Jockey Club Gold Cup

Jockey Club Gold Cup

Grade I race
Location	Belmont Park Elmont, New York, United States
Inaugurated	1919
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.nyra.com/index_belmont.html
Race information
Distance	​1 1⁄4 miles (10 furlongs)
Surface	Dirt
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three-years-old and up
Weight	Weight-For-Age
Purse	$1,000,000

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 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 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.

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 purse has been raised to $1,000,000.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup 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 are 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.

In the 1978 running, Exceller defeated the previous year's Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew, by a nose, with the 1978 Triple Crown winner, Affirmed, finishing fifth.

Records

Time record: (at current ​1 ¹⁄₄ miles)

• 1:58.89 - Skip Away (1997)

Most wins:

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

Most wins by an owner:

• 5 - Glen Riddle Farm (1919, 1920, 1925, 1926, 1938)
• 5 - Bohemia Stable (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 10 - Eddie Arcaro (1935, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1961)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 7 - Jim Fitzsimmons (1929, 1930, 1933, 1934, 1944, 1955, 1956)

Winners of the Jockey Club Gold Cup

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2015	Tonalist	4	John Velazquez	Christophe Clement	Robert S. Evans	2:02.16
2014	Tonalist	3	Joel Rosario	Christophe Clement	Robert S. Evans	2:02.12
2013	Ron the Greek	6	Jose Lezcano	William I. Mott	Brous Stable/Wachtel Stable et al.	1:59.70
2012	Flat Out	6	Joel Rosario	William I. Mott	Preston Stables	2:01.44
2011	Flat Out	5	Alex Solis	Scooter Dickey	Preston Stables	2:03.17
2010	Haynesfield	4	Ramon Dominguez	Steve Asmussen	Turtle Bird Stable	2:02.48
2009	Summer Bird	3	Kent J. Desormeaux	Tim A. Ice	Jayaraman/Kalarikkal/Vilasini	2:02.51
2008	Curlin	4	Robby Albarado	Steve Asmussen	Stonestreet Stables et al.	2:01:93
2007	Curlin	3	Robby Albarado	Steve Asmussen	Stonestreet Stables et al.	2:01.20
2006	Bernardini	3	Javier Castellano	Thomas Albertrani	Darley Stable	2:01.02
2005	Borrego	4	Garrett Gomez	C. Beau Greely	Kelly, Scott, Ralls, Foster	2:02.86
2004	Funny Cide	4	Jose Santos	Barclay Tagg	Sackatoga Stable	2:02.44
2003	Mineshaft	4	Robby Albarado	Neil J. Howard	Farish, Elkins, Webber	2:00.25
2002	Evening Attire	4	Shaun Bridgmohan	Patrick J. Kelly	Grant, Grant, Kelly	1:59.58
2001	Aptitude	4	Jerry Bailey	Robert J. Frankel	Juddmonte Farm	2:01.49
2000	Albert the Great	3	Jorge Chavez	Nick Zito	Tracy Farmer	1:59.24
1999	River Keen	7	Chris Antley	Bob Baffert	Hugo Reynolds	2:01.40
1998	Wagon Limit	4	Robbie Davis	H. Allen Jerkens	Joseph V. Shields, Jr.	2:00.62
1997	Skip Away	4	Jerry Bailey	Hubert Hine	Carolyn Hine	1:58.89
1996	Skip Away	3	Shane Sellers	Hubert Hine	Carolyn Hine	2:00.70
1995	Cigar	5	Jerry Bailey	William I. Mott	Allen Paulson	2:01.29
1994	Colonial Affair	4	Jose Santos	Flint S. Schulhofer	Centennial Farms	2:02.19
1993	Miner's Mark	3	Chris McCarron	C. R. McGaughey III	Ogden Phipps	2:02.79
1992	Pleasant Tap	5	Gary Stevens	Christopher Speckert	Buckland Farm	1:58.95
1991	Festin	5	Ed Delahoussaye	Ron McAnally	Kinerk Burton	2:00.69
1990	Flying Continental	4	Corey Black	Jay M. Robbins	Jack Kent Cooke	2:00.60
1989	Easy Goer	3	Pat Day	C. R. McGaughey III	Ogden Phipps	2:29.20
1988	Waquoit	5	Jose Santos	Guido Federico	Joseph Federico	2:27.60
1987	Creme Fraiche	5	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Woody Stephens	Brushwood Stable	2:30.80
1986	Creme Fraiche	4	Randy Romero	Woody Stephens	Brushwood Stable	2:28.00
1985	Vanlandingham	4	Pat Day	C. R. McGaughey III	Loblolly Stable	2:27.00
1984	Slew o' Gold	4	Angel Cordero, Jr.	John O. Hertler	Equusequitey Stable	2:28.80
1983	Slew o' Gold	3	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Sidney Watters, Jr.	Equusequitey Stable	2:26.20
1982	Lemhi Gold	4	Chris McCarron	Laz Barrera	Aaron U. Jones	2:31.20
1981	John Henry	6	Bill Shoemaker	Victor J. Nickerson	Dotsam Stable	2:28.40
1980	Temperence Hill	3	Eddie Maple	Joseph B. Cantey	Loblolly Stable	2:30.20
1979	Affirmed	4	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Laz Barrera	Harbor View Farm	2:27.40
1978	Exceller	5	Bill Shoemaker	Charles Whittingham	Nelson Bunker Hunt	2:27.20
1977	On The Sly	4	Gregg McCarron	Milton W. Gross	Balmak Stable	2:28.20
1976	Great Contractor	3	Pat Day	Roger Laurin	Howard P. Wilson	2:28.80
1975	Group Plan	5	Jorge Velasquez	H. Allen Jerkens	Hobeau Farm	3:23.20
1974	Forego	4	Heliodoro Gustines	Sherrill W. Ward	Lazy F Ranch	3:21.20
1973	Prove Out	4	Jorge Velasquez	H. Allen Jerkens	Hobeau Farm	3:20.00
1972	Autobiography	4	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Pancho Martin	Sigmund Sommer	3:21.40
1971	Shuvee	5	Jorge Velasquez	Willard C. Freeman	Anne Minor Stone	3:20.40
1970	Shuvee	4	Ron Turcotte	Willard C. Freeman	Anne Minor Stone	3:21.60
1969	Arts and Letters	3	Braulio Baeza	J. Elliott Burch	Rokeby Stables	3:22.40
1968	Quicken Tree	5	William Hartack	Clyde Turk	L. R. Rowan/W. Whitney	3:22.80
1967	Damascus	3	Bill Shoemaker	Frank Y. Whiteley, Jr.	Edith W. Bancroft	3:20.20
1966	Buckpasser	3	Braulio Baeza	Edward A. Neloy	Ogden Phipps	3:26.20
1965	Roman Brother	4	Braulio Baeza	Burley Parke	Harbor View Farm	3:22.60
1964	Kelso	7	Ismael Valenzuela	Carl Hanford	Bohemia Stable	3:19.20
1963	Kelso	6	Ismael Valenzuela	Carl Hanford	Bohemia Stable	3:22.00
1962	Kelso	5	Ismael Valenzuela	Carl Hanford	Bohemia Stable	3:19.80
1961	Kelso	4	Eddie Arcaro	Carl Hanford	Bohemia Stable	3:25.80
1960	Kelso	3	Eddie Arcaro	Carl Hanford	Bohemia Stable	3:19.40
1959	Sword Dancer	3	Eddie Arcaro	J. Elliott Burch	Brookmeade Stable	3:22.20
1958	Inside Tract	4	Conn McCreary	John J. Weipert, Jr.	D & M Stable	3:23.40
1957	Gallant Man	3	Bill Shoemaker	John A. Nerud	Ralph Lowe	3:23.00
1956	Nashua	4	Eddie Arcaro	Jim Fitzsimmons	Leslie Combs II	3:20.40
1955	Nashua	3	Eddie Arcaro	Jim Fitzsimmons	Belair Stud	3:24.80
1954	High Gun	3	Eddie Arcaro	Max Hirsch	King Ranch	3:25.80
1953	Level Lea	3	William Boland	Not found	John Shaffer Phipps	3:27.00
1952	One Count	3	Dave Gorman	Oscar White	Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords	3:24.20
1951	Counterpoint	3	Dave Gorman	Sylvester Veitch	C. V. Whitney	3:21.60
1950	Hill Prince	3	Dave Gorman	Casey Hayes	Christopher Chenery	3:22.40
1949	Ponder	3	Eddie Arcaro	Ben A. Jones	Calumet Farm	3:22.80
1948	Citation	3	Eddie Arcaro	Ben A. Jones	Calumet Farm	3:21.60
1947	Phalanx	3	Ruperto Donoso	Sylvester Veitch	C. V. Whitney	3:21.60
1946	Pavot	4	Eddie Arcaro	Oscar White	Walter M. Jeffords, Sr.	3:22.60
1945	Pot o'Luck	3	Douglas Dodson	Ben A. Jones	Calumet Farm	3:27.40
1944	Bolingbroke	7	Robert Permane	Jim Fitzsimmons	Townsend B. Martin	3:27.20
1943	Princequillo	3	Conn McCreary	Horatio Luro	Boone Hall Stable	3:23.80
1942	Whirlaway	4	George Woolf	Ben A. Jones	Calumet Farm	3:21.60
1941	Market Wise	3	Basil James	George W. Carroll	Louis Tufano	3:20.80
1940	Fenelon	3	James Stout	James E. Fitzsimmons	Belair Stud	3:24.40
1939	Cravat	4	Basil James	Walter Burrows	Townsend B. Martin	3:23.00
1938	War Admiral	4	Wayne D. Wright	George Conway	Glen Riddle Farm	3:24.80
1937	Firethorn	5	Harry Richards	Preston M. Burch	Walter M. Jeffords, Sr.	3:26.00
1936	Count Arthur	4	James Stout	Frank Hackett	Fanny Hertz	3:24.40
1935	Firethorn	3	Eddie Arcaro	Preston M. Burch	Walter M. Jeffords, Sr.	3:24.20
1934	Dark Secret	5	Charles Kurtsinger	Jim Fitzsimmons	Wheatley Stable	3:24.60
1933	Dark Secret	4	Hank Mills	Jim Fitzsimmons	Wheatley Stable	3:25.20
1932	Gusto	3	Buddy Hanford	Max Hirsch	Morton L. Schwartz	3:25.20
1931	Twenty Grand	3	Charles Kurtsinger	James G. Rowe, Jr.	Greentree Stable	3:23.40
1930	Gallant Fox	3	Earl Sande	Jim Fitzsimmons	Belair Stud	3:24.40
1929	Diavolo	4	John Maiben	Jim Fitzsimmons	Wheatley Stable	3:24.00
1928	Reigh Count	3	Chick Lang	Bert S. Michell	Fanny Hertz	3:23.00
1927	Chance Play	4	Earl Sande	John I. Smith	Log Cabin Stable	3:23.00
1926	Crusader	3	Albert Johnson	George Conway	Glen Riddle Farm	3:26.00
1925	Altawood	4	John Maiben	G. Hamilton Keene	Joseph E. Widener	3:26.00
1924	My Play	5	Andy Schuttinger	Roy Waldron	Lexington Stable	3:25.60
1923	Homestretch	3	Chick Lang	Ernest Sletas	H. Alterman	3:24.20
1922	Mad Hatter	6	Earl Sande	Sam Hildreth	Rancocas Stable	3:22.60
1921	Mad Hatter	5	Earl Sande	Sam Hildreth	Rancocas Stable	3:22.40
1920	Man o' War	3	Clarence Kummer	Louis Feustel	Glen Riddle Farm	2:28.80
1919	Purchase	3	Clarence Kummer	Sam Hildreth	Glen Riddle Farm	2:28.80

• In 1927, Brown Bud finished first but was disqualified.
• Only two horses started in 1920.

References

• The Jockey Club Gold Cup at Pedigree Query
• Jockey Club Gold Cup and Horse of the Year, 1936-2007

External links

• Ten Things You Should Know about the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Hello Race Fans!