Troy Stakes

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

The current rendition of the race was renewed in 2004^[1] with the first two runnings on the Inner Turf course at a distance of 1 mile^[1] with conditions for 4-year-olds and up^[2] and was held in August.^[1]

In 2006, the distance was changed to 5+1⁄2 furlongs on the main turf track, but was still restricted to four-year-olds and up. From in 2011 until 2019, the race was open to three-year-olds and up.^[3]

In 2014, an abundance of rain necessitated the move of the race from the turf and onto the main dirt track, where it was run at 5+1⁄2 furlongs.^[2]

In 2024 the event was upgraded to Grade II by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association,^[4] but was rescheduled due to the state of the track, and was ultimately held on the dirt.^[5]

From 1901 to 1938 Saratoga held an event known as the Troy Claiming Stakes which was a claiming event for two-year-olds at a distance of 5+1⁄2 furlongs.^[6] The structure of claiming events in the early 20th century were different from the modern era. There wasn't a fixed price, and a claim did not mean that ownership of the horse changed at the start of the race. Instead, after the race, the winner was presented to the other owners and trainers of horses in the race, and if any chose to, they could offer the sum for which the runner had been entered.^[7] But even that did not mean the horse changed hands. If anyone offered to buy the horse for the claiming price, the existing owner then could bid to retain the horse, and the price could run up far above the entered claiming price, sometimes even higher than the sum of the purse won and the claiming price together. This more personal and contentious manner of “claiming” horses led to numerous backstretch feuds and considerable ill will.^[7]

Of the more notable participants of the Troy Claiming Stakes were Frizette^[8] who won the event in 1907.^[6] Later the filly was claimed and was sent to France in 1908 and stood at Herman B. Duryea's Haras du Gazon stud. He sent the mare to his high-class American-raced Irish Lad, and the result was Banshee, winner of the classic Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas) in 1913.^[8] Today NYRA honors Frizette with a Grade I event for two-year-old fillies, the Frizette Stakes that is run at Belmont Park in the fall. The 1917 winner Jack Hare Jr. who later went on to win the second division of the 1918 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.^[6] The Classic winner Belair Stud's Faireno also participated in the 1931 edition of the event finishing third to Sagamore Farm's Towee.^[9] The following year Faireno won the Belmont Stakes. The 1938 running was the final running of the event.^[6]

In 1954 the event was held at the Saratoga-at-Jamaica meeting at Jamaica Race Course and was called the Troy Purse.^[10] The event was once again open for two-year-olds at a distance of 5+1⁄2 furlongs.^[10] The 1954 renewal was won by Sound Barrier.^[10] The following year the event was won by Reneged who defeated Canadian Champ after lengthy delay due to the objection raised by jockey Dave Stevenson for interference which was dismissed.^[11] Canadian Champ the following year would become Canadian Horse of the Year.