| Grade III race | |
| Location | Oaklawn Park Race Track Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1948 (as Southland Handicap) |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | Oaklawn Park |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄16 miles |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Four years old and older |
| Weight | Assigned |
| Purse | $600,000 (since 2024) |
The Essex Handicap is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for four-year-olds and older at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt run annually in March at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The event currently offers a purse of $600,000.