The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a

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 ...

flat race open to horses of either gender three-years-old and up. It has traditionally been the main event of the fall meeting at

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 Raci ...

, just as the Belmont Stakes is of the spring meeting and the

Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Mid-Summer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds acco ...

is of the summer meeting at Saratoga. The past winners of the Gold Cup are a veritable who's who of award-winning Hall of Fame horses, including Easy Goer,

Man o' War Man o' War (March 29, 1917 – November 1, 1947) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is widely regarded as the greatest racehorse of all time. Several sports publications, including ''The Blood-Horse'', ''Sports Illustrated'', ESPN, and t ...

, Cigar,

Skip Away Skip Away (April 4, 1993 – May 14, 2010), was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1998 Horse of the Year, 1996 Champion Three-Year-Old, and 1997 and 1998 Champion Handicap Horse. He won 10 Grade One races for $9,616,360 i ...

Curlin Curlin (foaled March 25, 2004, in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the American Horse of the Year in both 2007 and 2008. He retired in 2008 as the highest North American money earner with over US$10.5 million accumu ...

, Slew o' Gold, John Henry,

Affirmed Affirmed (February 21, 1975 – January 12, 2001) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the eleventh winner of the American Triple Crown. Affirmed was well known for his famous rivalry with Alydar, whom he met ten times, inclu ...

Forego Forego (April 30, 1970 – August 27, 1997) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that won eight Eclipse Awards including Horse of the Year, Champion Handicap Horse and Champion Sprinter. Background Foaled at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentuck ...

, Shuvee, Damascus, Buckpasser, Kelso, Sword Dancer, Nashua,

Citation A citation is a reference to a source. More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated alphanumeric expression embedded in the body of an intellectual work that denotes an entry in the bibliographic references section of the work for the purpose of ...

, Whirlaway and

War Admiral War Admiral (May 2, 1934 – October 30, 1959) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the fourth winner of the American Triple Crown. He was also the 1937 Horse of the Year and well known as the rival of Seabiscuit in the 'Matc ...

. Despite the current $1,250,000 purse and

Grade 1 First grade (also called Grade One, called '' Year 2'' in England or Primary 2 in Scotland) is the first grade in elementary school and the first school year after kindergarten. Children are usually 6–7 years old in this grade. Examples b ...

status, the stature of the race has suffered somewhat in recent years thanks to the emergence of the Breeders' Cup Classic held not long afterward, as well as a change in distance to miles in 1990, reducing its distinctiveness. Part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, the winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Classic. Before it was known as the Jockey Club Gold Cup, it began as the Jockey Club Stakes. This was its name when

won it against the only horse willing to race him. Damask, owned by

Harry Payne Whitney Harry Payne Whitney (April 29, 1872 – October 26, 1930) was an American businessman, thoroughbred horse breeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family. Early years Whitney was born in New York City on April 29, 1872, as the eldest son ...

, 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. Ten horses have won the race twice (including Hall of Fame horses Curlin, Skip Away, Slew o' Gold, Nashua and 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 Exceller (May 12, 1973 – April 7, 1997) is widely considered one of the best horses to race in the United States not to win a year-end championship. Despite his exemplary achievements as a racehorse, and his unique accomplishment in being the ...

defeated the previous year's Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew, by a nose in a memorable stretch duel, with the 1978 Triple Crown winner,

, finishing fifth after his saddle slipped. Sportswriter Bill Nack wrote, "Exceller won by the snip of his chocolate nose. ... That battling final furlong remains Seattle Slew's most enduring legacy as a racehorse." From 1976 to 1989, the Jockey Club Gold Cup was run at miles, but from 1921 through 1975 it was long, second in distance only to the less prestigious, -mile

Display Handicap The Display Handicap was an American long distance Thoroughbred horse race held annually from 1955 through 1990. A race for 3-year-olds and up, it was run at the Jamaica Race Course from inception through 1958 at a distance of 2 miles. In 1959 th ...

. From 1958 through 1974, except for 1962 and 1968, the race was held at

Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park and Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack located within New York City limits. Its racing ...

instead of Belmont. In 2021 the Jockey Club Gold Cup was moved to Saratoga Race Course for the first time in its history. The $1 million race is run on closing weekend and takes the place of the Woodward Stakes, which was relocated to Belmont Park after being run in Saratoga for 15 years. NYRA management believes the Jockey Club Gold Cup - run at the same distance as the Breeders' Cup Classic - is better positioned on the racing calendar with an eight week gap between the two races.

Records

Time record: (at current miles) * 1:58.89 –

(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: * 11 –

Eddie Arcaro George Edward Arcaro (February 19, 1916 – November 14, 1997), was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who won more American classic races than any other jockey in history and is the only rider to have won the U.S. Tri ...

(1935, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1961) Most wins by a trainer: * 6 – Jim Fitzsimmons (1929, 1930, 1933, 1934, 1955, 1956)

Winners

¹In 2019, Vino Rosso finished first but was disqualified and placed second. ²In 1927, Brown Bud finished first but was disqualified. ³Only two horses started in 1920.

Notes

{{reflist

References

The Jockey Club Gold Cup at Pedigree Query

External links

Ten Things You Should Know about the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Hello Race Fans!
Open middle distance horse races Grade 1 stakes races in the United States 1919 establishments in New York (state) Horse races in New York (state) Breeders' Cup Challenge series Belmont Park Recurring sporting events established in 1919