break the disagreement please

[Pie™]

I'm having a disagreement with a friend. So, I'll pose the question here

Can a maiden - never ran - have their first start in a handicap or stakes race?

I say yes, and I say this only because last year, at one of the stakes events at our local track, there was not only a first time starter in the race, but also a maiden with no starts.

My friends so no way. A horse has to break its maiden before it can move up the ranks.

Whats the real answer and if my friends are right, then, how did a maiden get entered and run in a stakes race last year?

[Denise]

I don't know about a first time starter, but a Langfuhr maiden we have been watching, Interpatation, ran in a stakes in only its second start and won at 35-1 last week!

[Sam]

Can a maiden - never ran - have their first start in a handicap or stakes race?

Nationalore never broke his maiden and ran in several stakes races.

Can't recall a first time starter making his first start in a stake, though I'd say that is not for lack of ability, but more for lack of experience.

If you mean "handicap" as in "Iselin Handicap" = stake race, see above.

If you mean handicap as in just a normal everyday card handicap race, I don't see why they couldn't (I seem to recall one of KKris foals making it's first start in a handicap .. might have been his second, I'd have to go back through my files to check)

[henthorn]

Yes, a first time starter can make his start in a stake. The conditions usually specify that winners have precedence to get in, but if a maiden is entered and there is room for him in the race, he can run. I suppose any racing jurisdiction can make its own rules that might preclude it, but as a general rule, it can happen.

[Bill from WA]

Throughout history many maidens have run in stakes races, and there have been more than a few instances of maidens making their initial start in a stakes race. Nothing precludes this, except perhaps, for conditions written for the race itself.

Bill

[halo]

If Im not mistaken, I think Fortunate Prospect ran in a stake race in his first start, and won by about 20 lengths.

[Sysonby]

Alydar also ran first time in a stakes.

[LSB]

I'm pretty sure Sweet Catomine broke her maiden in a Grade 1 though it was her second race, not her first.

[Mahubah]

If I remember right, Lady Capulet (the dam of El Prado) scored the only win of her career in the Irish 1000 Guineas. And Brokers Tip scored the only win of his career in the 1933 Kentucky Derby. Sir Barton also broke his maiden in the Kentucky Derby, going on to win the Triple Crown in 1919.

If my memory's working right, the English mare Cherimoya won the Oaks Stakes in her only start.

[wilf]

Two years ago Frankiefourfingers won a stake at his very first start at Woodbine. It was actually very significant as he became the first stakes winner by Elusive Quality who became the hottest stallion in town not the least through the exploits of his most famous son Smarty Jones.

[KAL]

I have a mare that was shipped to France for her first (and only) race. The race was a minor stakes, she finished a well beaten 6th in a field of 12 (I think). She apparently got hurt, was shipped back, and was put into the "maiden" mare field. So, she probably went from being unplaced as the only maiden in the field to being placed into a field full of maidens.

The others listed above were better examples... I have just been waiting forever to share this story.

[erins isle]

What we call handicaps in our country (Holland, Europe) horses can only race in when they have a handicap weight. It is up to the desision of the handicapper. He will watch the results of a horse which will have to perform two times moderately. The horses have to run in condition races (age, earnings, maiden or not) In cases of horses who come from abroad he will only allow them to run in a handicap if he receives the weight those horses are given in their homeland.
However what we call stakesraces are almost always based on conditions. We have one Stakesrace for non professionals which is a handicap. Also our classics are always based on conditions. If the contenders have a handicapweight allready, it is in many cases rather easy to pick the winner. The differences are large for an example in the Guineas and Derby.

[roving boy]

War Chant's first "stakes winner" was a filly that ran in a stakes in France with the condition "For Maidens Only".

In Southern California the 1st condition allowance races are sometimes easier company than a MSW, or at least easier to get in. Over the years there have been a number of horses that have broken their maidens in 1st condition allowances there.

[Linda in TX]

Can a maiden - never ran - have their first start in a handicap or stakes race?

The maiden Papi Chullo started in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on Saturday. After the race, he was still a maiden. The colt launched his career in a stakes race at Golden Gate in December.

While entering a first time starter or maiden in a stakes race is rather ambitious, it happens once in a while, and more likely to be seen in two year old races.

[petersd]

Quite often on the California fair circuit, you'll see first-time starters in some Cal-bred 2 yo stakes.