Situated in the Hamilton area of Atlantic County in New Jersey, the Atlantic City racecourse opened for business for the first time on 22nd July 1946 and over 28000 were in attendance to witness the event. It was the brainchild of John Kelly. Its principal race was the Matchmaker Stakes first run on dirt in 1967 over 9 furlongs for fillies and mares only. The 1967 winner was Politely and she repeated her win in 1968. In 1976, in a bid to boost attendance the owners installed floodlights to facilitate evening racing. In 1979 the Matchmaker Stakes was run on turf for the first time when won by Wayarer, but was back on dirt in 1983 when Luminaire was successful. The race was contested for the final time at Atlantic City in 1996 when Powder Bowl was victorious, and has since been transferred to Monmouth Park. Today the 8 furlong dirt track has inside it a 7 furlong turf track, with a 289 metre home straight shared with a separate 7 furlong chute. The highlight of the racing year was the Grade 1 United Nations Handicap until it moved to Monmouth Park in 1998.

 I am grateful to our American Racing Correspondent Richard Gauthier for the scan of the badges in this section.

United Nations Handicap winners when contested at Atlantic City from its inception in 1953 to 1997
1953 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Iceberg II trained by Horatio Luro and ridden by Jorge Contreras
1954 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Closed Door trained by Sidney Jacobs and ridden by Bill Hartack
1955 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Blue Choir trained by Buster Lilly and ridden by Bill Hartack
1956 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Career Boy trained by Sylvester Veitch and ridden by Sam Boulmetis
1957 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Round Table trained by William Molter and ridden by Bill Shoemaker
1958 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Clem trained by William Stephens and ridden by Bill Shoemaker
1959 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Round Table trained by William Molter and ridden by Bill Shoemaker
1960 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by T V Lark trained by Paul Parker and ridden by Johnny Sellers
1961 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Oink trained by Steve Ippolito and ridden by Larry Gilligan
1962 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Mongo trained by Frank Bonsal and ridden by Charlie Burr
1963 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Mongo trained by Frank Bonsal and ridden by Wayne Chambers

1964 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Western Warrior trained by John Nerud and ridden by Heliodoro Gustines
1965 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Parka trained by Warren Croll and ridden by Walter Blum
1966 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Assagai trained by MacKenzie Miller and ridden by Larry Adams
1967 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Flit-To trained by James Conway and ridden by Hedley Woodhouse
1968 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Dr Fager trained by John Nerud and ridden by Braulio Baeza
1969 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Hawaii trained by MacKenzie Miller and ridden by Jorge Velasquez
1970 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Fort Marcy trained by J Elliott Burch and ridden by Jorge Velasquez
1971 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Run The Gauntlet trained by J Elliott Burch and ridden by Robert Woodhouse
1972 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Acclimatization trained by Maurice Zilber and ridden by Carlos Barrera
1973 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Tentam trained by MacKenzie Miller and ridden by Jorge Velasquez
1974 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Halo trained by MacKenzie Miller and ridden by Jorge Velasquez

1975 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Royal Glint trained by Gordon Potter and ridden by Jorge Tejeira
1976 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Intrepid Hero trained by John Russell and ridden by Sandy Hawley
1977 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Bemo trained by John Murphy and ridden by Don Brumfield
1978 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Noble Dancer trained by Thomas Kelly and ridden by Steve Cauthen
1979 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Noble Dancer trained by Thomas Kelly and ridden by Jacinto Vasquez
1980 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Lyphard’s Wish trained by Angel Penna and ridden by Angel Cordero
1981 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Key To Content trained by MacKenzie Miller and ridden by George Martens
1982 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Naskra’s Breeze trained by Philip Johnson and ridden by Jean-Luc Samyn
1983 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Acaroid trained by Jan Nerud and ridden by Angel Cordero
1984 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Heros Honor trained by MacKenzie Miller and ridden by Jerry Bailey
1985 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Ends Well trained by Robert Reinacher and ridden by Michael Morgan

1986 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Manila trained by LeRoy Jolley and ridden by Jose Santos
1987 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Manila trained by LeRoy Jolley and ridden by Jacinto Vasquez
1988 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Equalize trained by Angel Penna and ridden by Jose Santos
1989 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Yankee Affair trained by Henry Carroll and ridden by Pat Day
1990 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Steinlen trained by D Wayne Lukas and ridden by Jose Santos
1991 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Exbourne trained by Robert Frankel and ridden by Chris McCarron
1992 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Sky Classic trained by James Day and ridden by Pat Day
1993 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Star of Cozzene trained by Mark Hennig and ridden by Jose Santos
1994 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Lure trained by C R McGaughey and ridden by Mike E Smith
1995 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Sandpit trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by Corey Nakatani
1996 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Sandpit trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by Corey Nakatani
1997 The United Nations Handicap over 9½ furlongs was won by Influent trained by Howard Tesher and ridden by Jean-Luc Samyn