The Brighton Derby was an American

Thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

run annually by the Brighton Beach Racing Association at its

Brighton Beach Race Course The Brighton Beach Race Course was an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York, opened on June 28, 1879 by the Brighton Beach Racing Association. Headed by real estate developer William A. Engeman, who owne ...

Brighton Beach Brighton Beach is a neighborhood in the southern portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, within the greater Coney Island area along the Atlantic Ocean coastline. Brighton Beach is bounded by Coney Island proper at Ocean Parkway to the ...

on Coney Island, New York. Open to three-year-olds, it was contested at a distance of one and one half miles (12

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hor ...

s) on dirt. Run during the mid to latter part of July, it was the last of the racing season's thirteen Derby races. The Brighton Derby was first run at 1½ miles in 1901, then at 1¼ miles in 1902 and 1903 before reverting to the original distance. During its seven years of existence, Brighton Derby winners Ort Wells, Sysonby and Accountant went on to earn

American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse The American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when both ''Turf & Sport ...

honors. Sysonby would also earn the American Horse of the Year title.

The end of a race and of a racetrack

The 1908 Brighton Derby was never run and as such the August 3, 1907 edition was its last. The race's demise was a result of the 1908 passage of the Hart–Agnew anti-betting legislation by the

New York Legislature The New York State Legislature consists of the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of New York: The New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly. The Constitution of New York does not designate an official te ...

under

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Charles Evans Hughes Charles Evans Hughes Sr. (April 11, 1862 – August 27, 1948) was an American statesman, politician and jurist who served as the 11th Chief Justice of the United States from 1930 to 1941. A member of the Republican Party, he previously was the ...

that led to a state-wide shutdown of racing in 1911 and 1912. Although a February 21, 1913 ruling by the

New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division The Appellate Divisions of the Supreme Court of the State of New York are the intermediate appellate courts in New York State. There are four Appellate Divisions, one in each of the state's four Judicial Departments (e.g., the full title of the ...

saw horse racing return in 1913, it was too late for the Brighton Beach horse racing facility and it never reopened.

Records

Speed record: (at 1½ miles) : 2:30 4/5 –

Charles Edward Charles Edward may refer to: *Charles Edward (horse), a racehorse *Charles Edward Stuart, aka Bonnie Prince Charlie *Charles E. Stuart, Charles Edward Stuart, American politician *Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha *Charles Edward Callwe ...

(1907) (new race and track record) Most wins by a jockey: * 2 – Frank O'Neill (1903, 1904) Most wins by a trainer: * No trainer won this race more than once. Most wins by an owner: * 2 – James B. A. Haggin (1901, 1903)

Winners

References

{{reflist Brighton Beach Race Course Discontinued horse races in New York City Coney Island Recurring sporting events established in 1901 Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1907 1901 establishments in New York City 1907 disestablishments in New York (state)