The Brighton Handicap was an American thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1896 through 1907 at the Brighton Beach Race Course in Brighton Beach, Coney Island, New York and in 1910 at Empire City Race Track. Open to horses age three and older, it was contested on dirt over a distance of a mile and a quarter (ten furlongs).

Brighton Handicap
Discontinued race
Peter Pan (2nd from left) making his stretch run to win the 1907 Brighton Handicap
LocationBrighton Beach Race Course, Brighton Beach, New York, USA (1896–1907)
- and -
Empire City Race Track,
Yonkers, New York, USA (1910)
Inaugurated1896–1910
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Race information
Distance1+14 miles (10 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationThree-years-old & up
WeightAssigned
Purse$25,000

A premier event, in the late 19th and early part of the 20th century the Brighton Handicap, along with the Suburban Handicap at Sheepshead Bay Race Track and the Metropolitan Handicap at Morris Park Racecourse, were the big three events of the Northeastern United States racing season.[1]

Race notes

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On three occasions, 1902, 1903 and 1904, a new world record was set by the race winner. In a review of Peter Pan's win in the 1907 race in front of 40,000 fans, the New York Morning Telegraph was quoted as saying the horse "accomplished a task that completely overshadowed any previous 3-year-old performance in turf history." [2]

Following passage of the Hart–Agnew anti-betting law by the Legislature of New York, Brighton Beach Race Course closed is doors permanently by the end of 1908.[3] The Brighton Beach track had maintained the purse level for the Brighton Handicap by reducing purse money for other minor races or by eliminating them entirely. However, to survive, racetrack operators saw no choice but to drastically reduce the purse money being paid out which by 1910 saw an Empire City Race Track edition of the Brighton Handicap offer a purse which was one-quarter of what it had been.[4]

Records

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Speed record:

Most wins:

  • No horse won this race more than once.

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

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Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Dist.
(Miles)
Time
Win
US$
1910 Olambala 4 George Archibald Thomas J. Healey Richard T. Wilson, Jr. 114 M 2:06.60 $4,800
1908 – 1909 Race not held
1907 Peter Pan 3 Joe Notter James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene 114 M 2:03.40 $19,750
1906 Ram's Horn 4 LaVerne Sewell Wink S. Williams Wink S. Williams 114 M 2:03.60 $19,750
1905 Artful 3 Gene Hildebrand John W. Rogers Harry Payne Whitney 114 M 2:04.80 $21,750
1904 Broomstick 3 Tommy Burns Robert Tucker Samuel S. Brown 114 M 2:02.80 $21,750
1903 Waterboy 4 George Odom A. Jack Joyner James B. A. Haggin 114 M 2:03.20 $15,995
1902 Gold Heels 4 George Odom Matthew M. Allen Frederick C. McLewee & Jim Brady 114 M 2:03.80 $8,045
1901 Toddy 4 Lewis Smith James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene 114 M 2:07.20 $8,640
1900 Jack Point 4 Milton Henry Jim McLaughlin Anthony L. Aste 114 M 2:04.60 $9,945
1899 Imp 5 Frank O'Leary Charles E. Brossman Daniel R. Harness 114 M 2:05.40 $8,420
1898 Ornament 4 Willie Simms Charles T. Patterson Charles T. Patterson 114 M 2:07.75 $2,490
1897 Ben Brush 4 Willie Simms Hardy Campbell Jr. Michael F. Dwyer 114 M 2:09.00 $1,850
1896 Nanki Pooh 4 Samuel Doggett William Donohue Erie Stable (F. D. & J. A. Beard) 114 M 2:12.75 $1,850

References

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  1. ^ New York Times - February 1, 1902
  2. ^ Montreal Gazette – July 15, 1907
  3. ^ New York Times – July 2, 1908
  4. ^ "Striking Falling off in Value of Ten Greatest Stakes". Daily Racing Form. 1910-07-16. Retrieved 2018-10-15 – via University of Kentucky Archives.