The Garden City Handicap is a
flat Grade 1 turf race for three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is
run very year in September at well-known Belmont Park racecourse in Long
Island, New York, and is part of the prestigious Breeders' Cup National
Stakes Program.
Run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles, the $250,000
Garden City Handicap - also widely known as the Garden City
Stakes - is a precursor race for both the Breeders' Cup Distaff and the
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf races which are run annually in October.
Since its inception in 1979, race organizers have changed the
distance of the Garden City Handicap on a few occasions. For instance,
in 1979, 1984, 1994, 1995 and 1996 the race was run over a distance of 1
1/16 miles while in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1985 to 1993 it was run
over 1 mile.
The Garden City Handicap has showcased some talented
fillies over the decades including 2007 winner Alexander Tango, who
unfortunately died in a freak accident in October last year. The filly
got spooked and severely injured herself against a paddock fence at her
stables in Lexington, Kentucky.
Over the years some of America's
best jockey's have ridden in the Garden City Handicap including Jose
Santos, John Velazquez, Garrett Gomez, Jorge Velasquez, and Shaun
Bridgmohan, who rode Alexander Tango home in first place last year.
Now retired, United States thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Famer
Jose Santos won the Garden City Handicap a record four times in 1989,
1990, 1991 and 2004. |
