Personal Ensign Stakes

Personal Ensign Stakes
Grade I race
Location Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Springs, New York, United States
Inaugurated 1948
Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website www.nyra.com/index saratoga
Race information
Distance 1 1/8 miles
Track Dirt, left-handed
Qualification Fillies & Mares, three-years-old & up
Weight Allowances
Purse $500,000

The Personal Ensign Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the third week of August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Open to fillies and Mares age three and older, it is contested (again, as of 2012) at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on dirt.

Since 1997, this race has been named for U.S. Racing Hall of Fame filly, Personal Ensign. Undefeated in racing, Personal Ensign was also a great broodmare.

Inaugurated at Jamaica Racetrack in 1948 as the Firenze Handicap, it was named for the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame filly, Firenze. From 1986 through 1996 it was run as the John A. Morris Handicap, named to honor John Albert Morris, a prominent horseman who in 1889 built the Morris Park Racecourse in The Bronx, New York.

Since inception, the race has also been hosted by all three tracks operated by the New York Racing Association:

The race has been contested at various distances:

The Firenze Handicap was run on turf from 1972 to 1975 and run in two divisions in 1972 and 1974. The 1988 race was run for purse money only, no wagering, after being postponed for one day due to severe thunderstorms that forced cancellation of the remainder of the racing card at Saratoga Springs on Aug. 28, 1988.

Records

Speed record:

Most wins:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Time
2014 Close Hatches 4 Joel Rosario William I. Mott Juddmonte Farms 1:50.62
2013 Royal Delta 5 Mike E. Smith William I. Mott Besilu Stables 1:48.34
2012 Love and Pride 4 John Velazquez Todd Pletcher Green Hills Farm 1:49.22
2011 Ask the Moon 6 Javier Castellano Marty Wolfson Farnsworth Stables 2:04.21
2010 Persistently 4 Alan Garcia C. R. McGaughey III Phipps Stable 2:04.49
2009 Icon Project 4 Julien Leparoux Martin D. Wolfson Andrew Rosen 2:02.37
2008 Ginger Punch 5 Rafael Bejarano Robert J. Frankel Stronach Stables 2:03.37
2007 Miss Shop 4 Javier Castellano H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm 2:03.48
2006 Fleet Indian 5 Jose A. Santos Todd A. Pletcher Paul Saylor 2:03.87
2005 Shadow Cast 4 Robby Albarado Neil J. Howard William S. Farish IV 2:02.07
2004 Storm Flag Flying 4 John Velazquez C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Mills Phipps et al. 2:03.60
2003 Passing Shot 4 Jose A. Santos H. Allen Jerkens Joseph V. Shields, Jr. 2:03.20
2002 Summer Colony 4 John Velazquez Mark A. Hennig Edward P. Evans 2:03.00
2001 Pompeii 4 Richard Migliore John C. Kimmel Robert N. Clay 2:04.60
2000 Beautiful Pleasure 5 Jorge Chavez John T. Ward, Jr. John C. Oxley 2:03.60
1999 Beautiful Pleasure 4 Jorge Chavez John T. Ward, Jr. John C. Oxley 2:02.40
1998 Tomisue's Delight 4 Pat Day Neil J. Howard Stephen C. Hilbert 2:04.00
1997 Clear Mandate 5 Mike E. Smith George R. Arnold II G. Watts Humphrey, Jr. 2:03.60
1996 Urbane 4 Alex Solis Randy Bradshaw Siegel Family 2:03.00
1995 Heavenly Prize 4 Pat Day C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps 2:04.00
1994 Link River 4 Julie Krone William I Mott Sheikh Mohammed 1:50.40
1993 You'd Be Surprised 4 Jerry Bailey MacKenzie Miller Rokeby Stable 1:48.40
1992 Quick Mischief 6 Craig Perret Charles Carlesimo, Jr. Greg G. Mordas 1:47.80
1991 Fit to Scout 4 Chris Antley Jack C. Van Berg Robert M. Snell 1:50.20
1990 Personal Business 4 Chris Antley C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps 1:51.20
1989 Colonial Waters 4 Angel Cordero, Jr. Ross Pearce Buckland Farm 1:50.00
1988 Rose's Cantina 4 Jose Santos Leroy Jolley Carl Icahn 1:49.80
1987 Coup De Fusil 5 Angel Cordero, Jr. Jan H. Nerud Tartan Stable 1:49.20
1986 Shocker T. 4 Gene St. Leon George Gianos Thomasina Caporella 1:50.00
1985 Lady On The Run 3 Angel Cordero, Jr. Bruce N. Levine Peter Montemarano 1:52.00
1984 Solar Halo 3 Robbie Davis J. Elliott Burch James F. Edwards 1:49.20
1983 Chieftain's Command 4 Angel Cordero, Jr. John Parisella Theodore Sabarese 1:51.60
1982 Number 3 Eddie Maple Woody Stephens Claiborne Farm 1:51.40
1981 Tina Tina Too 3 Don MacBeth Richard T. DeStasio Albert Fried, Jr. 1:51.00
1980 Relaxing 4 Jorge Velasquez Angel Penna, Sr. Ogden Phipps 1:49.20
1979 Catherine's Bet 4 Daryl Montoya James P. Conway Adele L. Rand 1:50.20
1978 Mrs. Warren 4 Jorge Velasquez Woody Stephens Newstead Farm 1:51.40
1977 Water Malone 3 Jean-Luc Samyn Philip G. Johnson Mrs. Morton Rosenthal 1:50.40
1976 Sugar Plum Time 4 Angel Cordero, Jr. John W. Russell Cynthia Phipps 1:51.00
1975 Lie Low 4 Jorge Velasquez MacKenzie Miller Cragwood Stable 2:15.20
1974 Lie Low 3 Jorge Velasquez MacKenzie Miller Cragwood Stable 1:49.00
1974 Twixt 5 William J. Passmore Katharine Voss Mrs. John M. Franklin 1:49.80
1973 Aglimmer 4 Michael Venezia Willard C. Freeman John A. Bell III 1:49.40
1972 Manta 6 Angel Cordero, Jr. Victor J. Nickerson Elmendorf Farm 1:50.00
1972 Aladancer 4 Angel Cordero, Jr. Stephen A. DiMauro Albert Clay 1:50.80
1971 Kittiwake 3 Heliodoro Gustines Woody Stephens Mrs. Taylor Hardin 1:50.20
1970 Obeah 5 John L. Rotz Henry S. Clark Christiana Stable 1:51.20
1969 Amerigo Lady 5 Jorge Velasquez J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stable 1:50.00
1968 Politely 5 Angel Cordero, Jr. George M. Baker Bohemia Stable 1:49.60
1967 Politely 4 Braulio Baeza George M. Baker Bohemia Stable 1:53.00
1966 Straight Deal II 4 Bobby Ussery Hirsch Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs 1:49.60
1965 Sailor Princess 3 Gary Mineau Burley Parke Harbor View Farm 1:51.20
1964 Steeple Jill 3 John Ruane Sylvester Veitch George D. Widener, Jr. 1:51.80
1963 Lamb Chop 3 Manuel Ycaza James W. Maloney William Haggin Perry 1:49.80
1962 Pocosaba 5 William Boland H. Allen Jerkens George H. Bostwick 1:52.00
1961 Oil Royalty 3 Hedley Woodhouse Edward A. Neloy Elmendorf Farm 1:36.60
1960 Clear Road 3 Raymond York Pete Mosconi Edward Seinfeld 1:36.40
1959 Polamby 4 Pete Anderson MacKenzie Miller Ned W. Brent 1:50.80
1958 Hoosier Honey 4 John Ruane Not found Roy R. Hunt 1:45.40
1957 Gay Life 4 John Ruane Not found Morty Freedman 1:50.40
1956 Blue Banner 4 William Boland Jack Skinner Rokeby Stable 1:49.40
1955 Rare Treat 3 Ray Mikkonen Bert Mulholland George D. Widener, Jr. 1:50.80
1954 Parlo 3 Ted Atkinson Richard E. Handlen Foxcatcher Farm 1:53.40
1953 Kiss Me Kate 5 Dave Gorman Oscar White Walter M. Jeffords 1:50.80
1952 Next Move 5 Eric Guerin William C. Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt II 1:51.20
1951 Renew 4 B. Green Max Hirsch King Ranch 1:50.60
1950 Red Camelia 4 Patterson Milligan John B. Theall Joe W. Brown 1:45.40
1949 But why Not 5 Dave Gorman Max Hirsch King Ranch 1:44.80
1948 Carolyn A. 4 Charles LeBlanc James P. Conway Mrs. Ben F. Whitaker 1:46.80

References