The First Flight Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late June/early July at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. A Grade II event open to fillies and Mares, ages three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of seven furlongs.

First Flight Handicap
Grade II race
LocationBelmont Racetrack
Elmont, New York, United States
Inaugurated1978
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Websitewww.nyra.com/Belmont/Stakes/FirstFlight.shtml
Race information
Distance7 furlongs
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationFillies & Mares, three-years-old & up
WeightAssigned
PurseUS$150,000

The race is named in honor of Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney's American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1946. First Flight won the Matron Stakes, and beat male opponents in winning the Belmont Futurity Stakes.

Inaugurated in 1978, the race has been hosted by Aqueduct Racetrack and Belmont Park:

  • Aqueduct – 1978–1989, 1991–2002, 2004–2006
  • Belmont – 1990, 2001, 2003, 2007–present

Records

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Speed record:

  • 1:20.60 – Shared Interest (1992)

Most wins:

  • 2 – Twist Afleet (1994, 1995)
  • 2 – Country Hideaway (1999, 2000)
  • 2 – Shine Again (2001, 2002)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

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Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Time
2009 Porte Bonheur 4 Ramon Domínguez David Duggan Johanna Murphy-Leopoldsberger 1:22.45
2008 Any Limit 5 Cornelio Velásquez H. Allen Jerkens Joseph V. Shields Jr. 1:23.86
2007 Ginger Punch 4 Rafael Bejarano Robert J. Frankel Stronach Stable 1:22.64
2006 Carmandia 4 Chris DeCarlo Richard E. Dutrow Jr. Four Roses Thoroughbreds 1:22.91
2005 Great Intentions 4 Edgar Prado Michael E. Hushion Barry K. Schwartz 1:23.98
2004 Bending Strings 3 Shaun Bridgmohan Kiaran McLaughlin John D. Gunther 1:22.13
2003 Randaroo 3 Heberto Castillo Jr. Kiaran McLaughlin H. Joseph Allen 1:23.65
2002 Shine Again 5 Jean-Luc Samyn H. Allen Jerkens Bohemia Stable 1:23.75
2001 Shine Again 4 Jean-Luc Samyn H. Allen Jerkens Bohemia Stable 1:23.21
2000 Country Hideaway 4 Jose Espinoza C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps 1:22.60
1999 Country Hideaway 3 Heberto Castillo Jr. C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps 1:23.00
1998 Catinca 3 Richard Migliore John C. Kimmel Robert K. Waxman 1:22.14
1997 Dixie Flag 3 Mike Luzzi H. Allen Jerkens Bohemia Stable 1:22.84
1996 Thunder Achiever 3 Robbie Davis Carlos F. Martin Flying Zee Stables 1:21.59
1995 Twist Afleet 4 Gary Stevens John C. Kimmel Lucille Conover 1:22.95
1994 Twist Afleet 3 Jerry Bailey John C. Kimmel Lucille Conover 1:23.02
1993 Raise Heck 5 Roger I. Velez H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm 1:23.51
1992 Shared Interest 4 Jerry Bailey Flint S. Schulhofer Robert S. Evans 1:20.65
1991 Missy's Mirage 3 Eddie Maple H. Allen Jerkens Middletown Stables 1:21.98
1990 Queena 4 Jerry Bailey C. R. McGaughey III Emory G. Alexander 1:22.40
1989 Grecian Flight 5 Craig Perret Joseph H. Pierce Jr. Henry C. B. Lindh 1:22.00
1988 Cagey Exuberance 4 Joseph Imparato Robert W. Camac Lindsey D. Burbank 1:24.40
1987 Al's Helen 4 Jerry Bailey Jack Van Berg Kinsman Stable 1:21.80
1986 Chaldea 6 Jean-Luc Samyn Thomas J. Skiffington R. Lewis Mangum 1:22.40
1985 Alabama Nana 4 Jorge Velásquez D. Wayne Lukas Leonard D. Mathis 1:22.20
1984 Shortly 4 Mario G. Pino James W. Murphy Sam O. Graham 1:22.60
1983 Pert 4 Frank Lovato Jr. Stephen A. DiMauro Harold I. Snyder 1:25.20
1982 Number 3 Eddie Maple Woody Stephens Claiborne Farm 1:22.20
1981 Island Charm 4 Richard Migliore Stephen A. DiMauro David A. McKibbin 1:23.60
1980 Samarta Dancer 4 Cash Asmussen Carlos A. Garcia Gustave Ring 1:25.60
1979 Gladiolus 5 Laffit Pincay Jr. Freeman E. McMillan Sea Spray Farms 1:22.40
1978 What A Summer 5 Jeffrey Fell LeRoy Jolley Diana M. Firestone 1:22.20

References

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