	Eddie Maple	Woody Stephens	Brushwood Stable	1-1/8	1:51.20	$125,000	II
1985	Mo Exception	4	Robert Breen	Ken Masters	Kenneth Kleier	1-1/8	1:48.60	$125,000	II
1984	Play Fellow	4	Pat Day	Harvey L. Vanier	Vanier/Lauer/Victor	1-1/8	1:49.00	$100,000	II
1983	Deputy Minister	4	Don MacBeth	Reynaldo H. Nobles	Due Process Stable et al	1-1/8	1:48.60	$100,000	II
1982	Joanie's Chief	5	Jean-Luc Samyn	Gene Jacobs	M/M Peter Barbarino	1-1/8	1:49.00	$100,000	II
1981	Hurry Up Blue	4	Chuck C. Lopez	Reynaldo H. Nobles	Due Process Stable	1-1/8	1:49.00	$100,000	II
1980	Lot O' Gold	4	Don Brumfield	Smiley Adams		1-1/8	1:48.80	$90,000	II
1979	Jumping Hill	7	Jeffrey Fell	Horatio Luro	El Peco Ranch	1-1/8	1:46.40	$90,000	II
1978	Man's Man	4	Robert Woodhouse	Thomas W. Kelley		1-1/16	1:42.20	$100,000	II
1977	Legion	7	Larry Saumell	G. F. Jabalee	Ralph E. Chapman	1-1/8	1:48.80	$60,000	II
1976	Foolish Pleasure	4	Braulio Baeza	LeRoy Jolley	John L. Greer	7 fur.	1:21.40	$60,000	II
1975	Proud And Bold	5	Gene St. Leon	John Zarthar	Bob Van Worp, Sr.	1-1/8	1:48.00	$60,000	II
1974	Forego	4	Heliodoro Gustines	Frank Y. Whiteley, Jr.	Lazy F Ranch	1-1/8	1:48.60	$60,000	III
1973	Triumphant	4	Braulio Baeza	Joe Bollero	Russell L. Reineman	1-1/8	1:47.80	$60,000	III
1972	Going Straight	4	Braulio Baeza	Elwood McCann	Donamire Farm	1-1/8	1:51.20	$60,000

Earlier winners

• 1971 - Judgable
• 1970 - Twogundan
• 1969 - Funny Fellow
• 1968 - Favorable Turn
• 1967 - Francuis U
• 1966 - Tronado

• 1965 - Gun Bow
• 1964 - Cedar Key
• 1963 - Tutankhamen
• 1962 - Jay Fox
• 1961 - General Arthur
• 1960 - One-Eyed-King
• 1959 - One-Eyed-King

See also

• Donn Handicap "top three finishers" and starters
• Gulfstream Park

References

• The Donn Handicap at Pedigree Query
• The Donn Handicap at the NTRA