Brighton Handicap

The Brighton Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1895 through 1907 at the Brighton Beach Race Course in Brighton Beach, Coney Island, New York and in 1910 at Empire City Race Track. Open to horses age three and older, it was contested on dirt over a distance of a mile and a quarter (ten furlongs).

In the late 19th and early part of the 20th century, the Brighton Handicap, along with the Suburban Handicap at Sheepshead Bay Race Track and the Metropolitan Handicap at Morris Park Racecourse, were the big three events of the Northeastern United States racing season.^[1]

Race notes

Peter Pan (2nd from left) making his stretch run to win the 1907 Brighton Handicap

On three occasions, 1902, 1903 and 1904, a new world record was set by the race winner. In a review of Peter Pan's win in the 1907 race in front of 40,000 fans, the New York Morning Telegraph was quoted as saying the horse "accomplished a task that completely overshadowed any previous 3-year-old performance in turf history." ^[2]

Following passage of the Hart-Agnew anti-betting law by the Legislature of New York, Brighton Beach Race Course closed is doors permanently in 1908.^[3] The race was revived at Empire City Race Track in 1910 but even more restrictive state State legislation resulted in that racetrack also being forced to close. When a court ruling finally allowed racing to return in 1913 the Brighton Handicap was a thing of the past.

Records

Speed record:

• 2:02.80 - Broomstick (1904)

Most wins:

• No horse won this race more than once.

Most wins by a jockey:

• 2 - Willie Simms (1897, 1898)
• 2 - George Odom (1902, 1903)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 2 - James G. Rowe, Sr. (1901, 1907)

Most wins by an owner:

• 2 - James R. Keene (1901, 1907)

Winners

References