The Bill Hartack Memorial Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois in the early spring of the year. The ungraded stakes race is for horses three-year-olds and older, and is set at a distance of one and one-eighth of a mile. The race offers a purse of $200,000.[1]
In 2009, the race was downgraded from a Grade III event to ungraded status, but as of 2015 had once again been awarded Grade III status.[2]
Formerly known as the National Jockey Club Handicap, the race was inaugurated as the Bill Hartack Memorial Handicap in 2008 to honor the Hall of Fame jockey Bill Hartack who died in November 2007. Hartack won the Kentucky Derby fives times: 1957 on Iron Liege, 1960 on Venetian Way, 1962 on Decidedly, 1964 on Northern Dancer, and 1969 on Majestic Prince.
(In 2000, 2001 and 2002, the race was held at Sportsman's Park Racetrack in Cicero, Illinois.)
The BillHartackMemorialHandicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois in the early spring...
Referred to by the media as both "Bill" and "Willie" (Hartack detested being called "Willie") during his racing career, Hartack grew up on a farm in the Blacklick...
finish line, where Gallant Man finished second to Iron Liege, ridden by BillHartack. At the 1986 Kentucky Derby, Shoemaker became the oldest jockey ever...
won his first Kentucky Derby in 1938 aboard Lawrin. He is tied with BillHartack for most Derby wins with five, and has the most wins in the Preakness...
win in the Benjamin Franklin Handicap on November 2, winning by 12 lengths despite carrying 136 pounds. Jockey BillHartack, riding the third place finisher...
seventeenth run of the season. In the Cowdin Stakes on October 3, ridden by BillHartack, he turned into the straight in third before producing a strong late...
Bold Ruler, Round Table, and Gallant Man. Future Hall of Fame jockey BillHartack, who was Gen. Duke's regular rider, was assigned to ride Iron Liege in...
Bay to victory in the Queen's Plate, becoming the first jockey since BillHartack in 1964 to complete the Kentucky Derby/Queen's Plate double in the same...
Arcaro's 17 wins in Triple Crown races as well as Bill Shoemaker's 11, while tied with Gary Stevens, BillHartack and Earl Sande's 9 each. However, Day had a...
victory in the Kentucky Derby. He was considered by jockeys such as BillHartack to be one of the finest gate riders. Well into his fifties, Nick Shuk...
of the Breeders' Cup races, the race was known as the Stars and Stripes Handicap and was an important part of the annual racing calendar. It drew the top...
typically on the same day as the Wood Memorial, and is now used as a prep race for the Kentucky Oaks. Race name Gazelle Handicap: 1887–2004 Gazelle Stakes: since...
Track in Hialeah, Florida. First run in 1934 as the Joseph McLennan MemorialHandicap, the race was named In honor of the late Joseph "Sandy" McLennan,...
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