# Merchants and Citizens Handicap

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Horse race

Merchants and Citizens Handicap Class Discontinued stakes Location Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Springs, New York, United States Inaugurated 1900–1960 Race type Thoroughbred – Flat racing Race information Distance 1+3⁄4 miles (14 furlongs) Surface Dirt Track left-handed Qualification Three-years-old and up

The **Merchants and Citizens Handicap** is a discontinued American [Thoroughbred horse race](/source/Thoroughbred_horse_race) which was first run in 1900 at [Saratoga Race Course](/source/Saratoga_Race_Course) in [Saratoga Springs, New York](/source/Saratoga_Springs%2C_New_York). Open to horses aged three and older, it was contested on dirt. The inaugural event was won by Orville Richards' [gelding](/source/Gelding) Charentus and the final running in 1960 by Gustave Ring's Don Poggio.[1][2] In between them, some of the races most notable winners include [U.S. Racing Hall of Fame](/source/National_Museum_of_Racing_and_Hall_of_Fame) inductees [Roamer](/source/Roamer_(horse)), [Sir Barton](/source/Sir_Barton), [Exterminator](/source/Exterminator_(horse)) (1921) and [Discovery](/source/Discovery_(horse)) (1935).[3]

The 1919 [U. S. Triple Crown](/source/Triple_Crown_of_Thoroughbred_Racing_(United_States)) winner Sir Barton set a world record of 1:55 3/5 for 1 3/16 miles on dirt in winning the August 28, 1920 edition of the Merchants and Citizens Handicap.[4]

## Records

**Speed record:**

- 2:55.80 – Don Poggio (1960) at 13⁄4 miles

- 1:54.60 – [Reveille Boy](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reveille_Boy&action=edit&redlink=1) (1932) at 13⁄16

**Most wins:**

- 2 – Herbert (1901, 1902)

- 2 – Sir John Johnson (1909, 1910)

**Most wins by a [jockey](/source/Jockey):**

- 6 – [Ted Atkinson](/source/Ted_Atkinson) (1943, 1945, 1947, 1950, 1953, 1955)

**Most wins by a [trainer](/source/Horse_trainer):**

- 6 – [James E. Fitzsimmons](/source/James_E._Fitzsimmons) (1914, 1930, 1933, 1934, 1940, 1941)

**Most wins by an owner:**

- 4 – [Belair Stud](/source/Belair_Stud) (1930, 1934, 1940, 1941)

## Winners

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Dist. (Miles) Time 1960 Don Poggio 4 Sam Boulmetis Sr. Pancho Martin Gustave Ring 13⁄4 M 2:55.80 1959 Cross Channel 5 Manuel Ycaza Edward A. Christmas Howell E. Jackson 13⁄4 M 2:56.00 1958 Civet 5 Raul Sterling T. F. McMahon Byrnalnan Stable 13⁄4 M 2:58.80 1957 Admiral Vee 5 Willie Lester H. Allen Jerkens Edward Seinfeld 13⁄4 M 2:59.60 1956 Thinking Cap 4 Paul J. Bailey Henry S. Clark Christiana Stables 13⁄4 M 3:02.80 1955 First Aid 5 Ted Atkinson Preston M. Burch Brookmeade Stable 13⁄16 M 1:58.00 1954 Capeador 4 Nick Shuk Preston M. Burch Brookmeade Stable 13⁄16 M 1:58.00 1953 One Hitter 7 Ted Atkinson John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 13⁄16 M 1:56.60 1952 Crafty Admiral 4 Eric Guerin Robert B. Odom Charfran Stable (Charles & Frances Cohen) 13⁄16 M 1:57.40 1951 County Delight 4 Eric Guerin James E. Ryan Rokeby Stable 13⁄16 M 1:57.40 1950 My Request 5 Ted Atkinson James P. Conway Florence Whitaker 13⁄16 M 1:56.60 1949 Chains 4 Gordon Glisson Preston M. Burch Brookmeade Stable 13⁄16 M 1:57.20 1948 Beauchef 5 Ruperto Donoso Robert B. Odom Andes Stable 13⁄16 M 1:59.00 1947 Loyal Legion 3 Ted Atkinson Oscar White Walter M. Jeffords Sr. 13⁄16 M 1:58.00 1946 Lucky Draw 5 Conn McCreary Bert Mulholland George D. Widener Jr. 13⁄16 M 1:55.40 1945 Coronal 5 Ted Atkinson George P. "Maj" Odom Dell Stables (Herman Delman) 13⁄16 M 1:56.20 1944 Princequillo 4 George Woolf Horatio Luro Boone Hall Stable 13⁄16 M 1:56.20 1943 Lochinvar 4 Ted Atkinson Andy Schuttinger Joseph M. Roebling 13⁄16 M 1:55.00 1942 Olympus 7 Don Meade Eddie Hayward Barrington Stable 13⁄16 M 1:58.00 1941 Fenelon 4 James Stout James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 13⁄16 M 1:58.80 1940 Isolater 7 James Stout James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 13⁄16 M 1:56.80 1939 Sickle T 4 Ronnie Nash Jack Howard Florence Whitaker 13⁄16 M 1:58.40 1938 Great Union 3 Sam Renick Louis Feustel Elizabeth Graham Lewis 13⁄16 M 1:57.80 1937 Count Arthur 5 Lester Balaski Lon Johnson Fannie Hertz 13⁄16 M 1:58.00 1936 Esposa 4 Nick Wall Matthew P. Brady Middleburg Stable 13⁄16 M 2:00.40 1935 Discovery 4 John Bejshak Joseph H. Stotler Alfred G. Vanderbilt II 13⁄16 M 1:57.40 1934 Faireno 5 Tommy Malley James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 13⁄16 M 1:58.60 1933 Dark Secret 4 Hank Mills James E. Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable 13⁄16 M 1:57.40 1932 Reveille Boy 5 Raymond Workman John A. Best John A. Best 13⁄16 M 1:54.60 1931 Curate 5 Mack Garner Peter W. Coyne Joseph E. Widener 13⁄16 M 1:56.60 1930 Frisius 4 Whitey Abel James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 13⁄16 M 1:56.60 1929 Petee-Wrack 4 John Maiben William M. Booth John R. Macomber 13⁄16 M 2:02.20 1928 Chance Shot 4 Earl Sande Peter W. Coyne Joseph E. Widener 13⁄16 M 2:03.20 1927 Chance Play 4 Earl Sande John I. Smith Arden Farm Stable 13⁄16 M 1:59.20 1926 Flagstaff 6 Laverne Fator Willie Knapp La Brae Stable (H. H. Cotton) 13⁄16 M 1:59.00 1925 Spot Cash 5 John Maiben James W. Healy Albert C. Bostwick Jr. 13⁄16 M 1:58.00 1924 Sunsini 4 Willie Kelsay Frank M. Bray Lilane Stable (Mrs. William L. Walker) 13⁄16 M 2:05.20 1923 Bunting 4 Clarence Kummer James G. Rowe Sr. Harry Payne Whitney 13⁄16 M 1:56.40 1922 Devastation 4 Laverne Fator Max Hirsch Stephen Petit 13⁄16 M 2:05.00 1921 Exterminator 6 Willie Kelsay Willie Knapp Willis Sharpe Kilmer 13⁄16 M 1:57.40 1920 Sir Barton 4 Earl Sande H. Guy Bedwell J. K. L. Ross 13⁄16 M 1:55.60 1919 Cudgel 5 Earl Sande H. Guy Bedwell J. K. L. Ross 13⁄16 M 1:57.40 1918 Midway 4 Harold Thurber John S. Ward James W. Parrish 13⁄16 M 1:56.20 1917 Clematis 4 Merritt C. Buxton Thomas M. Murphy Oscar Lewisohn 13⁄16 M 2:02.40 1916 The Finn 4 Andy Schuttinger Edward W. Heffner Harry C. Hallenbeck 13⁄16 M 1:58.00 1915 Roamer 4 James Butwell Andrew J. Goldsborough Andrew Miller 13⁄16 M 1:59.00 1914 Star Gaze 4 John McTaggart James E. Fitzsimmons Herbert L. Pratt 13⁄16 M 2:03.80 1913 Sam Jackson 5 Tommy Davies Jack L. McGinnis V. M. McGinnis 13⁄16 M 2:01.60 1911 – 1912 No racing due to Hart–Agnew Law 1910 Sir John Johnson 5 George Archibald David Woodford Beverwyck Stable (Frank J. Nolan) 13⁄16 M 2:01.60 1909 Sir John Johnson 4 James Butler Jr. David Woodford Beverwyck Stable (Frank J. Nolan) 13⁄16 M 1:58.00 1908 Dandelion 6 Carroll Shilling John E. Madden Francis R. Hitchcock 13⁄16 M 1:58.80 1907 Running Water 4 Walter Miller Thomas Welsh Newcastle Stable 13⁄16 M 1:58.40 1906 Red Leaf 4 Charles Koerner J. Oliver Keene J. Oliver Keene 13⁄16 M 2:02.00 1905 Outcome 4 Harry W. Baird Woodford Clay Woodford Clay 13⁄16 M 2:02.60 1904 Molly Brant 4 George M. Odom Hubert H. Hyner John Sanford 11⁄8 M 1:51.60 1903 Hermis 4 George M. Odom William Shields Edward R. Thomas 11⁄8 M 1:51.60 1902 Herbert 5 Lewis Smith Walter C. Rollins Walter C. Rollins 11⁄8 M 1:56.40 1901 Herbert 4 Lewis Smith Walter C. Rollins Walter C. Rollins 11⁄8 M 1:51.20 1900 Charentus 6 Willie Shaw Jim McLaughlin Orville L. Richards 11⁄16 M 1:45.50

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** University of Kentucky archives (August 23, 1919). ["Merchants and Citizens Handicap, Leading Attractions at Saratoga Today"](https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1919082301/drf1919082301_1_4). *Daily Racing Form*. Retrieved 9 October 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Greeley Daily Tribune, Greeley Daily Tribune, Greeley, Colorado (August 27, 1960). ["Merchants and Citizens Handicap, Don Poggio"](https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/25038446/). *Greeley Daily Tribune*. Retrieved 9 October 2018.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_multiple_names:_authors_list))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. ["Hall of Fame – Horses"](https://www.racingmuseum.org/hall-of-fame/horses). *The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame*. Retrieved 9 October 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Special to The New York Times. (August 29, 1920). ["Sir Barton Sets New World Mark"](https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E02E1DC103FE432A2575AC2A96E9C946195D6CF). *The New York Times*. Retrieved 30 November 2011.

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