Beldame Stakes
The Beldame Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares three-years-old and up. Inaugurated in 1939, it was run as a handicap prior to 1960. The race is held annually near the beginning of October at Belmont Park and currently offers a purse of $400,000. A Grade I event for most of its history, in 2019 it was downgraded to Grade II. On August 22, 2009, NYRA announced that the purse for the 2009 Beldame Stakes was increased to $1 million to attract a showdown between Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta though ultimately neither horse entered the race. The race is named for the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame mare Beldame who raced between 1903 and 1905. During the 1904 season, she won 12 of 14 starts, beating the best colts of her time, and was voted the Horse of the Year honors. The first New York bred to win an Eclipse Award, Saratoga Dew, won this race in 1992. Run at miles since 1991, the Beldame has been set at various distances: * miles : 1939, 1990 * 1 m ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905. It is operated by the non-profit New York Racing Association, as are the Aqueduct Racetrack and Saratoga Race Course. The group was formed in 1955 as the Greater New York Association to assume the assets of the individual associations that ran Belmont, Aqueduct, Saratoga, and the now-defunct Jamaica Race Course. Belmont Park is typically open for racing from late April through mid-July (known as the Spring meet), and again from mid-September through late October (the Fall meet). It is widely known as the home of the Belmont Stakes in early June, regarded as the "Test of the Champion", the third leg of the Triple Crown. Along with Saratoga Race Course in Upstate New York, Keeneland and Churchill Downs in Kentucky, and Del Mar and Santa Anita in California, Belmont is considered on ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Jorge Velásquez
Jorge Velásquez (born December 28, 1946 in Chepo, Panama) is a thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. Jorge Velasquez's career in thoroughbred racing began in his native Panama but as a teenager moved to the United States. In 1967 he won more races than any other American jockey and in 1969 was tops in money-winning. In 1978 he became nationally famous for being one of the jockeys involved in probably the greatest rivalry in racing history. He finished second aboard Alydar to Affirmed in all three of the 1978 American Triple Crown races, losing by a combined total of less than two lengths. Velasquez and Alydar later achieved a small measure of satisfaction when they beat Affirmed in the 1978 Travers Stakes (although the win came via the disqualification of Affirmed for interference entering the far turn). In 1981 he rode Pleasant Colony to victory in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes but missed winning the Triple Crown when they finished third to Summing in the Belm ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual who rode horses in racing. They must be light, typically around a weight of 100-120 lb., and physically fit. They are typically self-employed and are paid a small fee from the horse trainer and a percentage of the horse's winnings. Jockeys are mainly male, though there are some well-known female jockeys too. The job has a very high risk of debilitating or life-threatening injuries. Etymology The word is by origin a diminutive of ''jock'', the Northern English or Scots colloquial equivalent of the first name ''John'', which is also used generically for "boy" or "fellow" (compare ''Jack'', ''Dick''), at least since 1529. A familiar instance of the use of the word as a name is in "Jockey of Norfolk" in Shakespeare's ''Richard III''. v. 3, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Todd Pletcher
Todd Pletcher (born June 26, 1967 in Dallas, Texas) is an American thoroughbred horse trainer. He won the Eclipse Award seven times as Trainer of the Year, four of these in consecutive years. His horses Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017) won the Kentucky Derby. He also won the Belmont Stakes with Rags to Riches (2007), Palace Malice (2013) and Tapwrit (2017). He also trained Malathaat who won the 2021 Kentucky Oaks. Career Pletcher began working for his father, Jake, as a hot walker at the age of seven. During his summers off from junior and senior high school, he went to California, where he worked as a hot walker for Henry Moreno at Hollywood Park and Del Mar Racetracks. He graduated from James Madison High School in San Antonio, Texas in 1985 and began college at the University of Arizona in theiRace Track Industry Programin the fall of that year. Between his sophomore and junior years, he worked as a groom for D. Wayne Lukas at Arlington Park near Chicago. He spe ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Horse Trainer
A horse trainer is a person who tends to horses and teaches them different disciplines. Some of the responsibilities trainers have are caring for the animals' physical needs, as well as teaching them submissive behaviors and/or coaching them for events, which may include contests and other riding purposes. The level of education and the yearly salary they can earn for this profession may differ depending on where the person is employed. History Domestication of the horse, Horse domestication by the Botai culture in Kazakhstan dates to about 3500 BC. Written records of horse training as a pursuit has been documented as early as 1350 BC, by Kikkuli, the Hurrian "master horse trainer" of the Hittite Empire. Another source of early recorded history of horse training as a discipline comes from the Ancient Greece, Greek writer Xenophon, in his treatise On Horsemanship. Writing circa 350 BC, Xenophon addressed Horse training, starting young horses, selecting older animals, and proper Ho ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Sightseek
Sightseek (foaled 1999 in Kentucky) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse and current broodmare. She was bred and raced by Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms and was trained by Hall of Fame inductee Robert Frankel. Background Sightseek is a full-sister to Quest to Peak, who produced Special Duty, the 2009 European Champion Two-year-old Filly whose wins included the 2010 1000 Guineas Stakes in England and that race's counterpart in France, the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. , . Their sire was Distant View, a product of Juddmonte's international breeding program. Distant View was a son of the very influential stallion Mr. Prospector, the Leading sire in North America in 1987 and 1988 plus the Leading broodmare sire in North America nine times. Distant View's dam was Seven Springs who won the Prix Robert Papin and the Prix Morny in 1984. Sightseek's dam was Viviana, a winner of two Listed races. She was the daughter of Nureyev, the 1987 Leading sire in France and the 1 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Personal Ensign
Personal Ensign (April 27, 1984 – April 8, 2010) was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who retired undefeated with 13 wins. At the time, this was the longest win streak for a horse at the elite level of American racing in 80 years. Her come-from-behind victory in the 1988 Breeders' Cup Distaff over Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors is considered one of the most memorable performances of the Breeders' Cup era. Personal Ensign showed her class early by winning the Grade I Frizette Stakes at age two, but was subsequently injured. After missing nearly a year of racing, she returned in September of her three-year-old season to win four races, including the Grade I Beldame Stakes. As a four-year-old, she won seven races, all but one of which was at the Grade I level, including a victory in the prestigious Whitney Handicap against male horses. She ended her season by repeating in the Beldame and then taking the Breeders' Cup Distaff. For this feat, she was voted the 1988 Eclips ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Lady's Secret
Lady's Secret (April 8, 1982 – March 4, 2003) was an American Eclipse Award winning Thoroughbred racemare that was listed in the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century. Lady's Secret was bred by Robert H. Spreen at Lucas Farm in Oklahoma. Spreen sold her for $200,000 to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Klein (former owner of the San Diego Chargers), and she was prepared for racing by Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. She was a small horse, weighing no more than about 900 pounds. Breeding and background Lady's Secret was sired by U.S. Triple Crown champion Secretariat and out of Great Lady M., a daughter of Icecapade who was a half brother to Ruffian. Lady's Secret was also closely related to Ruffian on her sire's side since Secretariat and Reviewer (Ruffian's sire) shared a sire in Bold Ruler. Lady's Secret was bred by Robert H. Spreen at Lucas Farm in Oklahoma. Spreen sold her for $200,000 to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Klein (former owner of the San Diego Chargers), and she was pr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Love Sign (horse)
Love Sign (foaled April 19, 1977 in Virginia) was an American Thoroughbred racemare who won three Grade I races while competing against exceptionally strong female competition such as Hall of Fame inductees Genuine Risk and Bold 'n Determined. Breeding Love Sign was bred by Jane Wilbur Clark and raced by her husband, Stephen Clark, Jr. She was trained by U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Sidney Watters, Jr. Racing career At age two, Love Sign met with little success but at age three in 1980 won five Graded stakes races including Grade I wins in the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and the first of two straight editions of the Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park. As a four-year-old Love Sign was still a top contender, winning two Graded stakes plus her second Grade 1 Beldame. At age five in 1982, Love Sign won two more Graded stakes races before being retired to serve as a broodmare. Broodmare Although bred to the likes of Slew o' Gold and twice to U.S. Triple Crown Champio ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Desert Vixen
Desert Vixen (1970–1982) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. She was the leading American filly of her generation, winning an Eclipse Award at the ages of both three and four. She was later inducted into the U. S. Racing Hall of Fame. Racing career Desert Vixen began racing at age two and met with limited success, winning only one of her five starts. At age three, Desert Vixen was the dominant filly in her class, winning eight straight races including a number of important Grade I stakes and tying the Belmont Park track record held by Canonero II in the Beldame Stakes. She broke the stakes record in the 1973 Gazelle Handicap which had been set by Susan's Girl the previous year. [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Susan's Girl
Susan's Girl (1969–October 18, 1988) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, bred and owned by Fred W. Hooper. She was the first American filly to earn over $1,000,000. Racing career Racing as a two-year-old in 1971, Susan's Girl came up against a top filly called Numbered Account. Susan's Girl won her first races as a three-year-old, winning nine of her first thirteen starts and never finishing out of the money. That year she was the American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly. At four, racing on both coasts, Susan's Girl won over $500,000. By the end of the racing season in 1973, the filly was second only to Shuvee in career earnings. In February 1974, however, she chipped a bone in her left foreleg. Hooper sent her to the equine surgeon Dr. Robert Copelan, who removed three chips and sent her home to Hooper's farm in Ocala, Florida. For two months, Susan's Girl swam in the nearby Lake Weir every day. After nine months, she recovered and returned to racing. At the age of five, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |