Saratoga Special S.

Open to 2-year-olds and contested at a distance of 6 1/2 furlongs on Saratoga’s dirt main track, the Saratoga Special is one of the three major stakes for 2-year-olds run during the Saratoga meet, the others being the Sanford and Hopeful Stakes. First run in 1901, the Saratoga Special was a winner-take-all race until 1959 before becoming a stakes race.

Only four horses have swept all three major 2-year-old stakes races at Saratoga, with the most recent being City Zip. Eddie Arcaro holds the most wins for a jockey with seven wins from 1935 to 1959.

Many famous horses such as Swaps, Top Flight, Whirlaway, Native Dancer, Nearctic, and Wale have won the Saratoga Special during their 2-year-old campaign.