What A Summer Stakes

The What A Summer Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in January at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. The race is open to fillies and mares four years old and up and is run at six furlongs on the dirt.

What A Summer Stakes
Ungraded Stakes race
LocationLaurel Park Racecourse,
Laurel, Maryland,
United States
Inaugurated1978
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Websitewww.Laurelpark.com
Race information
Distance6 furlongs
SurfaceDirt
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFillies & Mares; Four-year-olds & up
WeightAssigned
PurseUS$100,000

An ungraded stakes race, it offers a purse of $100,000. The race was restricted to Maryland-breds between 1978 and 1992. It was run for fillies and mares from age three and up from 1978 through 1985 and was run under handicap conditions during that same time. The race was restricted to two-year-olds from 1985 to 1992.

The race was named in honor of What A Summer, a gray mare by What Luck. She was an Eclipse Award winner and was named American Champion Sprint Horse in 1977. She was bred in Maryland by Milton Polinger. What A Summer was a foal in 1973 and won 18 of 31 starts in her career. She won the de facto second leg of the filly Triple Crown, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, won the Fall Highweight Handicap twice (carrying 134 pounds each time), the Silver Spoon Handicap twice, the Maskette Handicap and four other stakes. In addition to her 18 wins, she placed nine times with earnings of $479,161. That record of 27 first or second finishes in 31 starts at 87% is among the best in history.[1]

What A Summer was trained by Bud Delp while racing for Polinger. She was bought by Diana Firestone following Polinger's death in 1976. Mrs. Firestone turned the mare over to trainer LeRoy Jolley. She was named Maryland-bred horse of the year in 1977 and twice was named champion older mare. What A Summer was retired in 1878 and as a broodmare produced several graded stakes winners.

A venue of 1994 race was Gulfstream Park.[2]

Records

Speed record:

  • 6 furlongs – 1:09.20 – Xtra Heat (2003)
  • 7 furlongs – 1:23.60 – Sea Siren (1983)

Most wins by an horse:

  • 2 – Silmaril (2006 & 2007)
  • 2 – Sweet on Smokey (2016 & 2017)

Most wins by an owner:

  • 3 – Stephen E. Quick (1982, 2007 & 2008)

Most wins by a jockey:

  • 2 – five different jockeys share this record with 2 wins each

Most wins by a trainer:

  • 3 – Christopher W. Grove (2007, 2008 & 2010)

Winners of the What A Summer Stakes since 1978

Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Distance Time Gross Amount
2021 Hello Beautiful 4 Brittany Russell Madaket Stables 6 fur. 1:10.67 $100,000
2018 Ms Locust Point 4 Jorge Vargas Jr. John Servis Cash is King LLC 6 fur. 1:09.78 $100,000
2017 Sweet on Smokey 5 Victor Carrasco Claudio Gonzalez BB Horses’ 6 fur. 1:11.89 $100,000
2016 Sweet on Smokey 4 Victor Carrasco Claudio Gonzalez Bruno La Banca 6 fur. 1:11.00 $75,000
2015 Lady Sabelia 5 Horacio Karamanos Robin Graham Mrs. Frank Wright 6 fur. 1:12.01 $100,000
2014 Winning Image 7 Anthony Black Micahel C Aro Martin Scafidi 6 fur. 1:10.37 $100,000
2013 Bold Affair 5 Abel Castellano Howard Wolfendale Cha.Reed & Mike Zanella 6 fur. 1:10.61 $125,000
2012 No race No race No race No race No race No race No race
2011 Aspenglow 5 Travis Dunkelberger Gary Capuano Nancy L. Terhune 6 fur. 1:10.21 $75,000
2010 Sweet Goodbye 5 J. D. Acosta Christopher W. Grove William R. Harris 6 fur. 1:11.02 $70,000
2009 Access Fee 5 Jose Caraballo Larry Murray Sondra Bender 6 fur. 1:10.31 $60,000
2008 Silmaril 7 Jeremy Rose Christopher W. Grove Stephen E. Quick 6 fur. 1:10.20 $90,000
2007 Silmaril 6 Ryan Fogelsonger Christopher W. Grove Stephen E. Quick 6 fur. 1:11.00 $100,000
2006 Flame of Love 6 Jozbin Santana Scott A. Lake McCarty Racing 6 fur. 1:10.36 $60,000
2005 Sensibly Chic 5 Steve Hamilton Timothy Tullock Jr. Lois S. Nervitt 6 fur. 1:09.80 $50,000
2004 Bronze Abe 5 Erick Rodriguez Grover G. Delp Samuel Bayard 6 fur. 1:10.40 $75,000
2003 Xtra Heat 5 Rick Wilson John Salzman Kenneth Taylor 6 fur. 1:09.20 $60,000
2002 Outstanding Info 4 Jose Caraballo Frank Generazio Jr. Patricia Generazio 6 fur. 1:10.20 $50,000
2001 Doc Calls Her Kate 4 Roberto Alvarado Jr. Anthony Correnti Rhodyo Stable, Inc. 6 fur. 1:11.40 $60,000
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994 Swift and Classy 2 John C. Kimmel Jerry D. Bailey Mutuel Share Stable 6 fur. 1:10.36 $51,950
1993
1992 Carnirainbow 2 Greg Hutton John J. Robb Hal C. B. Clagett 7 fur. 1:26.80 $60,000
1991 Set to Fly 2 Rick Wilson Ben W. Perkins Jr. Richard L. Golden 7 fur. 1:25.40 $75,000
1990 Gala Goldilocks 2 Greg McCarron Bernard P. Bond Skip Leviton 7 fur. 1:23.80 $75,000
1989 Valay Maid 2 Jorge Duarte Carlos A. Garcia Ginny Wright 7 fur. 1:25.80 $75,000
1988 Hard Headed Woman 2 Mario Pino Robert Summers 7 fur. 1:25.00 $75,000
1987 Sham Say 2 Ben Feliciano Eugene Ford Sr. 7 fur. 1:24.60 $65,000
1986 Wainee Church 2 Donnie A. Miller Jr. 7 fur. 1:26.20 $36,500
1985 Gala de Oro 2 Ben Feliciano 7 fur. 1:24.40 $40,500
1984 Artful Girl 5 Paul Nicol Jr. 6 fur. 1:11.80 $16,500
1983 Sea Siren 5 Vincent Bracciale Jr. 7 fur. 1:23.60 $30,000
1982 Kattegat's Pride 3 Donnie A. Miller Jr. Stephen E. Quick 7 fur. 1:24.20 $30,000
1981 Privacy 3 Carlos Barrera C. Oliver Goldsmith 6 fur. 1:12.00 $30,000
1980 Denim Gal 3 Joe Imparato Chiquita Farm 6 fur. 1:12.00 $30,000
1979 Silver Ice 3 Vincent Bracciale Jr. C. Oliver Goldsmith 6 fur. 1:11.00 $30,000
1978 Debby's Turn 4 Greg McCarron 6 fur. 1:10.80 $28,100

See also

References

  1. 2007 Maryland Jockey Club Media Guide, page 466 on March 3, 2007.
  2. "Gulfstream Park Charts - March 12, 1994 / Race 7". Retrieved 2023-10-20.
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