The most familiar legend attached to Saratoga is the defeat of Man o' War by a horse named Upset in the Sanford Stakes of 1919. As it turned out, it was the only loss on an otherwise unbeaten record for Man o’ War. Off to a bad start, Man o' War made up all but half a length. In later years, Willie Knapp, the rider of the winner, said, "I've always been kind of sorry I beat him. He was too much of a horse for that."
The SANFORD is named for the famed Sanford family. In Saratoga's early days, the Sanford horses were often walked to the racetrack from the family's Hurricana Farm in Amsterdam. Their first appearance at Saratoga was in 1880. Stephen Sanford named all his favorite thoroughbreds after Mohawk Indians.
Run as the Sanford Memorial Stakes prior to 1927. The SANFORD was run at Belmont Park, on the Widener Course, in 1943, 1944, and 1945. Run at five and a half furlongs from 1962 to 1968. Not run in 1961. The Sanford was also the name of a turf course handicap in 1961. In 1938, Ariel Toy finished first, but was disqualified.