Deputy Minister Handicap

Deputy Minister Handicap
Grade III race
Location Gulfstream Park
Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States
Inaugurated 1990
Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website www.gulfstreampark.com
Race information
Distance 6.5 furlong sprint
Track Dirt, left-handed
Qualification Four-years-old & up
Weight Assigned
Purse $100,000

The Deputy Minister Handicap was a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The race was open to horses age four and older and contested on dirt over a distance of six and one-half furlongs.

The race was named in honor of Deputy Minister who raced in Florida and won Gulfstream Park's Donn Handicap. Deputy Minister was the 1981 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and the Canadian Two-Year Old Champion and Canadian Horse of the Year and was the Leading sire in North America in 1997 and 1998 and the Leading broodmare sire in North America in 2007.

Since inception, the event has been contested at different distances:

The race is not on the 2008 list of stakes races at Gulfstream Park.

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 6.5 furlongs

Winners since 2000

Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
 Time
2007 Keyed Entry 4 John Velazquez Anthony J. Sciametta, Jr. Starlight Stable et al. 1:15:72
2006 Universal Form 5 Manoel Cruz Elliston Rolle Universal Xperience 1:16.48
2005 Medallist 4 Jose Santos H. Allen Jerkens Robert Clay 1:15.62
2004 Alke 4 John Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher K. D. English/A. Braun 1:15.80
2003 Native Heir 5 Cornelio Velasquez Mark Shuman Michael Gill 1:15.17
2002 Fappies Notebook 5 Jorge Chavez Manny Tortora Irving & Marjorie Cowan 1:16.19
2001 Istintaj 5 Jerry Bailey Mark Hennig Shadwell Racing 1:16.08
2000 Deep Gold 4 John Velazquez Bernie Flint N. Chowhan & J. L. Millan 1:15.89

Earlier winners

  • 1999 - Good And Tough
  • 1998 - Irish Conquest
  • 1997 - Templado
  • 1996 - Jess C's Whirl
  • 1995 - Chimes Band
  • 1994 - I Can't Believe
  • 1993 - Loach