Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap

Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap

Grade 1 race
Location	Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Springs, New York, United States
Inaugurated	1975
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.nyra.com
Race information
Distance	1 ^1⁄2 miles (12 furlongs)
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-olds & up
Weight	Assigned
Purse	$1,000,000 (2015)

The Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap is an American race for thoroughbred horses, aged three and up, run annually in mid August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. A prep for the Breeders' Cup Turf, it is set at a distance of one and one-half miles (12 furlongs) on the turf. A Grade I event, the race currently offers a purse of $1,000,000.

The Sword Dancer is named for the best three-year-old colt or gelding of 1959, best three-year-old, best handicap horse, and the American Horse of the Year. Sword Dancer was elected to the United States Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York in 1977.

The event was inaugurated at Aqueduct Racetrack in 1975 as a six furlong sprint on dirt for three-year-old horses. Beginning in 1977, it was hosted by Belmont Park then in 1992 was moved to the Saratoga Race Course. Since inception, the Sword Dancer has been contested at various distances:

• 6 furlongs : 1975-1976 (on dirt)
• 8.5 furlongs (1 ¹⁄₁₆ miles) : 1977-1979
• 12 furlongs (1 ¹⁄₂ miles) : 1980–present (on turf)

The race has been run as an Invitational Handicap since 1994.

In 2000, nine-year-old John's Call became the oldest horse to win this race.

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 1 ¹⁄₂ miles)

• 2:23.20 - Awad (1997)

Most wins:

• 2 - Majesty's Prince (1983, 1984)
• 2 - El Senor (1989, 1990)
• 2 - With Anticipation (2001, 2002)
• 2 - Grand Couturier (2007, 2008)
• 2 - Telling (2009, 2010)

Most wins by an owner:

• 2 - John DeWitt Marsh (1983, 1984)
• 2 - Augustin Stable (2001, 2002)
• 2 - Marc Keller (2007, 2008)
• 2 - Alex & JoAnn Lieblong (2009, 2010)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 3 - Angel Cordero, Jr. (1977, 1979, 1990)
• 3 - Jean-Luc Samyn (1991, 2000, 2003)
• 3 - Pat Day (1997, 2001, 2002)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 3 - William I. Mott (1987, 1992, 1996)

Winners of the Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap since 1975

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance (Miles)	Time	Grade
2015	Flintshire	5	Vincent Cheminaud	Andre Fabre	Juddmonte Farms	1-1/2	2:23.77	I
2014	Main Sequence	5	Rajiv Maragh	H. Graham Motion	Flaxman Holdings	1-1/2	2:24.72	I
2013	Big Blue Kitten	5	Joe Bravo	Chad C. Brown	Sarah & Kenneth Ramsey	1-1/2	2:26.46	I
2012	Point of Entry	4	John Velazquez	Claude R. McGaughey III	Phipps Stable	1-1/2	2:26.40	I
2011	Winchester	6	Cornelio Velasquez	Christophe Clement	Mr. & Mrs. Bertram Firestone	1-1/2	2:26.74	I
2010	Telling	6	Garrett Gomez	Steve Hobby	Alex & JoAnn Lieblong	1-1/2	2:25.29	I
2009	Telling	5	Javier Castellano	Steve Hobby	Alex & JoAnn Lieblong	1-1/2	2:25.43	I
2008	Grand Couturier	5	Alan Garcia	Robert Ribaudo	Marc Keller	1-1/2	2:32.21	I
2007	Grand Couturier	4	Calvin Borel	Robert Ribaudo	Marc Keller	1-1/2	2:26.59	I
2006	Go Deputy	6	Eibar Coa	Todd Pletcher	Wertheimer et Frere	1-1/2	2:26.78	I
2005	King's Drama	5	Jorge Chavez	Robert J. Frankel	Gary A. Tanaka	1-1/2	2:27.38	I
2004	Better Talk Now	5	Ramon Dominguez	H. Graham Motion	Bushwood Stables	1-1/2	2:28.49	I
2003	Whitmore's Conn	5	Jean-Luc Samyn	Randy Schulhofer	Michael & Lynn Shanley	1-1/2	2:28.14	I
2002	With Anticipation	7	Pat Day	Jonathan Sheppard	Augustin Stable	1-1/2	2:24.06	I
2001	With Anticipation	6	Pat Day	Jonathan Sheppard	Augustin Stable	1-1/2	2:26.41	I
2000	John's Call	9	Jean-Luc Samyn	Thomas H. Voss	Trillium Stable	1-1/2	2:32.17	I
1999	Honor Glide	5	Jose Santos	Christophe Clement	Robert G. Schaedle	1-1/2	2:28.23	I
1998	Cetewayo	4	John Velazquez	Michael Dickinson	John A. Chandler	1-1/2	2:29.56	I
1997	Awad	7	Pat Day	David G. Donk	Ryehill Farm	1-1/2	2:23.20	I
1996	Broadway Flyer	5	Mike E. Smith	William I. Mott	Sultan & Bienstock	1-1/2	2:32.08	I
1995	Kiri's Clown	6	Mike Luzzi	Philip G. Johnson	Cobble View Stable	1-1/2	2:25.08	I
1994	Alex The Great	5	Pat Valenzuela	Rodney Rash	Vistas Stables	1-1/2	2:28.66	I
1993	Spectacular Tide	4	Julie Krone	Stanley M. Hough	Royal Lines Stable	1-1/2	2:30.39	I
1992	Fraise	4	Jerry Bailey	William I. Mott	Madeleine Paulson	1-1/2	2:25.88	I
1991	Dr. Root	4	Jean-Luc Samyn	Vincent L. Blengs	Barry K. Schwartz	1-1/2	2:25.43	I
1990	El Senor	6	Angel Cordero, Jr.	William W. Wright	William W. Wright	1-1/2	2:28.00	I
1989	El Senor	5	Herb McCauley	William W. Wright	Frances W. Luro	1-1/2	2:27.00	I
1988	Anka Germania	6	Craig Perret	Tom Skiffington	Fernwood Stable	1-1/2	2:32.20	I
1987	Theatrical	5	Randy Romero	William I. Mott	Bertram R. Firestone	1-1/2	2:26.00	I
1986	Southern Sultan	5	Robbie Davis	Ross Pearce	Buckland Farm	1-1/2	2:39.60	I
1985	Tri For Size	4	Robert Thibeau, Jr.	Michael Sedlacek	Rory Green Stable	1-1/2	2:33.20	I
1984	Majesty's Prince	5	Eddie Maple	Joseph B. Cantey	John DeWitt Marsh	1-1/2	2:31.00	I
1983	Majesty's Prince	4	Eddie Maple	Joseph B. Cantey	John DeWitt Marsh	1-1/2	2:34.40	II
1982	Lemhi Gold	4	Chris McCarron	Lazaro S. Barrera	Aaron U. Jones	1-1/2	2:26.00	II
1981	John Henry	6	Bill Shoemaker	Lefty Nickerson	Dotsam Stable	1-1/2	2:26.80	III
1980	Tiller	6	Ruben Hernandez	David A. Whiteley	William Haggin Perry	1-1/2	2:25.20
1979	Darby Creek Road	4	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Howard M. Tesher	H. Joseph Allen	1-1/16	1:41.60
1978	True Colors	4	Michael Venezia	Willard C. Freeman	Robert Billips	1-1/16	1:41.00
1977	Effervescing	4	Angel Cordero, Jr.	John W. Russell	Ogden Phipps	1-1/16	1:39.60
1976	Arabian Law	3	Jacinto Vasquez	David A. Whiteley	Lazy F Ranch	6 fur.	1:10.60
1975	Gallant Bob	3	Gerard Gallitano	Joseph Marquette	Robert Horton	6 fur.	1:09.60

• In 1987, Theatrical was awarded first place following the disqualification of Dance of Life.

References

• The 2008 Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap at the NTRA