St. Leger family historical importance was Gen. Anthony St. Leger. He was born in 1731, probably in Kildare, Ireland. He was one of a group of noblemen and gentlemen who in 1778 gathered for a private dinner party in an upper room of the Red Lion Inn, which stands in the market square in Doncaster. A horse race, which was to set the pattern for classic racing throughout the world, had been christened the St. Leger at the suggestion of Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham. The race, a sweepstake for three-year-olds, had been born two years earlier in 1776, at the suggestion
Gardenia Handicap Gardenia Handicap The Gardenia Handicap is an American Grade III Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Ellis Park Racecourse in Henderson, Kentucky. Held in mid August, the one mile race is run on dirt and is open to fillies and mares, three years old and up. Inaugurated in 1982 as the Stroh's Handicap, it was originally run at miles (9 furlongs) until 2005 when it was modified to its present one mile (8 furlongs) distance. The Gardenia Handicap became a graded race for the first time in 1988. It currently offers a purse of $150,000. Speed record: (at current 1