The Marathon (horse race)
| Grade II race | |
.jpg) The 2009 Marathon, won by Man of Iron (almost hidden on the rail) by a nose | |
| Location | United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 2008 (as Breeders' Cup Marathon) |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website |
www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 3⁄4 miles (14 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-years-old & up |
| Weight | Set Weights with allowances |
| Purse | $200,000 (2016) |
The Marathon Stakes, formerly known as the Breeders' Cup Marathon, is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race is a Set Weights with allowances race open to horses three years old and up, and contested on dirt at a distance of 1 3⁄4 miles. The race has a purse of US$200,000.[1]
Race history
The race was originally established in 2008 as part of the annual Breeders' Cup World Championships with its inaugural running at a distance of 1 1⁄2 miles. The inaugural running took place on the second day of the Breeders' Cup on the Pro-Ride synthetic dirt at the 2008 host track, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
In 2009, the distance was extended by 2 furlongs to 1 3⁄4 miles.[2]
Due to technical requirements, the race was not eligible for classification as a graded stakes race in its first two runnings.[3] It received Grade III status effective in 2010.[4] The race was upgraded to Grade II status for 2011.[5] The race was originally run under Weight for Age conditions.
Automatic Berths for Breeders' Cup
Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup developed "The Breeders' Cup Challenge", a series of races in each division that allotted automatic qualifying bids to winners of defined races.
Each of the divisions has between one and ten of these, "Win and You're In," qualifying races.
In the Breeders' Cup Marathon Division, runners were limited to 14 and there was one automatic berth.
The "Win and You're In" race was:
1. the Clasico Belgrano, a grade 2 race at Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo in Buenos Aires, Argentina.[6]
Raced at 1 1⁄2 miles in its debut in 2008, the 2009 edition was changed to a distance of 1 3⁄4 miles.
Removal from Breeders' Cup
On April 25, 2014, the Breeders' Cup announced that the Marathon would be discontinued.[7] The event would be renamed to the Las Vegas Marathon as an undercard Breeders' Cup stakes race. The purse of the event was reduced from $500,000 to $200,000.[1] Citing that "the conditions of the race have not developed into a competition that we believe reaches the standard set by the remaining races comprising the Championships", the Breeders' Cup Committee announced its discontinuation.[7]
Records
Most wins:
- No horse has won this race more than once.
Most wins by a jockey:
- No jockey has won this race more than once.
Most wins by a trainer:
- 2 - Brendan P. Walsh (2014, 2016)
Most wins by an owner:
- No owner has won this race more than once.
Winners of the Breeders' Cup / The Marathon since 2008
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time | Purse |
Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Marathon / The Marathon Stakes | ||||||||
| 2016 | Scuba | 5 | Kendrick Carmouche | Brendan P. Walsh | Darrs, Inc. | 2:58.20 | $201,380 | II |
| 2015 | Bailoutbobby | 5 | Joel Rosario | Doug O'Neill | R3 Racing | 2:56.75 | $200,000 | II |
| Las Vegas Marathon | ||||||||
| 2014 | Cary Street | 5 | Miguel Mena | Brendan P. Walsh | Detampel/Walsh | 2:58.29 | $200,750 | II |
| Breeders' Cup Marathon | ||||||||
| 2013 | London Bridge | 3 | Mike Smith | Jo Hughes | Eastwind Racing & Martha Trussell | 2:58.32 | $500,000 | II |
| 2012 | Calidoscopio (ARG) | 9 | Aaron Gryder | Guillermo Frenkel Santillán | Stud Dona Pancha | 2:57.25 | $500,000 | II |
| 2011 | Afleet Again | 4 | Cornelio Velasquez | Robert E. Reid, Jr. | Kasey K Racing Stable | 3:00.39 | $500,000 | II |
| 2010 | Eldaafer | 5 | John Velazquez | Diane Alvardo | IEAH Stables and Mansour Albaroudy | 2:59.62 | $500,000 | III |
| 2009 | Man of Iron | 3 | Johnny Murtagh | Aidan O'Brien | Derrick Smith/Susan Magnier/Michael Tabor | 2:54.11 | $500,000 | |
| 2008 | Muhannak | 4 | Pat Smullen | Ralph Beckett | Richard Pegum | 2:28.24† | $500,000 | |
† - Ran at 1 1⁄2 miles
See also
- Breeders' Cup Marathon "top three finishers" and starters
- Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships
- American Thoroughbred Racing top Attended Events
References
- 1 2 "Las Vegas Marathon – Grade II" (PDF). Los Angeles Turf Club. 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ↑ "Distance Added to Breeders' Cup Marathon". bloodhorse.com. 2009-03-20. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
- ↑ Graded Stakes Committee releases 2008 changes - Thoroughbred Times
- ↑ LaMarra, Tom (2008-12-03). "Arkansas Derby Among Three New Grade I Stakes". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
- ↑ Blood Horse: 2011 Graded Stakes: 13 Fewer Than '10
- ↑ Breeders Cup Challenge
- 1 2 http://www.paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/breeders-cup-reduces-foal-nomination-fee-eliminates-marathon/