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Jockey Club Gold Cup

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Jockey Club Gold Cup
Grade I race
LocationSaratoga Race Course
Saratoga Springs, New York, United States
Inaugurated1919
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Websitewww.nyra.com
Race information
Distance1+14 miles (10 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-years-old and up
WeightWeight-For-Age
Purse$1,250,000 (2022)[1][2]

The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a thoroughbred flat race open to horses of either gender three-years-old and up. It has traditionally been the main event of the fall meeting at Belmont Park, just as the Belmont Stakes is of the spring meeting and the Travers Stakes is of the summer meeting at Saratoga. The past winners of the Gold Cup are a veritable who's who of award-winning Hall of Fame horses, including Easy Goer, Man o' War, Cigar, Skip Away, Curlin, Slew o' Gold, John Henry, Affirmed, Forego, Shuvee, Damascus, Buckpasser, Kelso, Sword Dancer, Nashua, Citation, Whirlaway and War Admiral. Despite the current $1,250,000 purse and Grade 1 status, the stature of the race has suffered somewhat in recent years thanks to the emergence of the Breeders' Cup Classic held not long afterward, as well as a change in distance to 1+14 miles in 1990, reducing its distinctiveness.

Part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, the winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Classic.[3]

Before it was known as the Jockey Club Gold Cup, it began as the Jockey Club Stakes. This was its name when Man o' War won it against the only horse willing to race him. Damask, owned by Harry Payne Whitney, was entered as a sporting gesture and to keep Man o' War from having to run alone in a "walkover." Damask finished 15 lengths behind with Man o' War held under strong restraint in order not to humiliate his rival. Even so, Man o' War broke the American record for a mile and a half.

Ten horses have won the race twice (including Hall of Fame horses Curlin, Skip Away, Slew o' Gold, Nashua and Triple Tiara winner, Shuvee). Only one horse in history has won the Cup five times, and that was the great gelding Kelso.

In the 1978 running, Exceller defeated the previous year's Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew, by a nose in a memorable stretch duel, with the 1978 Triple Crown winner, Affirmed, finishing fifth after his saddle slipped. Sportswriter Bill Nack wrote, "Exceller won by the snip of his chocolate nose. ... That battling final furlong remains Seattle Slew's most enduring legacy as a racehorse."[4]

From 1976 to 1989, the Jockey Club Gold Cup was run at 1+12 miles, but from 1921 through 1975 it was two miles (3.2 km) long, second in distance only to the less prestigious, 2+14-mile Display Handicap. From 1958 through 1974, except for 1962 and 1968, the race was held at Aqueduct Racetrack instead of Belmont.

In 2021 the Jockey Club Gold Cup was moved to Saratoga Race Course for the first time in its history. The $1 million race is run on closing weekend and took the place of the Woodward Stakes, which was relocated to Belmont Park after being run in Saratoga for 15 years. NYRA management said that the Jockey Club Gold Cup – run at the same distance as the Breeders' Cup Classic – was better positioned on the racing calendar with an eight-week gap between the two races.[1]

Records

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Time record: (at current 1+14 miles)

Most wins:

  • 5 – Kelso (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)

Most wins by an owner:

Most wins by a jockey:

  • 11 – Eddie Arcaro (1935, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1961)

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners

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Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner
Dist.
(Miles)
Time Win$ Gr.
2023 Bright Future 4 Javier Castellano Todd A. Pletcher Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable 114 m 2:03.00 $600,000 G1
2022 Olympiad 4 Junior Alvarado William I. Mott Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables & LNJ Foxwoods 114 m 2:02.11 $600,000 G1
2021 Max Player 4 Ricardo Santana Jr. Steve Asmussen George E. Hall & SportBLX Thoroughbreds Crop. 114 m 2:02.49 $600,000 G1
2020 Happy Saver 3 Irad Ortiz Jr. Todd A. Pletcher Wertheimer et Frere 114 m 2:01.77 $250,000 G1
2019 Code of Honor1 3 John Velazquez Shug McGaughey William S. Farish III 114 m 2:00.30 $433,125 G1
2018 Discreet Lover 5 Manuel Franco Uriah St. Lewis Uriah St. Lewis 114 m 1:59.99 $433,125 G1
2017 Diversify 4 Irad Ortiz Jr. Richard Violette Jr. Lauren & Ralph Evans 114 m 2:00.96 $450,000 G1
2016 Hoppertunity 5 John Velazquez Bob Baffert Karl Watson, Mile Pegram, Paul Weitman 114 m 2:00.68 $600,000 G1
2015 Tonalist 4 John Velazquez Christophe Clement Robert S. Evans 114 m 2:02.16 $600,000 G1
2014 Tonalist 3 Joel Rosario Christophe Clement Robert S. Evans 114 m 2:02.12 $600,000 G1
2013 Ron the Greek 6 Jose Lezcano William I. Mott Brous Stable/Wachtel Stable et al. 114 m 1:59.70 $600,000 G1
2012 Flat Out 6 Joel Rosario William I. Mott Preston Stables LLC (Art Preston) 114 m 2:01.44 $600,000 G1
2011 Flat Out 5 Alex Solis Scooter Dickey Preston Stables LLC (Art Preston) 114 m 2:03.17 $450,000 G1
2010 Haynesfield 4 Ramon Domínguez Steve Asmussen Turtle Bird Stable (Harvey & Bernice Weinstein) 114 m 2:02.48 $450,000 G1
2009 Summer Bird 3 Kent J. Desormeaux Tim A. Ice Kalarikkal K. & Vilasini D. Jayaraman 114 m 2:02.51 $450,000 G1
2008 Curlin 4 Robby Albarado Steve Asmussen Stonestreet Stables et al. 114 m 2:01:93 $450,000 G1
2007 Curlin 3 Robby Albarado Steve Asmussen Stonestreet Stables et al. 114 m 2:01.20 $450,000 G1
2006 Bernardini 3 Javier Castellano Thomas Albertrani Darley Stable 114 m 2:01.02 $450,000 G1
2005 Borrego 4 Garrett Gomez C. Beau Greely Jon S. Kelly, Ralls & Foster LLC, Brad Scott, et al. 114 m 2:02.86 $600,000 G1
2004 Funny Cide 4 José A. Santos Barclay Tagg Sackatoga Stable (Tony Everard) 114 m 2:02.44 $600,000 G1
2003 Mineshaft 4 Robby Albarado Neil J. Howard Farish, Elkins, Webber 114 m 2:00.25 $600,000 G1
2002 Evening Attire 4 Shaun Bridgmohan Patrick J. Kelly Joseph & Mary Grant, Thomas J. Kelly 114 m 1:59.58 $600,000 G1
2001 Aptitude 4 Jerry Bailey Robert J. Frankel Juddmonte Farm 114 m 2:01.49 $600,000 G1
2000 Albert the Great 3 Jorge Chavez Nick Zito Tracy Farmer 114 m 1:59.24 $600,000 G1
1999 River Keen 7 Chris Antley Bob Baffert Hugo Reynolds 114 m 2:01.40 $600,000 G1
1998 Wagon Limit 4 Robbie Davis H. Allen Jerkens Joseph V. Shields Jr. 114 m 2:00.62 $600,000 G1
1997 Skip Away 4 Jerry Bailey Hubert Hine Carolyn Hine 114 m 1:58.89 $600,000 G1
1996 Skip Away 3 Shane Sellers Hubert Hine Carolyn Hine 114 m 2:00.70 $600,000 G1
1995 Cigar 5 Jerry Bailey William I. Mott Allen Paulson 114 m 2:01.29 $450,000 G1
1994 Colonial Affair 4 José A. Santos Flint S. Schulhofer Centennial Farms (Don Little Sr. racing partnership) 114 m 2:02.19 $450,000 G1
1993 Miner's Mark 3 Chris McCarron C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps 114 m 2:02.79 $510,000 G1
1992 Pleasant Tap 5 Gary Stevens Christopher Speckert Buckland Farm 114 m 1:58.95 $510,000 G1
1991 Festin 5 Ed Delahoussaye Ron McAnally Kinerk Burton 114 m 2:00.69 $510,000 G1
1990 Flying Continental 4 Corey Black Jay M. Robbins Jack Kent Cooke 114 m 2:00.60 $503,100 G1
1989 Easy Goer 3 Pat Day C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps 112 m 2:29.20 $659,400 G1
1988 Waquoit 5 José A. Santos Guido Federico Joseph Federico 112 m 2:27.60 $637,800 G1
1987 Creme Fraiche 5 Laffit Pincay Jr. Woody Stephens Brushwood Stable 112 m 2:30.80 $650,400 G1
1986 Creme Fraiche 4 Randy Romero Woody Stephens Brushwood Stable 112 m 2:28.00 $510,300 G1
1985 Vanlandingham 4 Pat Day C. R. McGaughey III Loblolly Stable 112 m 2:27.00 $516,600 G1
1984 Slew o' Gold 4 Ángel Cordero Jr. John O. Hertler Equusequitey Stable (Jim & Sally Hill / Mickey & Karen Taylor) 112 m 2:28.80 $1,350,400 G1
1983 Slew o' Gold 3 Ángel Cordero Jr. Sidney Watters Jr. Equusequitey Stable (Jim & Sally Hill / Mickey & Karen Taylor) 112 m 2:26.20 $342,000 G1
1982 Lemhi Gold 4 Chris McCarron Laz Barrera Aaron U. Jones 112 m 2:31.20 $337,800 G1
1981 John Henry 6 Bill Shoemaker Victor J. Nickerson Dotsam Stable 112 m 2:28.40 $340,800 G1
1980 Temperence Hill 3 Eddie Maple Joseph B. Cantey Loblolly Stable 112 m 2:30.20 $329,400 G1
1979 Affirmed 4 Laffit Pincay Jr. Laz Barrera Harbor View Farm 112 m 2:27.40 $225,000 G1
1978 Exceller 5 Bill Shoemaker Charles Whittingham Nelson Bunker Hunt 112 m 2:27.20 $193,080 G1
1977 On The Sly 4 Gregg McCarron Mel W. Gross Balmak Stable (Mary Streit) 112 m 2:28.20 $208,080 G1
1976 Great Contractor 3 Pat Day Roger Laurin Howard P. Wilson 112 m 2:28.80 $201,360 G1
1975 Group Plan 5 Jorge Velásquez H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm 2 m 3:23.20 $95,850 G1
1974 Forego 4 Heliodoro Gustines Sherrill W. Ward Lazy F Ranch 2 m 3:21.20 $67,140 G1
1973 Prove Out 4 Jorge Velásquez H. Allen Jerkens Hobeau Farm 2 m 3:20.00 $66,060 G1
1972 Autobiography 4 Ángel Cordero Jr. Pancho Martin Sigmund Sommer 2 m 3:21.40 $68,220
1971 Shuvee 5 Jorge Velásquez Willard C. Freeman Anne Minor Stone 2 m 3:20.40 $66,900
1970 Shuvee 4 Ron Turcotte Willard C. Freeman Anne Minor Stone 2 m 3:21.60 $70,785
1969 Arts and Letters 3 Braulio Baeza J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stables 2 m 3:22.40 $69,030
1968 Quicken Tree 5 William Hartack Clyde Turk Louis R. Rowan & Wheelock Whitney Jr. 2 m 3:22.80 $71,370
1967 Damascus 3 Bill Shoemaker Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. Edith W. Bancroft 2 m 3:20.20 $69,290
1966 Buckpasser 3 Braulio Baeza Edward A. Neloy Ogden Phipps 2 m 3:26.20 $71,825
1965 Roman Brother 4 Braulio Baeza Burley Parke Harbor View Farm 2 m 3:22.60 $71,500
1964 Kelso 7 Ismael Valenzuela Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable 2 m 3:19.20 $70,785
1963 Kelso 6 Ismael Valenzuela Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable 2 m 3:22.00 $70,785
1962 Kelso 5 Ismael Valenzuela Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable 2 m 3:19.80 $70,785
1961 Kelso 4 Eddie Arcaro Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable 2 m 3:25.80 $68,770
1960 Kelso 3 Eddie Arcaro Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable 2 m 3:19.40 $70,205
1959 Sword Dancer 3 Eddie Arcaro J. Elliott Burch Brookmeade Stable 2 m 3:22.20 $70,790
1958 Inside Tract 4 Conn McCreary John J. Weipert Jr. D & M Stable (Raymond da Brino & Joseph Martino) 2 m 3:23.40 $52,417
1957 Gallant Man 3 Bill Shoemaker John A. Nerud Ralph Lowe 2 m 3:23.00 $53,850
1956 Nashua 4 Eddie Arcaro Jim Fitzsimmons Leslie Combs II 2 m 3:20.40 $36,600
1955 Nashua 3 Eddie Arcaro Jim Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 2 m 3:24.80 $52,850
1954 High Gun 3 Eddie Arcaro Max Hirsch King Ranch 2 m 3:25.80 $55,150
1953 Level Lea 3 William Boland Max Hirsch John Shaffer Phipps 2 m 3:27.00 $55,100
1952 One Count 3 Dave Gorman Oscar White Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords 2 m 3:24.20 $52,100
1951 Counterpoint 3 Dave Gorman Sylvester Veitch C. V. Whitney 2 m 3:21.60 $35,600
1950 Hill Prince 3 Eddie Arcaro Casey Hayes Christopher Chenery 2 m 3:22.40 $36,006
1949 Ponder 3 Eddie Arcaro Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 2 m 3:22.80 $36,300
1948 Citation 3 Eddie Arcaro Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 2 m 3:21.60 $72,700
1947 Phalanx 3 Ruperto Donoso Sylvester Veitch C. V. Whitney 2 m 3:21.60 $17,850
1946 Pavot 4 Eddie Arcaro Oscar White Walter M. Jeffords Sr. 2 m 3:22.60 $18,250
1945 Pot o'Luck 3 Douglas Dodson Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 2 m 3:27.40 $18,335
1944 Bolingbroke 7 Robert Permane Walter Burrows Townsend B. Martin 2 m 3:27.20 $17,645
1943 Princequillo 3 Conn McCreary Horatio Luro Boone Hall Stable 2 m 3:23.80 $18,350
1942 Whirlaway 4 George Woolf Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 2 m 3:21.60 $18,350
1941 Market Wise 3 Basil James George W. Carroll Louis Tufano 2 m 3:20.80 $7,325
1940 Fenelon 3 James Stout James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 2 m 3:24.40 $6,700
1939 Cravat 4 Basil James Walter Burrows Townsend B. Martin 2 m 3:23.00 $5,550
1938 War Admiral 4 Wayne D. Wright George Conway Glen Riddle Farm 2 m 3:24.80 $5,500
1937 Firethorn 5 Harry Richards Preston M. Burch Walter M. Jeffords Sr. 2 m 3:26.00 $6,050
1936 Count Arthur 4 James Stout Lon Johnson Fannie Hertz 2 m 3:24.40 $6,750
1935 Firethorn 3 Eddie Arcaro Preston M. Burch Walter M. Jeffords Sr. 2 m 3:24.20 $6,550
1934 Dark Secret 5 Charles Kurtsinger Jim Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable 2 m 3:24.60 $6,200
1933 Dark Secret 4 Hank Mills Jim Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable 2 m 3:25.20 $6,400
1932 Gusto 3 Buddy Hanford Max Hirsch Morton L. Schwartz 2 m 3:25.20 $9,950
1931 Twenty Grand 3 Charles Kurtsinger James G. Rowe Jr. Greentree Stable 2 m 3:23.40 $10,400
1930 Gallant Fox 3 Earl Sande Jim Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 2 m 3:24.40 $10,300
1929 Diavolo 4 John Maiben Jim Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable 2 m 3:24.00 $10,900
1928 Reigh Count 3 Chick Lang Bert S. Michell Fannie Hertz 2 m 3:23.00 $10,850
1927 Chance Play2 4 Earl Sande John I. Smith Log Cabin Stable 2 m 3:23.00 $12,000
1926 Crusader 3 Albert Johnson George Conway Glen Riddle Farm 2 m 3:26.00 $13,300
1925 Altawood 4 John Maiben G. Hamilton Keene Joseph E. Widener 2 m 3:26.00 $13,050
1924 My Play 5 Andy Schuttinger Roy Waldron Lexington Stable (Edward F. Simms & Henry W. Oliver) 2 m 3:25.60 $14,150
1923 Homestretch 3 Chick Lang Ernest Sletas Herman Alterman 2 m 3:24.20 $11,300
1922 Mad Hatter 6 Earl Sande Sam Hildreth Rancocas Stable 2 m 3:22.60 $12,700
1921 Mad Hatter 5 Earl Sande Sam Hildreth Rancocas Stable 2 m 3:22.40 $12,100
1920 Man o' War3 3 Clarence Kummer Louis Feustel Glen Riddle Farm 112 m 2:28.80 $5,850
1919 Purchase 3 Clarence Kummer Sam Hildreth Glen Riddle Farm 112 m 2:28.80 $5,350

1In 2019, Vino Rosso finished first but was disqualified and placed second.

2In 1927, Brown Bud finished first but was disqualified.

3Only two horses started in 1920.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Grening, David (19 February 2021). "Jockey Club Gold Cup, Flower Bowl being shifted to Saratoga". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes Profile". Equibase. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Breeders' Cup Challenge". Archived from the original on 2008-09-13. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  4. ^ Dwyre, Bill (16 September 2008). "Two horses do rare feat, then meet". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 25 November 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2016.

References

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