Silky Sullivan Handicap
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| Grade III race | |
|---|---|
| Silky Sullivan Handicap | |
| Location | Golden Gate Fields Albany, California  |
| Inaugurated | 1976 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | [1] |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) |
| Track | Turf, left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds and up]] |
| Weight | Weight-For-Age |
| Purse | $100,000 |
The Silky Sullivan Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run each year (until recently in March, but now on November 5th) at Golden Gate Fields in the San Francisco Bay Area. Named for the "Heart Attack Horse," the great closer Silky Sullivan, the race is a mile and an eighth, or 9 furlong Grade III turf race——run on grass——with a purse of $100,000, and open to males or females three-years-old and older.
The race was inaugurated in 1976. Over the years its racing date has often changed due to various track schedulings. For the past few years, racing in northern California has been in a state of uncertain flux, which has forced Golden Gate Fields to cease its fall schedule. This has caused the Silky Sullivan Handicap to be in temporary hiatus. The track hopes that in 2008, when it again has a fall season, the race will run as usual.
Silky Sullivan died in 1977, one year later than the race in his name began, and is buried in the infield at Golden Gate Fields. The only other horse so honored is the great Lost in the Fog who died of cancer in 2006.
[edit] Past winners
- 2007 - Not run due to schedule shifts.
- 2006 - Not run due to schedule shifts.
- 2005 - Eastern Sand (Victor Espinoza, trained by Jeff Mullins)
- 2004 -
- 2003 -
- 2002 - Big Shot (Jason P. Lumpkins, trained by Racing Hall of Famer Richard Mandella)
- 2001 - Casino King (trained by Simon Bray)
- 2000 - B. Mr. Lucky (Joe M. Castro)
- 1999 - Sunday Stroll
- 1998 -
- 1997 -
- 1996 - Cavonnier (?)
- 1995 -
- 1994 -
- 1993 -
- 1992 - Music Prospector (trained by Steve Miyadi)
- 1991 -
- 1990 - Avenging Force (Roberto Gonzalez)
- 1989 - Simply Majestic (5) (Ron Hanson)
- 1988 - Variety Road (5) (Russell Baze) (Owner also owned Silky Sullivan - Kjell Qvale)
- 1987 - Dormello (6) (M. Castaneda)
- 1986 - Prince Don B. (5) (M. Castaneda)
- 1985 - Nak Ack (4) (J.C. Judice)
- 1984 - Songhay (5) (J.C. Judice)
- 1983 - Buckohoy (4) (W.M. Winland)
- 1982 - Regalberto (4) (D. Sorenson)
- 1981 - Fleet Tempo (4) (Russell Baze)
- 1980 - Capt. Don (5) (D.C. Hall)
- 1979 - Crafty Native (First Division) (6) (R. Galarsa)
- 1979 - Don Alberto (Second Division) (4) (R.M. Gonzalez)
- 1978 - Alias Smith (5) (M. Castaneda)
- 1977 - Never Slipping (First Division) (5) (J. Arterburn)
- 1977 - Ga Hai (Second Division) (6) (A.L. Diaz)
- 1976 - Austin Mittler (4) (Robyn C. Smith)
[edit] Another Silky race
"The Silky Sullivan Turf Special" for sophomore colts ran at least once on a New York track in August, 2005, for a $75,000 purse. In it, the Sky Mesa colt Sky Turn to Black, Kingmambo's Puppet Regime, and the Pine Bluff colt Gingobell competed in a large field. This writer has yet to discover who won, or if the race is now established, and if so, where?——or was run once, and once only.
