Massachusetts Handicap

The Massachusetts Handicap, frequently referred to as the "MassCap", is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up held annually at Suffolk Downs in Boston, Massachusetts. It is currently an Ungraded stakes race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt. The race received Grade III status by the American Graded Stakes Committee for 2009, but the race wasn't run. The MassCap was stripped of its graded status in 2011 as a result of not being run for two consecutive years.

The MassCap had been a Graded Stakes race from 1973 thru 1989. Riva Ridge, Big John Taylor, Let Burn, Dixieland Band and Private Terms all won during this time frame. In 1987, Waquoit beat Broad Brush in a thrilling race.

Suffolk Downs continues to fight for its economic life since closing for a three-year period beginning in 1989. The MassCap has been a frequent casualty of those circumstances. It was first held on October 16, 1935. On August 7, 1937, the great Seabiscuit won his seventh consecutive Stake race in track record time for the $70,000 purse of the MassCap

Later, in an attempt to bring the MassCap back to its former glory, new ownership offered a purse of $500,000 in 1995 and quickly drew the likes of Cigar and Skip Away to the East Boston oval. By 1997, the MassCap was, once again, a graded Stakes race. Suffolk Downs also provided a bonus of $200,000 if the winner won multiple Grade I or Group 1 stakes races at a mile or longer. An additional $100,000 was to be awarded if the winner had won one Grade I or Group 1 race and at least one other graded stakes race at a mile or longer in 2007.

Part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, the winner of the 2008 Massachusetts Handicap automatically qualified for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Since inception the Massachusetts Handicap has been run at different distances:

• 1¼ miles : 1948-1969
• 1½ miles (Turf): 1970, 1971

Commentator with John R. Velazquez riding for trainer Nick Zito won the last MassCap by a record 14 lengths in 2008.