Messenger Stakes
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The Messenger Stakes is an American harness racing event for 3-year-old pacing horses. It was organized in 1956 at the Roosevelt Raceway in New York City to join with the Cane Pace and the Little Brown Jug to create the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers. The race is named in honor of Messenger (1780-1808), a horse foaled in England and later brought to the United States. As a sire, virtually all harness horses in the U.S. can be traced back to Messenger.
One of the preeminent events for harness racing horses in North America, the race was held annually at Roosevelt Raceway until it closed down. After that, the Messenger Stakes was staged at different racetracks until 1995 when it moved to The Meadows, a racetrack in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.
In 2003 it moved again to Harrington Raceway in Harrington, Delaware. The following year, the Messenger, which had traditionally been the final leg of the Triple Crown, was rescheduled in order to precede the Little Brown Jug.
Previous winners:
- 1956 - Belle Acton
- 1957 - Meadow Lands
- 1958 - O'Brien Hanover
- 1959 - Adios Butler
- 1960 - Countess Adios
- 1961 - Adios Don
- 1962 - Thor Hanover
- 1963 - Overtrick
- 1964 - Race Time
- 1965 - Bret Hanover
- 1966 - Romeo Hanover
- 1967 - Romulus Hanover
- 1968 - Rum Customer
- 1969 - Bye Bye Sam
- 1970 - Most Happy Fella
- 1971 - Albatross
- 1972 - Silent Majority
- 1973 - Valiant Bret
- 1974 - Armbro Omaha
- 1975 - Bret's Champ
- 1976 - Windshield Wiper
- 1977 - Governor Skipper
- 1978 - Abercrombie
- 1979 - Hot Hitter
- 1980 - Niatross
- 1981 - Seahawk Hanover
- 1982 - Cam Fella
- 1983 - Ralph Hanover
- 1984 - Troublemaker
- 1985 - Pershing Square
- 1986 - Amity Chef
- 1987 - Redskin
- 1988 - Matt's Scooter
- 1989 - Sandman Hanover
- 1990 - Jake And Elwood
- 1991 - Die Laughing
- 1992 - Western Hanover
- 1993 - Riyadh
- 1994 - Cam's Card Shark
- 1995 - David's Pass
- 1996 - Go For Grins
- 1997 - Western Dreamer
- 1998 - Fit For Life
- 1999 - Blissful Hall
- 2000 - Ain't No Stopn Him
- 2001 - Bagel Beach Boy
- 2002 - Allamerican Ingot
- 2003 - No Pan Intended
- 2004 - Metropolitan