Freehold Stakes Explained

The Freehold Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early August at the Monmouth Park Association's racetrack in Long Branch, New Jersey. Inaugurated in 1879, the Champion Stakes was open to horses of any age and was raced on dirt over a distance of one and one half miles (12 furlongs).

In 1891, the races at Long Branch had to be shifted to racetracks in New York when government legislation attempted to inhibit parimutuel wagering. The races were split between the Jerome Park Racetrack in Fordham, Bronx and at the nearby Morris Park Racecourse at Westchester Village.^[1] The Monmouth Park Racing Association closed and the land sold after its operating license was revoked in 1893 and government legislation was enacted that banned parimutuel wagering.^[2]

Records

Speed record:

• 2:33.25 - Firenze (1890)

Most wins:

• 3 - Firenze (1888, 1889, 1890)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 3 - William Donohue (1882, 1883, 1884)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 3 - Evert V. Snedecker (1882, 1883, 1884)
• 3 - Matthew Byrnes (1888, 1889, 1890)
• 3 - John Huggins (1886, 1887, 1892)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - James Ben Ali Haggin (1888, 1889, 1890)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Dist. (Miles)	Time
1892	Locohatchee †	3	Marty Bergen	John Huggins	Rancocas Stable	1	2:38.00
1891	Raceland	6	Anthony Hamilton	Hardy Campbell, Jr.	Michael F. Dwyer	1	2:37.75
1890	Firenze	6	Isaac Burns Murphy	Matthew Byrnes	James Ben Ali Haggin	1	2:33.25
1889	Firenze	5		Matthew Byrnes	James Ben Ali Haggin	1
1888	Firenze	4	Edward H. Garrison	Matthew Byrnes	James Ben Ali Haggin	1	2:34.00
1887	The Bard	4			Alexander Cassatt	1	2:39.75
1886	The Bard	3	Sam H. Fisher	John Huggins	Alexander Cassatt	1	2:45.50
1885	Miss Woodford	5	Jim McLaughlin	Frank McCabe	Dwyer Brothers Stable	1	2:45.50
1884	Eole	6	William Donohue	Evert V. Snedecker	Frederick Gebhard	1	2:44.50
1883	Eole	5	William Donohue	Evert V. Snedecker	Frederick Gebhard	1	2:36.00
1882	Giroflé	5	William Donohue	Evert V. Snedecker	E. V. Snedeker & Co.	1	2:42.00

• † In 1892, Banquet won but was disqualified for interference and set back to last.^[3]

References

• August 4, 1882 New York Times article on the Freehold Stakes
• July 30, 1884 New York Times article on Eole's second win in the Freehold Stakes
• August 6, 1891 New York Times article on Firenze's three straight wins in the Freehold Stakes

Notes and References

1. News: No Races at Long Branch; Stake Dates Fixed for Morris and Jerome Park Tracks. The Monmouth Park Racing Association Abandons Hope of Racing at ITS Own Track and Prepares for ITS Summer Campaign Here . The New York Times . 29 June 1891 .
2. News: MONMOUTH PArk's LICENSE REVOKED.; Action Taken by the Local Authorities in August Just Made Public . The New York Times . 26 December 1893 .
3. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1892/08/07/108215019.pdf