The Caesars Belmont Derby is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old

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 ...

race horse 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 ...

run over a distance of miles on the

turf Sod, also known as turf, is the upper layer of soil with the grass growing on it that is often harvested into rolls. In Australian and British English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricultu ...

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 Racin ...

in July. The purse for the event is US$1,000,000. The event is the first of three of the "Turf Trinity" which was inaugurated in 2019.

Race history

In 2014, the race became a feature portion of the Stars and Stripes Racing Festival at Belmont Park. The race was renamed from the Jamaica Handicap, moved from October to July, increased in distance from miles to miles, and had the purse increased from $500,000 to $1,250,000. The original race name was named after the Jamaica District in

Queens, New York Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long I ...

. The first running took place in 1929 at the

Jamaica Race Course Jamaica Race Course, also called the Jamaica Racetrack, was an American thoroughbred horse racing facility operated by the Metropolitan Jockey Club in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. History The track opened on April 27, 1903, a day which featu ...

. When the Jamaica track closed in 1959, the race was shifted to the

Aqueduct Race Track 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 ...

in Queens where it was contested in 1960, 1975 to 1977, 1979 to 1981, and 1987. It was raced at a distance of six furlongs from 1929 to 1953 and 1957 to 1960, then at miles (9 furlongs) in 1954, and from 1997 through 2014. The Jamaica Handicap was open to horses age three and older from 1929 to 1944, 1949 to 1953, and again in 1960. It has been a turf race since 1994. The Jamaica wasn't run from 1933 to 1935, in 1955 and 1956, from 1961 to 1976, nor in 1995 (due to severe weather conditions). It was run in two divisions in 1946. In 2009, the Jamaica became a

Grade I In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

event. Of interest is that any horse winning three editions of a single race is a rare occurrence but the Jamaica Handicap had two horses accomplish that feat when it was open to older horses.

Records

Belmont Derby / Jamaica Handicap

Speed record: (at current distance of miles) * 1:58.29 – Henley's Joy (2019) Most wins: * 3 – Overdrawn (1941, 1942, 1943) * 3 – Piet (1949, 1950, 1951) Most wins by an owner: * 4 – George D. Widener Jr. (1931, 1936, 1941, 1942) Most wins by a

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 ...

: * 4 –

Richard Migliore Richard Migliore (born March 14, 1964 in Babylon, New York) is a retired American jockey. He now works as a racing analyst for XBTV. He was nicknamed "The Mig," which is a type of Russian fighter jet, for his tenacious style of riding. He lives ...

(1984, 1986, 1996, 2004) Most wins by a trainer: * 3 – R. Emmett Potts (1949, 1950, 1951) * 3 – Bert Mulholland (1936, 1941, 1942) * 3 – C. R. McGaughey III (1987, 1990, 2014) * 3 –

William I. Mott William I. "Bill" Mott (born July 29, 1953, in Mobridge, South Dakota) is an American horse trainer, most notable for his work with Cigar. Mott earned the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer in 1995 and 1996. He was inducted into the National ...

(2000, 2003, 2008)

Winners

* In 1954 Tea-maker, who won this race in 1952, finished first again but was disqualified.

References

{{Reflist

External links