St. Leger Italiano

The St. Leger Italiano is a Group 3 flat horse race in Italy open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Milan over a distance of 2,800 metres (about 1¾ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.

It is Italy's equivalent of the St. Leger Stakes, a famous race in England.

History
St. Leger Italiano was established in the late 19th century, and it was originally restricted to three-year-olds.

The first winner to complete a Triple Crown (having previously won the Premio Parioli and the Derby Italiano) was Niccolo dell'Arca in 1941. The feat was subsequently achieved by Gladiolo in 1946 and Botticelli in 1954.

The present system of race grading was introduced in the early 1970s, and for a period St. Leger Italiano held Group 2 status. It was relegated to Group 3 level in 1988, and from this point, it was contested over 2,900 metres at Turin. For several years it was held in July.

The race was opened to older horses and rescheduled for the autumn in 1994. It was later downgraded to Listed level, and it began its current spell in Milan in 2002. It regained Group 3 status in 2010.

Records
Most successful horse (3 wins):
 * Noel – 1999, 2000, 2001

Leading jockey since 1988 (3 wins):
 * Mirco Demuro – Maktub (2002), N'Oubliez Jamais (2006), Spanish Hidalgo (2007)

Leading trainer since 1988 (4 wins):
 * Hans Blume – Noel (1999, 2000, 2001), N'Oubliez Jamais (2006)

Winners since 1988
The 2008 running was cancelled because of a strike. The 2021 races took place at Capannelle.

Earlier winners

 * 1892: Dardinello
 * 1893: Festuca
 * 1894: Sansonetto
 * 1895: Oranzeb
 * 1896: Goldoni
 * 1897: Hira
 * 1898: Brunello
 * 1899: Elena
 * 1900: Kikamba
 * 1901: Silvana
 * 1902: Euro
 * 1903: Esquilino
 * 1904: Eureka
 * 1905: Onorio
 * 1906: Plinio
 * 1907: San Gallo
 * 1908: Qui Vive
 * 1909: Dedalo
 * 1910: Wistaria
 * 1911: Alcimedonte
 * 1912: Valmy
 * 1913: Arianna
 * 1914: Prometeo
 * 1915: Aristippo
 * 1916: Kibwesi
 * 1917: Alcione
 * 1918: Burne Jones
 * 1919: Delft
 * 1920: Vodice
 * 1921: Michelangelo
 * 1922: Fiorello
 * 1923: Giovanna Dupre


 * 1924: Manistee
 * 1925: Major
 * 1926: Cranach
 * 1927: Delfino
 * 1928: Akenaton
 * 1929: Ortello
 * 1930: Ostiglia
 * 1931: Ageratum
 * 1932: Fenolo
 * 1933: Crapom
 * 1934: Grand Marnier
 * 1935: Lub
 * 1936: Tellurio
 * 1937: El Greco
 * 1938: Ursone
 * 1939: Lafcadio
 * 1940: Bellini
 * 1941: Niccolo dell'Arca
 * 1942: Scire
 * 1943: Tokamura
 * 1944: Macherio
 * 1945: Peana
 * 1946: Gladiolo
 * 1947: Tenerani
 * 1948: Trevisana
 * 1949: Antonio Canale
 * 1950: Tommaso Guidi
 * 1951: Daumier
 * 1952: Belfagor
 * 1953: De Dreux
 * 1954: Botticelli
 * 1955: Derain


 * 1956: Barbara Sirani
 * 1957: Braque
 * 1958: Tiepolo
 * 1959: Feria
 * 1960: Tiziano
 * 1961: Proteo
 * 1962: Bragozzo
 * 1963: Tavernier
 * 1964: Crivelli
 * 1965: Ben Marshall
 * 1966: Chio
 * 1967: Carlos Primero
 * 1968: Baccio Bandinelli
 * 1969: Bacuco
 * 1970: Alcamo
 * 1971: Weimar
 * 1972: Tierceron
 * 1973: Veio
 * 1974: Mister Henry
 * 1975: Laomedonte
 * 1976: Gallio
 * 1977: Novigrad
 * 1978: Xibury
 * 1979: Quadrupler
 * 1980: Lotar
 * 1981: Solero
 * 1982: Crusader Castle
 * 1983: Celio Rufo
 * 1984: Rough Pearl
 * 1985: Fire of Life
 * 1986: Comme l'Etoile
 * 1987: Sergeyevich