Knickerbocker Handicap
The Knickerbocker Handicap is an American Grade III race on turf for Thoroughbred horses run each year at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The Knickerbocker is open to three-year-olds and up, and set at a distance of one mile and one furlong. (One and one-eighth of a mile.) Run in late October, it currently offers a purse of $200,000 added.
The Knickerbocker is named for a fictional character, Diedrich Knickerbocker, from Washington Irving's Knickerbocker History of New York a spoof on the imagined colony of New Netherland.
Other than Aqueduct, the race was run at Belmont Park in 1962, 1975, 2001, 2009, 2011 and 2013. Set at a mile and five eighths in 1960, 1961, and from 1971 to 1974; at a mile and three sixteenths from 1963 to 1969; at a mile and five sixteenths in 1970; at a mile and three eighths in 1962, 1975, 1976, and from 1978 to 1986; and at a mile and a quarter in 1995 and 2001. It was run at a mile and an eighth all other years. It was also run in two divisions in 1963, 1967, 1969, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1985.
T.V. Lark won this race in its second running, 1961.
Jockey Jean Cruguet has won this race seven times: 1992, 1988, 1986, 1985, 1978, and both divisions in 1977.
Past winners
- 2013 - Za Approval (5) (Travis L. Dunkelberger)
- 2012 - Boisterous (5) (Julian Pimentel)
- 2011 - Boisterous (4) (John Velazquez)
- 2010 - Violon Sacre (5) (Pablo Fragoso)
- 2009 - Operation Red Dawn (7) (Rajiv Maragh)
- 2008 - Formal Decree (5) (Jean-Luc Samyn)
- 2007 - Fishy Advice (5) (Javier Castellano)
- 2006 - Drum Major (4) (Joe Bravo)
- 2005 - Atlando (IRE) (4) (Jerry Bailey)
- 2004 - Host (CHI) (4) (Christopher DeCarlo)
- 2003 - Better Talk Now (4) (Edgar Prado)
- 2002 - Dawn of the Condor (5) (Jorge Chavez)
- 2001 - Sumitas (5) (Edgar Prado)
- 2000 - Chargé d'Affaires (5) (Jose Santos)
- 1999 - Chargé d'Affaires (4) (Jose Santos)
- 1998 - Sahm (4) (John Velazquez)
- 1997 - Sir Cat (4) (Mike E. Smith)
- 1996 - Mr. Bluebird (5) (Mike E. Smith)
- 1995 - Diplomatic Jet (3) (Mike E. Smith)
- 1994 - Kiri's Clown (5) (Mike Luzzi)
- 1993 - River Majesty (4) (Mike E. Smith)
- 1992 - Binary Light (3) (Jean Cruguet)
- 1991 - Home of the Free (3) (John Velazquez)
- 1990 - Who's To Pay (4) (Jerry Bailey)
- 1989 - Trans Banner (4) (Jean-Luc Samyn)
- 1988 - Jimmy's Bronco (4) (Jean Cruguet)
- 1987 - Laser Lane (4) (Jose Santos)
- 1986 - Duluth (4) (Jean Cruguet)
- 1985 - Putting Green (5) (Eddie Maple)
- 1985 - Rocamadour II (6) (Jean Cruguet)
- 1984 - He's Vivacious (4) (Robbie Davis)
- 1983 - Four Bases (4) (Robert Thibeau Jr.)
- 1983 - Piling (5) (Eddie Maple)
- 1982 - Half Iced (3) (Don MacBeth)
- 1982 - If Winter Comes (4) (Michael Venezia)
- 1981 - Euphrosyne (5) Richard Migliore)
- 1981 - Ghazwan (4) (Constantino Hernandez)
- 1980 - Foretake (4) (John Ruane)
- 1980 - Lobsang II (4) (Michael Venezia)
- 1979 - French Colonial (4) (Jacinto Vasquez)
- 1978 - Fluorescent Light (4) (Jean Cruguet)
- 1977 - Dance d'Espoir (5) (Jean Cruguet)
- 1977 - Keep the Promise (5) (Jean Cruguet)
- 1976 - Javamine (3) (Jorge Velasquez)
- 1976 - Oilfield (3) (Sandy Hawley)
- 1975 - Shady Character (4) (Angel Cordero Jr.)
- 1974 - Shady Character (3) (Angel Cordero Jr.)
- 1973 - Astray (4) (Chuck Baltazar)
- 1972 - Triangular (5) (John L. Rotz)
- 1971 - Fresh Alibhai (3) (John Ruane)
- 1970 - Mongo's Pride (3) (Carlos H. Marquez)
- 1969 - Vent du Nord (4) (Rudy L. Turcotte)
- 1969 - Zarco (3) (Ron Turcotte)
- 1968 - Flit-To (5) (Manuel Ycaza)
- 1967 - Dunderhead (4) (Ernest Cardone)
- 1967 - Flag (7) (Sandino Hernandez)
- 1966 - Rego (3) (Hedley Woodhouse)
- 1965 - Circus (4) (Mike Sorrentino)
- 1964 - Third Martini (5) (M. Ycaza)
- 1963 - Parka (5) (Bill Shoemaker)
- 1963 - Hellenic Hero (5) (Hedley Woodhouse)
- 1962 - The Axe II (4) (Bill Shoemaker)
- 1961 - T.V. Lark (4) (Johnny Longden)
- 1960 - Quiz Star (4) (Bill Shoemaker)