The Washington Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...

 run annually at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland

Laurel, Maryland

Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...

. Open to horses age three and older, it was contested on dirt over a distance of a mile and a quarter (10 furlong

Furlong

A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....

s).

At one time the Washington Handicap was an important event that drew many of the top horses. Winners include several U.S. Racing Hall of Fame

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...

 inductees including U.S. Triple Crown

United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing

In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...

 champions, War Admiral

War Admiral

War Admiral was an American thoroughbred racehorse, the offspring of the great thoroughbred Man o' War and the mare Brushup. He inherited his father's fiery temperament and talent, but did not resemble him physically...

 and Whirlaway

Whirlaway

Whirlaway was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse.The chestnut horse was sired by English Derby winner Blenheim II, out of the broodmare Dustwhirl. Whirlaway was bred at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky....

.

Selected winners

• 1911 - Sir John Johnson
• 1913 - Lahore
• 1914 - Roamer
• 1915 - Gainer
• 1916 - Boots
• 1918 - Midway
• 1922 - Oceanic
• 1923 - Rialto
• 1924 - Big Blaze
• 1925 - Joy Smoke
• 1926 - Mars
• 1927 - Display
  Display (horse)
  Display was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was owned and bred by Walter J. Salmon, Sr. at his Mereworth Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. Display was sired by U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Fair Play, a descendant of West Australian, the first winner of the English Triple Crown. He was out...
  
  
• 1928 - Mike Hall
• 1929 - Sun Beau
  Sun Beau
  Sun Beau was an American Thoroughbred Champion Hall of Fame racehorse. Sired by Sun Briar, his damsire was Fair Play who sired Man o' War. Sun Beau accomplished a great deal in five years of racing despite having eight different trainers....
  
  
• 1930 - Sun Beau
  Sun Beau
  Sun Beau was an American Thoroughbred Champion Hall of Fame racehorse. Sired by Sun Briar, his damsire was Fair Play who sired Man o' War. Sun Beau accomplished a great deal in five years of racing despite having eight different trainers....
  
  
• 1931 - Clock Tower
• 1932 - Tred Avon
• 1933 - Dark Secret
  Dark Secret (horse)
  Dark Secret was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was bred and raced by Wheatley Stable, a partnership between Gladys Mills Phipps and her brother, Ogden Mills, the United States Secretary of the Treasury....
  
  
• 1934 - Azucar
• 1935 - Firethorn
• 1936 - Roman Soldier
• 1937 - War Admiral
  War Admiral
  War Admiral was an American thoroughbred racehorse, the offspring of the great thoroughbred Man o' War and the mare Brushup. He inherited his father's fiery temperament and talent, but did not resemble him physically...
  
  
• 1938 - Jacola
  Jacola
  Jacola was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by Arthur B. Hancock, she was sired by the British import Jacopo, a son of the 1924 Epsom Derby winner, Sansovino. Jacola was out of the mare La France, a daughter of Sir Gallahad, who was the leading sire in North America in 1930, 1933,...
  
  
• 1939 - Masked General
• 1940 - Can't Wait
• 1941 - Pictor
• 1942 - Whirlaway
  Whirlaway
  Whirlaway was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse.The chestnut horse was sired by English Derby winner Blenheim II, out of the broodmare Dustwhirl. Whirlaway was bred at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky....
  
  
• 1943 - Anticlimax
• 1944 - Megogo
• 1945 - Armed
  Armed
  Armed was an American Thoroughbred gelding race horse. He was sired by the great stakes winner Bull Lea, which made him a half-brother to Citation...
  
  
• 1946 - Seven Hearts
• 1947 - Loyal Legion
• 1948 - Quarter Pole
• 1949 - High Trend
• 1951 - Blue Hills