The A.P. Smithwick Memorial is a Grade I National Steeplechase Association (NSA) race held annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Contested at 2 3/8 miles over national fences on the turf for horses aged four and older, it is the premier steeplechase event at the Saratoga summer meet and one of the most prestigious jump races in North America. The race was inaugurated in 1980 and achieved stakes status in 1996, becoming a Grade I event in 2012. It is named in honor of Alfred P. "Paddy" Smithwick (1927-1973), one of America's greatest steeplechase riders who accumulated 398 career wins and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Smithwick rode alongside his younger brother Daniel M. "Mikey" Smithwick, one of steeplechase racing's most accomplished trainers, forming arguably the most prolific rider-trainer team in the sport's history. The race opens the steeplechase portion of the Saratoga meet, typically held on a Wednesday in July, and serves as the first major steeplechase championship event of the American summer season. Trainer Jack Fisher has dominated the modern era with multiple wins, while international horses from Ireland and Great Britain regularly contest the race.
The 2026 A.P. Smithwick Memorial is scheduled for Wednesday, August 5 at Saratoga Race Course as the opening steeplechase event of the Saratoga summer meet. Contested at 2 3/8 miles over national fences on the turf with a purse of $150,000, the race draws the top steeplechase horses in North America and internationally targeting the summer jump racing championship circuit.
The A.P. Smithwick Memorial has produced some of the most celebrated performances in American steeplechase racing in recent years. Historic Heart gave trainer Shannon Brion and Atlantic Friends Racing a 2025 victory, the horse coming back from a long layoff to fend off grade 1 winner Proven Innocent in a dramatic finish at Saratoga. Belfast Banter won the 2023 edition for trainer Jack Fisher, fending off a strong international field on the Saratoga turf course. Swansea Mile gave connections a memorable win that was particularly celebrated on the Saratoga steeplechase grounds. Bob Le Beau, a multiple graded stakes winner over jumps, returned to defend his title in a subsequent edition, showcasing the caliber of horse the Smithwick attracts. The race draws a consistently international field each July, with horses regularly shipping from Ireland and Great Britain to contest the prestigious Grade I steeplechase event.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Historic Heart (IRE) | Danny Mullins | 4:37.46* |
| 2024 | Ziggle Pops (GB) | Graham Watters | 4:32.85* |
| 2023 | Belfast Banter (IRE) | Barry Foley | 3:53.69** |
| 2022 | Down Royal | Bernard Dalton | 3:49.57** |
| 2021 | Baltimore Bucko (GB) | Thomas Garner | 3:56.49** |
* Run at 2 3/8 miles. ** Run at 2 1/16 miles.
The A.P. Smithwick Memorial is the premier steeplechase event at Saratoga and one of the most prestigious jump races in North America each July.
