The Silky Sullivan Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run each year (until recently in March, then on November 5, and now in April) at Golden Gate Fields in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Named for the "Heart Attack Horse," the great closer Silky Sullivan, the race was a mile and an eighth, or 9 furlong Grade III turf race——run on grass——with a purse of $100,000 which it has retained.
For the past few years, racing in northern California has been in a state of uncertain flux, which, for a time, forced Golden Gate Fields to cease its fall schedule.
Silky Sullivan died in 1977, one year later than the race in his name began, and is buried in the infield at Golden Gate Fields.
"The Silky Sullivan Turf Special" for sophomore colts ran at least once on a New York track in August, 2005, for a $75,000 purse.