The William Penn Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run between 1942 and 1956 at Garden State Park Racetrack in Camden, New Jersey.
Successful from almost the beginning as a result of participation by some big-name stables, going into 1948 the William Penn Stakes had become one of the track's most popular races.
[1] When Blue Peter got his third Camden track record in winning the 1948 race it would add further lustre to the event and for the 1949 edition the 35,110 patrons who showed up would be the largest crowd of the season.
[2] [3] [4] Once again speed would be front at center when, in his May 13, 1950 career debut, Lord Putnam broke Garden State Park's track record for five furlongs.
[5] By 1953 more and more of the major New York owned and based stables were sending their two-year-olds to compete in the William Penn Stakes.