The Kelso Stakes is a Grade II 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 ...

for three-year-olds and older run over a distance of one mile (8

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 the dirt held annually in late October at Belmont Park in

Elmont, New York Elmont is an unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located in northwestern Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States, along its border with the borough of Queens in New York City. The population was 35,265 at the 2 ...

. The event offers a purse of $300,000.

History

The event is named in honor of Kelso,

Allaire du Pont Allaire du Pont (May 4, 1913 – January 6, 2006) was an American sportswoman and a member of the prominent French-American Du Pont family of chemical manufacturers who is most remembered as the owner of the Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of F ...

's five-time winner of American Horse of the Year honors. Kelso won the

Jockey Club Gold Cup The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a thoroughbred 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, just as the Belmont Stakes is of the s ...

at Belmont Park five times (1960–1964) consecutively at the then distance of 2 miles on the dirt. Fittingly NYRA scheduled the inaugural running of the Kelso Handicap over two miles at Aqueduct on 23 October 1980. At the time the event was the only $100,000 two mile event on the dirt in the US. The former claimer Peat Moss won the inaugural event as a 24-1 longshot in a time of 3:24. Peat Moss would repeat his winning ways the following year carrying a high-weight of 126 pounds. The 1982 running would be the last time the event would be held at the marathon distance. In 1983 the event was not held. On 20 October 1984 the event was renewed as a miles turf race on an all stakes card at Belmont Park which included the

inheriting the classification status of Grade III from the Brighton Beach Handicap which became defunct with its last race on 24 August 1983. In 1988 the event was shortened to one mile. In 1997 the event was upgraded to Grade II. In 2009, it had been originally being scheduled for turf before being moved to the main track due to extremely heavy rain the day before and consequently was down graded to Grade III. In 2010 the event was moved to the main dirt track. Of the more notable winners of the event is Lure. Lure ran in the event three times winning in 1993 and finishing second twice in 1992 and 1994. In 1992 although finishing second as a three-year-old later that year he went on to win the

Breeders' Cup Mile The Breeders' Cup Mile is a Grade 1 Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up, run on a grass course. It has been conducted annually as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships since the event's incepti ...

. In 1993 after winning this event he followed up in his next start winning the

Santa Anita Park Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races ...

. In 1994 Lure just failed to win the event, beaten by a nose carrying 128 pounds and giving 14 pounds to the winner Nijinsky's Gold in a thrilling stretch battle. The event in 2022 was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack due to infield tunnel and redevelopment work at Belmont Park. The event was moved to late October and the conditions of the changed from a handicap to a stakes allowance.

Records

Speed record: *1 mile (dirt) 1:32.90 – Anchor Down (2016) *1 mile (turf) 1:32.07 – Ashkal Way (2006) * miles (turf) – 2:01.20 – Who's For Dinner (1984) *2 miles (dirt) – 3:20.80 Peat Moss (1981) Margins: *5 lengths – Tizway (2010) Most wins: * 2 – Peat Moss (1980, 1981) * 2 – I'm a Banker (1985, 1986) * 2 – Forbidden Apple (2000, 2001) Most wins by an owner: * 2 – Murray M. Garren (1980, 1981) * 2 –

Godolphin Racing Godolphin (Arabic: جودلفين) is the Maktoum family's private 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 ...

(1986, 1987) * 2 – Arthur I. Appleton (2000, 2001) * 2 –

Klaravich Stables Seth Andrew Klarman (born May 21, 1957) is an American billionaire investor, hedge fund manager, and author. He is a proponent of value investing. He is the chief executive and portfolio manager of the Baupost Group, a Boston-based private inv ...

(2018, 2020) Most wins by a jockey: * 4 –

Javier Castellano Javier Castellano (born October 23, 1977, in Maracaibo, Zulia State, Venezuela) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. Castellano began his riding career in 1996 at Santa Rita and La Rinconada racecourses in Venezuela. In June 1997 ...

(2007, 2008, 2012, 2016) Most wins by a trainer: * 4 – Todd A. Pletcher (2011, 2013, 2016, 2021)

Winners

''Legend:''

References

{{reflist, 2 Graded stakes races in the United States Horse races in New York (state) Open mile category horse races Grade 2 stakes races in the United States Recurring sporting events established in 1980 Belmont Park 1980 establishments in New York (state)

History

Records

Winners

See also

References