Stayers' Watch: the Brooklyn/Belmont double · 9.06.10

This past weekend featured the two most prestigious dirt-track stayers’ races in the North America: the Brooklyn Handicap (gr. II) and the Belmont Stakes (gr.I).

Brooklyn Handicap

Named for one of the five boroughs that comprise New York City, the Brooklyn Handicap was first run at the old Gravesend Racetrack on Coney Island, Brooklyn. After Gravesend closed in the wake of New York’s racing black-out of 1911-12, the race was shifted to Aqueduct, before being moved to its current home at Belmont Park. For decades it was part of the “Handicap Triple”, along with the Metropolitan and Suburban handicaps. Only four horses have ever won this “triple crown” for older horses: Whisk Broom II (1913), Tom Fool (1953), Kelso (1961), and Fit To Fight (1984). The racing landscape has changed over the last quarter century, making it unlikely that there will ever be another winner. The “Met Mile” remains as prestigious as ever, but the Suburban Handicap was reduced to grade 2 status this year, and the Brooklyn Handicap has been re-positioned as the first prep race for the Breeders’ Cup Marathon.

This year’s revival of the Brooklyn Handicap, run last Friday, saw Brazilian-bred Alcomo edge pacesetter Gabriel’s Hill by a nose. The latter had led since the first turn, and set reasonable fractions of :24.59, :49.43, 1:15.02, and 1:39.22. Entering the stretch, Gabriel’s Hill still held a narrow advantage over Eldaafer, the 2009 winner, and Alcomo, who had moved up gradually while running wide around the final turn. Gabriel’s Hill looked like he might hold on, but Alcomo kept grinding away, finally moving up deep in the stretch and getting up in the final jump. Eldaafer held on for third, two lengths behind Gabriel’s Hill. Time for 1 1/2 miles on Belmont’s fast main track: 2:30.07.

Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes, the “Test of the Champion” and the final leg of the Triple Crown, was not named after Belmont Park. First run at Jerome Park Racetrack, in what is now the Bronx, in 1867, it was named after August Belmont, Sr. a leading banker and horseman, and first president of the Jockey Club. When Jerome Park closed in 1890, the race was switched to nearby Morris Park Racecourse, then finally to Belmont Park in 1905. Since 1919, twenty-nine horses have been eligible to win the Triple Crown coming into the Belmont Stakes, the last being Big Brown in 2008. The last horse to succeed in racing’s equivalent of the Grail Quest was Affirmed in 1978.

The 142nd running of the 1 1/2 mile Belmont Stakes on June 5 was won by Drosselmeyer, a chestnut colt named for a character from The Nutcracker. Drosselmeyer had not earned enough graded race purse money to be eligible for the Kentucky Derby, so owner Winstar Farms and trainer Bill Mott had opted to aim him for the Belmont. In the race, the colt raced in the middle of the field of 12 for the first mile, while First Dude set the pace. The Preakness runner-up set splits of :24.15, :49.19, 1:14.94, and 1:40.25, pressed by Interactif, Game On Dude, and Uptowncharlybrown. Drosselmeyer made his move running five-wide coming out of the final turn. Like Gabriel’s Hill in the Brooklyn the day before, First Dude hung tough through most of the stretch. But like Alcomo in that same race, Drosselmeyer continued to wear down the leader, and eventually edged in front inside the sixteenth-pole and hit the wire three-quarters of a length in front. Fly Down closed strongly in the final yards to edge First Dude for the second spot. Time on the fast but deep track: 2:31.57, the slowest Belmont since 1995 (Thunder Gulch, 2:32) and the second-slowest since 1970 (High Echelon, 2:34).

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What do you think?

  1. Provide little to none stamina tests at graded stakes levels throughout the year and No WONDER these marathons become guessing games on NOT which horse wins, but which ones survives them.

    — Dr. T. Yatcak · Jun 10, 08:56 AM · #

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