Trivia Quiz: Earliest 2yo race in year?

[FenceBored]

Some people argue that young horses are raced too early, it's a position that comes up in discussions of racing injuries all the time. The argument about how much and when to start racing two-year-olds goes back at least a century.

Historically, what is the earliest month and day an official race for two-year-olds has been run in the US?

[tbwinner]

I do recall seeing PPs of horses at Gulfstream running 2 or 2 1/2 furlong races in mid-March. I imagine that March is probably the earliest they've ever started...could be wrong though.

[cj]

I know one has already been run this year. Sunland Park, March 4th.

[rastajenk]

Ever? I'll put $2 on Jan. 1. :eek:

[FenceBored]

Ever? I'll put $2 on Jan. 1. :eek:

We have a winner! :jump:

Here's the 1st race on January 1, 1920 at Fair Grounds (http://kdl.kyvl.org/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=drf1920s;cc=drf1920s;rgn=full%20text;idno=dr f1920010101;didno=drf1920010101;view=pdf;seq=3_1;n ode=drf1920010101%3A3.1) won by Eye Opener.

[BlueShoe]

In the 60's and 70's and surely way before that, Santa Anita carded 2yo races in Jan. and Feb. at 3 furlongs down the straightaway. In March they would start going around a turn at 4 1/2 furlongs.