Reapers Stakes
Discontinued stakes race
LocationSheepshead Bay Race Track
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York
Inaugurated1887–1907
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Race information
Distance1+316 miles (9.5 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationThree-years-old

The Reapers Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Sheepshead Bay Race Track in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Held in September, the race was open to three-year-olds of either sex. It was run on dirt over a distance of 1 3/16 miles except for 1903 when it was set at 1 3/8 miles.[1]

On June 19, 1880 the Sheepshead Bay facility hosted its first day of Thoroughbred racing.[2] Success made the addition of more stakes races possible and in 1887 the Reapers Stakes had its inaugural running. That race was won by Belvidere, a colt owned by the Preakness Stables of James Galway, a successful wholesaler of grocery store products and a Steward of The Jockey Club. The final running took place in 1907 and was won by the 20:1 outsider, Blue Book.[3]

Demise of the Reapers Stakes

After years of uncertainty, on June 11, 1908 the Republican controlled New York Legislature under Governor Charles Evans Hughes passed the Hart–Agnew anti-betting legislation with penalties allowing for fines and up to a year in prison.[4] The owners of Sheepshead Bay Race Track, and other racing facilities in New York State, struggled to stay in business without income from betting.[5] Racetrack operators had no choice but to drastically reduce the purse money being paid out which resulted in the Reapers Stakes being dropped from the 1908 schedule to enable a redistribution of funds to the most high-profile races.[6] Further restrictive legislation was passed by the New York Legislature in 1910 which deepened the financial crisis for track operators and led to a complete shut down of racing across the state during 1911 and 1912. When a Court ruling saw racing return in 1913 it was too late for the Sheepshead Bay horse racing facility and it never reopened.

Records

Speed record: (new track record)

  • 1:59.40 – Heno (1902)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

  • 2 – John W. Rogers (1889, 1894)
  • 2 – Charles Littlefield Sr. (1898, 1901)

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Dist.
(Miles)
Time
Win$
1907 Blue Book 3 R. Lowe Stephen J. Lawler James F. Carroll 1316 M 2:05.00 $3,375
1906 Entrée 3 Herman Radtke Thomas H. McCreery Frederick A. Johnson 1316 M 2:00.60 $3,475
1905 Coy Maid 3 Willie Knapp John I. Smith Kenilworth Stable (Frederick C. McLewee) 1316 M 2:01.60 $3,275
1904 Aurumaster 3 William Crimmins Matthew Feakes H. J. Morris 1316 M 2:00.00 $3,025
1903 Eugenia Burch 3 Grover Fuller William C. Smith Libby Curtis 138 M 2:20.80 $2,100
1902 Heno 3 Harry Michaels William Lakeland Sr. William S. Fanshawe 1316 M 1:59.40 $2,300
1901 Watercolor 3 Henry Spencer Charles Littlefield Sr. Charles Littlefield Sr. 1316 M 1:59.80 $1,720
1900 David Garrick 3 John Bullman A. Jack Joyner Rancocas Stable 1316 M 2:00.40 $1,580
1899 Kinley Mack 3 Patrick McCue Peter Wimmer Augustus Eastin & Samuel E. Larabie 1316 M 2:02.40 $1,280
1898 Latson 3 Fred Taral Charles Littlefield Sr. Charles Littlefield Sr. 1316 M 2:04.00 $1,070
1897 Imperator 3 Charles A. Thorpe Edward Feakes Preakness Stables 1316 M 2:03.20 $1,450
1896 Peep o'Day 3 Fred Taral James H. McCormick James H. McCormick 1316 M 2:06.60 $1,400
1895 Flying Dutchman 3 Jerry Chorn Patrick Dunne Patrick Dunne 1316 M 2:02.00 $1,400
1894 Dorian 3 Willie Simms John W. Rogers John W. Rogers 1316 M 2:01.40 $1,480
1893 Sir Francis 3 Edward Garrison Matthew Byrnes Marcus Daly 1316 M 2:02.00 $1,215
1892 Kilkenny 3 Anthony Hamilton John Huggins Rancocas Stable 1316 M 2:03.20 $1,605
1891 La Tosca 3 Fred Taral Frank M. Bray Schuylkill Stable (Hough Brothers) 1316 M 2:03.00 $1,545
1890 Ruperta 3 Alonzo Allen B. J. Johnson 1316 M 2:02.40 $1,425
1889 Buddhist 3 Marty Bergen John W. Rogers Samuel S. Brown 1316 M 2:08.40 $1,720
1888 My Own 3 Rifleshine R. Wyndham Walden R. Wyndham Walden 1316 M 2:04.20 $1,600
1887 Belvidere 3 Jim McLaughlin Preakness Stables 1316 M 2:03.00 $1,340

References

  1. "Condensed History of the Reapers Stakes". Daily Racing Form. 1907-09-05. Retrieved 2018-12-21 via University of Kentucky Archives.
  2. "Coney Island Jockey Club; Programme for the September Meeting". The New York Times. September 3, 1879. p. 3. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
  3. "Blue Book; 20 To 1, Wins The Reapers". Daily Racing Form. 1907-09-06. Retrieved 2018-12-22 via University of Kentucky Archives.
  4. "Penalties in the New York Bills". Daily Racing Form. 1908-01-18. Retrieved 2018-10-26 via University of Kentucky Archives.
  5. "Keep Up Betting Ban". New York Times. 1908-09-01. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
  6. "Striking Falling off in Value of Ten Greatest Stakes". Daily Racing Form. 1910-07-16. Retrieved 2018-10-15 via University of Kentucky Archives.
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