Memorial Day Handicap

Memorial Day Handicap
Discontinued stakes race
LocationCalder Race Course
Miami Gardens, Florida
Inaugurated1971
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Websitewww.calderracecourse.com
Race information
Distance1+116 miles (8.5 furlongs)
TrackDirt, left-handed
QualificationThree-years-old & up
WeightAssigned
PurseUS$100,000

The Memorial Day Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1971 through 2014 at Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, Florida. Held on Memorial Day, it was an ungraded stakes race that had earned Grade III status in 2002–2007 and 2009–2010. The race was open to horses age three and older and was last raced on dirt over a distance of 1+116 miles (8.5 furlongs).

With the Vietnam War officially ended on April 30, 1975, the race was run as the Empty Saddle Handicap, done to demonstrate the real meaning of Memorial Day with a salute to the fallen soldiers of American wars.

In 2014, Calder's racing operations were leased to the Stronach Group, operators of Gulfstream Park, when Csaba won the race with Manoel Cruz in the saddle.[1] Stronach Group did not pick up this race for their 2015 program.[2]

  1. ^ "Csaba". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  2. ^ BloodHorse.com June 16, 2014 article titled "Calder Cancels Summit of Speed for This Year"