Belmar (foaled in 1892) was an American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

owned by James Galway's Preakness Stables of

Preakness, New Jersey Preakness is an unincorporated community located within Wayne in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The colt Preakness, for whom the Preakness Stakes Thoroughbred horse race at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland is name ...

Racing career

Belmar was trained by

Edward Feakes Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...

and ridden by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame

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 ...

Fred Taral Frederick J. "Fred" Taral (August 2, 1867 – February 13, 1925) was an American Hall of Fame jockey. Jockey career Taral began his career in racing in the 1880s at small racetracks in Oklahoma. In 1883, he rode his first competitive thorough ...

. He earned his first victory just four days before he ran in the 1895 Preakness. He nonetheless went off as the second choice and won by a length. That year, the Belmont was held on November 2 because, according to the official chart, "New York Jockey Club closed out its affairs. Race run under the jurisdiction of the Westchester Racing Association." Belmar, who was the fourth choice in a field of five, won by a neck over the favorite, Counter Tenor, while carrying 7 pounds less. In 1896, Belmar won the

Manhattan Handicap The Manhattan Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race raced annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is named for Manhattan, the principal borough of the City of New York. Currently offering a purse of $1,000,000, the Grade I Manh ...

Morris Park Racecourse Morris Park Racecourse was an American Thoroughbred horse race, thoroughbred horse racing facility from 1889 to 1904. It was located in a part of Westchester County, New York that was annexed into the Bronx in 1895 and later developed as the neighb ...

The Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. In 1897, he won the Ocean Handicap at

Sheepshead Bay Race Track Sheepshead Bay Race Track was an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility built on the site of the Coney Island Jockey Club at Sheepshead Bay, New York. Early history The racetrack was built by a group of prominent businessmen from the New Yo ...

in Brooklyn. In his later racing career, Belmar was owned by the handicapper "Pittsburgh Phil" and was trained by William "Bill" Smith. In a 1908 interview, Bill Smith said that Belmar was one of the best horses he ever trained and was notorious for winning his races in a close finish, usually by a head or neck. Belmar was standing at the farm of T.L. Watt in

Westchester County Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population o ...

in 1908 as a stallion for the breeding bureau.

Pedigree

References

1892 racehorse births Racehorses bred in New Jersey Racehorses trained in the United States Belmont Stakes winners Preakness Stakes winners Thoroughbred family 21 {{Racehorse-stub