Jockey Club Gold Cup
The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a prestigious thoroughbred flat race open to horses of either gender three-years-old and up. It is typically 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. Part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, the winner of the 2008 Jockey Club Gold Cup automatically qualified for the Breeders' Cup Classic.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup has often been the event in which horses who have done well in a year's U.S. Triple Crown races first face older opponents on a weight-for-age basis. 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 "Red" from having to run alone in a "walkover." Damask finished 15 lengths behind with Red held under strong restraint in order not to humiliate his rival. Even so, Red broke the American record for a mile and a half.
Despite its $750,000 purse and Grade 1 status, the stature of the race has suffered somewhat in recent years thanks to the emergence of the Breeders' Cup held not long afterward, as well as the race's having been shortened to the more common distance of 1-1/4 miles in 1990, reducing its distinctiveness.
The race was once run (1976 through 1989) at 1-1/2 miles, but from 1921 through 1975 it was two miles (3 km) long, second in distance only to the less prestigious, 2-1/4-mile Display Handicap. From 1958 through 1974, except for 1962 and 1968, the race was held at Aqueduct Racetrack instead of Belmont.
The past winners of the Gold Cup is a veritable who's who of award winning Hall of Fame horses. Seven horses have won the race twice (including Triple Tiara winner, Shuvee). Only one horse in history has won the Cup five times, and that was the great gelding Kelso.
Perhaps the most memorable renewal was that of 1978, when Exceller defeated the previous year's Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew, by a nose, with the 1978 Triple Crown winner, Affirmed, finishing fifth.
Belmont Park Graded Stakes Races
| Today's Highest Rebate is 12% | |
| Race Tracks | Time (EST) |
| Assiniboia Downs | 8:06 PM |
| Australia A | 10:00 PM |
| Australia B | 10:11 PM |
| Bangor Raceway | 6:01 PM |
| Belmont Park | 12:52 PM |
| Buffalo Raceway | 6:42 PM |
| Cal Expo | 9:07 PM |
| Canterbury Park | 8:06 PM |
| Charles Town | 7:17 PM |
| Chester Downs Harrahs Philly | 12:48 PM |
| Delta Downs | 7:47 PM |
| Emerald Downs | 9:17 PM |
| Evangeline Downs | 6:45 PM |
| Fairmount Park | 8:31 PM |
| Finger Lakes | 12:36 PM |
| Freehold Raceway | 12:37 PM |
| Golden Gate Fields | 4:15 PM |
| Hazel Park | 7:37 PM |
| Hollywood Park | 10:06 PM |
| Indiana Downs (TB) | 6:59 PM |
| Lone Star Park | 7:36 PM |
| Los Alamitos | 10:18 PM |
| Louisiana Downs | 2:27 PM |
| Maywood Park | 8:21 PM |
| Meadowlands (H) | 7:02 PM |
| Mohawk | 7:14 PM |
| Mountaineer Park | 7:01 PM |
| Northfield Park | 7:09 PM |
| Northlands Park (TB) | 8:01 PM |
| Penn National | 6:05 PM |
| Pimlico | 12:02 PM |
| Pocono Downs | 6:35 PM |
| Prairie Meadows (TB) | 7:30 PM |
| Preakness Advance | 10:30 AM |
| Preakness Double | 5:51 PM |
| Preakness Jockey Challenge | |
| Presque Isle | 5:26 PM |
| Remington Park | 7:01 PM |
| Rideau Carleton | 6:30 PM |
| River Downs | 3:03 PM |
| Sam Houston | 8:02 PM |
| Saratoga Harness | 7:11 PM |
| Scarborough Downs | 4:02 PM |
| Scioto Downs | 6:37 PM |
| SunRay Park | 5:04 PM |
| Thistledown | 1:53 PM |
| Tioga Downs | 6:53 PM |
| Vernon Downs | 6:57 PM |
| Woodbine (TB) | 1:06 PM |
| Yonkers Raceway | 7:15 PM |
Off Track Betting News
- Free Horse Racing Picks for 2012 Preakness Stakes >>
Our resident handicappers are going head-to-head this week on the Preakness and we're posting both viewpoints below. Take a look and then log in to the Racebook to check our horse racing odds and place your Preakness Stakes wagers.
- Free Horse Racing Picks for Belmont Park May 19th >>
Welcome to the OTB Free Belmont Park Picks page where you can find free horse racing handicapping picks for Belmont Park race track in Queens, New York! Get Full Card Belmont Selections and Horse Betting Analysis for all Saturday horse races this season at Belmont Park.
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The Grade 2 Hendrie Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, May 19th from Woodbine Racetrack. Fillies and mares four years old and upward are featured in this 6 1/2 furlong race as the entries vie for their share of the $150,000 purse on Woodbine’s Polytrack surface.
- Marjorie L. Everett Handicap at Hollywood Park >>
The Grade 2 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (formerly known as the Milady Handicap) comes our way from Betfair Hollywood Park this Saturday, May 19th. Fillies three years old and upward will be racing 1 1/16 miles on Hollywood Park’s all-weather track in search of their share of the $150,000 purse.
- Railbird Stakes at Hollywood Park >>
The Grade 3 Railbird Stakes comes our way this Saturday May 19th from Betfair Hollywood Park. Fillies three years old will go seven furlongs on Hollywood Park’s all-weather track in search of their share of the $100,000 purse.
- Dixie Stakes at Pimlico >>
The Grade 2 Dixie Stakes is on tap for Pimlico this Saturday, May 19th – site of the Preakness Stakes that is to be run later that day. Horses three years old and upward will be after their share of the $300,000 purse when they go 1 1/8 miles on Pimlico’s turf track.
- 137th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico >>
The 137th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes comes our way this Saturday May 19th from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Three year olds will chase the second jewel in the Triple Crown over 1 3/16 miles on Pimlico’s main track. $1 million is on the line for the entries as well as the prestige of winning one of horse racing’s biggest prizes.
- 2012 Preakness Stakes Contest >>
OffTrackBetting.com is offering a free contest for a chance to win up to $100 by picking the top 3 finishers (in order) for the 137th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 19th, 2012. Show off your Preakness Stakes Handicapping skills and pick up a free $100.
- Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico >>
The Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes comes our way this Friday, May 18th from Pimlico, scene of the Preakness Stakes that will be run Saturday. Three year old fillies will race 1 1/8 miles on Pimlico’s main track in search of their share of the $300,000 purse.
- Pimlico Special Stakes at Pimlico >>
The one-time Grade 1 Pimlico Special Stakes returns this Friday May 18th to Pimlico after a brief three year hiatus. Now a Grade 3 event, horses three years old and upward will go 1 3/16 miles in search of their share of the 300,000 purse.
- 2012 Black-Eyed Susan Preview >>
Pletcher pair takes aim at 7-5 Favorite Mamma Kimbo in Grade 2 Test For Three-Year Old Fillies. On the one hand, trainer Todd Pletcher is looking for redemption. On the other, it’s all about progression. Pletcher will saddle both Disposablepleasure and In Lingerie in the 88th renewal of the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) on Friday at Pimlico Race Course.
- Preakness Betting - Posts, Prices and Trainers >>
The 137th running of the Preakness Stakes is on Saturday, May 19 at Pimlico, with Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another looking to win the second leg in horse racing’s Triple Crown. As we get ready for Preakness betting, let’s consider the post position history, prices and trainers to keep an eye on.
- 2012 Preakness Stakes Betting >>
Bet on the 2012 Preakness Stakes at OffTrackBetting.com - The 137th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes is the the second leg of the US Triple Crown, and each year, on the 3rd Sunday in May, thousands of horse racing fans gather at legendary Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland to experience one of sport's most amazing events.
- Enjoy Rebates When You Bet on Triple Crown Races >>
One of the best months of the season in horse racing is the month of May as the race for the Triple Crown begins. At OffTrackBetting.com you can place bets on the Preakness Stakes, which is held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, along with the Belmont Stakes.
- Off Track Betting Players Get up to $150 Bonus >>
UP TO $150 IN REWARDS FOR NEW CUSTOMERS. OTB will give $100 for horseplayers setting up an account and placing wagers totaling $300. This is a special bonus for new customers only and is subject to terms and conditions.
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