The Occidental Handicap 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 ...

held annually from 1899 through 1909 at

Gravesend Race Track Gravesend Race Track at Gravesend in Brooklyn, New York was a Thoroughbred horse racing facility that opened in 1886 and closed in 1910. The track was built by the Brooklyn Jockey Club with the backing of Philip and Michael Dwyer, two wealthy raci ...

Gravesend, Brooklyn Gravesend is a neighborhood in the south-central section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, on the southwestern edge of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. It is bounded by the Belt Parkway to the south, Bay Parkway to the west ...

, New York. A race for horses of either sex age three and older, it was contested on dirt over a distance of a mile and one-eighth until its final running when it became a mile and one-quarter selling race.

Historical notes

First run on September 16, 1899, the Occidental Handicap would come to be regarded as an important stakes race on the New York fall schedule. Among the winners was the famous " mudder"

Herbert Herbert may refer to: People Individuals * Herbert (musician), a pseudonym of Matthew Herbert Name * Herbert (given name) * Herbert (surname) Places Antarctica * Herbert Mountains, Coats Land * Herbert Sound, Graham Land Australia * Herbert ...

who won back-to-back editions in 1901 and 1902. The race's only two-time winner, Herbert would duplicate that feat with wins in the Merchants and Citizens Handicap in 1901 and 1902. In her September 26, 1907 win, the three-year-old filly Gold Lady set a new track record for a mile and one-eighth with a time of 1:51 3/5.

Demise of the Occidental Handicap

The status of the race as being important to the Gravesend track's fall racing schedule would change on June 11, 1908, when the

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controlled

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

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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 ...

passed the Hart–Agnew anti-betting legislation. The owners of Gravesend Race Track, and other racing facilities in New York State, struggled to stay in business without income from betting. Racetrack operators had no choice but to drastically reduce the

purse money A purse is a small bag that may refer to: * Coin purse, small pouch made for carrying coins * Handbag, in American English * Money bag * Wallet Purse may also refer to: * Purse (horse racing), the total amount of money paid out to the owners o ...

being paid out which resulted in the Occidental Handicap offering a purse in 1909 that was less than one-third of what it had been in earlier years. These small purses made horse racing unprofitable and impossible for even the most successful horse owners to continue in business. As such, for the 1910 racing season management of the Gravesend facility dropped some of its stakes races and used the purse money to bolster its most important events. 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 Occidental Handicap.

Records

Speed record: * 1:41.60 @ 1 1-8 miles: Gold Lady (1907) Most wins: * 2 -

(1901, 1902) Most wins by a jockey: * 2 - Lewis Smith (1901, 1902) * 2 - Eddie Dugan (1908, 1909) Most wins by a trainer: * 2 - Julius J. Bauer (1899, 1908) * 2 - Walter C. Rollins (1901, 1902) * 2 - Walter B. Jennings (1904, 1905) Most wins by an owner: * 2 - Bromley & Co. (1899, 1908) * 2 - Walter C. Rollins (1901, 1902) * 2 - Walter B. Jennings (1904, 1905)

Winners

References

{{reflist Discontinued horse races in New York City Open mile category horse races Recurring sporting events established in 1899 Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1909 Gravesend Race Track