Stayers' races for 2008 · 22.02.08
As part of my ongoing obsession interest in, and support of, horses that can stay a distance of ground, I’ve compiled a list of this year’s stayers’ races. All races listed are 1-1/2 miles (12 furlongs) or longer. All races are run on turf unless indicated otherwise: D (dirt), S (synthetic).
- February 23, Santa Anita: San Luis Obispo Handicap (G2), 4&up, 12f
- March 22, Santa Anita: San Luis Rey Handicap (G2), 4&up, 12f
- March 29, Santa Anita: Tokyo City Cup (G3), 4&up, 12f (S)
- March 30, Gulfstream Park: Orchid Handicap (G3), 4&up, f/m, 12f
- April 4, Gulfstream Park: Pan American Handicap (G3), 4&up, 12f
- April 19, Keeneland: Fort Harrod Stakes, 4&up, 13f (S)
- April 20, Santa Anita: San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (G2), 4&up, 14f
- April 24, Keeneland: Grey Goose Bewitch Stakes (G3), 4&up, f/m, 12f
- April 25, Keeneland: Fifth Third Elkhorn Stakes (G2), 4&up, 12f
- May 4, Turf Paradise: Hasta La Vista Handicap, 3&up, 15f
- May 24, Churchill Downs: Louisville Handicap (G3), 3&up, 12f
- May 10, Hollywood Park: Jim Murray Memorial Handicap (G2), 3&up, 12f
- June 6, Belmont Park: Brooklyn Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2), 3&up, 12f (D)
- June 7, Belmont Park: Belmont Stakes (G1), 3yo, 12f (D)
- June 14, Hollywood Park: Round Table Handicap, 3&up, 14f
- July 4, Arlington Park: Stars and Stripes Breeders’ Cup (G3), 3&up, 12f
- July 19, Philadelphia Park: Greenwood Cup Breeders’ Cup Handicap, 3&up, 12f (D)
- July ??, Calder Race Course: Turf Marathon, 3&up, 16f
- July ??, Hollywood Park: Sunset Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2), 3&up, 12f
- August 16, Saratoga: Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap (G1), 3&up, 12f
- August 11, Delaware Park: Kelso Stakes, 3&up, 12f (D)
- September 3, Delaware Park: Cape Henlopen Stakes, 3&up, 12f
- September 7, Woodbine: Northern Dancer Breeders’ Cup Turf Handicap (G1), 3&up, 12f
- September 27, Belmont Park: Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1), 3&up, 12f
- September ??, Kentucky Downs: Kentucky Cup Turf (G3), 3&up, 12f
- October 4, Woodbine: Pattison Canadian International Championship (G1), 3&up, 12f
- October 24, Santa Anita: Breeders’ Cup Dirt Marathon, 3&up,
12f (S) - October 25, Santa Anita: Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), 3&up, 12f
- October ??, Santa Anita: Carleton F. Burke Handicap (G3), 3&up, 12f
- October ??, Keeneland: Sycamore Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G3), 3&up, 12f
- November 1, Aqueduct: Long Island Handicap (G3), 3&up, f/m, 12f
- December 13, Calder Race Course: La Prevoyante Handicap (G2), 3&up, f/m, 12f
- December 13, Calder Race Course: W.L. McKnight Handicap (G2), 3&up, 12f
- December 31, Aqueduct: Gallant Fox Handicap, 3&up, 13f (D)
- December ??, Hollywood Park: Hollywood Turf Cup (G1), 3&up, 12f
Most of these races, as you can see, are run on grass — where until recently almost all stayers had been “exiled”, to become a niche-within-a-niche.
However, with the announcement of the new Breeders’ Cup Dirt “Marathon” (ugh), several new distance races run on dirt or synthetic surfaces have been announced. One — Keeneland’s Fort Harrod Stakes — is brand-new. The rest — Santa Anita’s Tokyo City Cup, Belmont’s Brooklyn Handicap, Philadelphia Park’s Greenwood Cup Handicap, and Delaware Park’s Kelso Stakes — are established races that have been stretched-out and made part of a series of stayers’ races leading up to the Breeders’ Cup.
One of my on-going projects on Left Coast Racing will be to monitor these races and keep track of the winners, on all racing surfaces. I do this for two reasons: to help keep stayers and stayers’ races in the consciousness of racing fans who read this website, and to honour those horses who have a significant impact within this nascent racing division — perhaps going so far as to identify one horse as the year’s unofficial “champion stayer”.
Update (Feb. 28): Hollywood Park has just added the 1 5/8 mile Gallant Man Stakes, 3&up, on “Cushion Track”.
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« Pedro Alvarado -- jockey or soap opera? Stayers' Watch: San Luis Obispo Handicap »
There was a recent article in the Form about the new Breeder’s Cup “marathon” and the writer jokingly said that any second rate marathoner from across the pond would look at in as only a middle distance race as 20 furlong contests are not uncommon there.
— Dr. T. Yatcak · Feb 22, 12:40 PM · #
On another forum one poster lamented “Gone are the days when 12f was considered to be a middle distance…”.
Even in Europe races are being shortened. The Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) was shortened from 2400m to 2100m a few years back.
— E-man · Feb 23, 12:06 AM · #