The Roseben Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1940 through 1995. Hosted by Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, it was open to horses age three and older. A Grade III event at the time of its cancellation, it was contested on dirt over a distance of six furlongs.
Belmont Park is a major Thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. Opened 114 years ago on May 4, 1905, it is operated by the non-profit New York Racing Association, as are Aqueduct and Saratoga Race Course. The group was formed in 1955 as the Greater New York Association to assume the assets of the individual associations that ran Belmont, Aqueduct, Saratoga, and the now-defunct Jamaica Race Course.
Elmont is an unincorporated community 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. It is a suburban bedroom community located on Long Island. The population was 33,198 at the 2010 census.
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, or 10 chains.
Inaugurated in 1940, it was named in honor of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Roseben. The race was run at Aqueduct Racetrack from 1962 through 1982. During its tenure, it was contested at two distances:
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1951 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers. In 1955, the museum moved to its current location on Union Avenue near Saratoga race course, at which time inductions into the hall of fame began. Each spring, following the tabulation of the final votes, the announcement of new inductees is made, usually during Kentucky Derby Week in early May. The actual inductions are held in mid-August during the Saratoga race meeting.
Roseben (1901–1918) was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame race horse who grew to such an enormous size that he was known as "The Big Train." Because of his great size, he was slow to mature but when he finally got moving in his fourth, fifth and sixth years of racing, he was called the greatest sprinter of his time. He ran under weights as high as 130 pounds in 59 of his races, and as high as 140 pounds in 29 races. On more than one occasion, he won under 144 pounds, 146 pounds, and 147 pounds. Once he carried 150 pounds and finished second. He conceded huge weights to his opponents in 86 of his starts, once giving away 60 pounds at Brighton Beach Race Course in 1907 and still winning by two lengths.
Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse-racing facility and racino in the South Ozone Park and Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City. Its racing meets are usually from late October/early November through April. The racetrack is located adjacent to a casino called Resorts World New York City.
The 1977 race had to be canceled as a result of a strike action by unionized racetrack employees.
Strike action, also called labor strike, labour strike, or simply strike, is a work stoppage, caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became common during the Industrial Revolution, when mass labor became important in factories and mines. In most countries, strike actions were quickly made illegal, as factory owners had far more power than workers. Most Western countries partially legalized striking in the late 19th or early 20th centuries.
A trade union, also called a labour union or labor union (US), is an organization of workers who have come together to achieve many common goals, such as protecting the integrity of their trade, improving safety standards, and attaining better wages, benefits, and working conditions through the increased bargaining power wielded by the creation of a monopoly of the workers. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with employers. The most common purpose of these associations or unions is "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment". This may include the negotiation of wages, work rules, complaint procedures, rules governing hiring, firing and promotion of workers, benefits, workplace safety and policies.
Speed record:
Groovy (1983–2006) was an American Thoroughbred Champion sprint racehorse known for his love of jelly donuts. As of 2011, he is the last horse to break the 130 Beyer Speed Figure, accomplishing that milestone in his first two starts of 1987. In the Roseben Handicap at Belmont Racetrack, he earned a 131 rating, which he followed up with a 134 in the True North Handicap.
Reviewer was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the sire of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame filly Ruffian.
Dr. Fager was an American thoroughbred racehorse who had what many consider one of the greatest single racing seasons by any horse in the history of the sport. In 1968 at the age of four, he became the only horse to ever hold four American titles in one year when he was named the Horse of the Year, champion handicap horse, champion sprinter, and co-champion grass horse. In his most famous performance, Dr. Fager set a world record of 1:322⁄5 for a mile in the Washington Park Handicap while carrying 134 pounds.
Bold Lad (1962–1986) was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse.
White Skies (1949–1955) was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. An October 19, 1987 article in Sports Illustrated referred to White Skies as a "bullet" horse in the same vein as racing greats such as Tom Fool, Decathlon, Ta Wee, Dr. Fager, and Forego.
Olympia (1946–1974) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won top races at age two through four then became a foundation sire for Florida breeder, Fred W. Hooper. Bred by Hall of Fame jockey turned trainer, Ivan H. Parke, he was sired by Champion sire Heliopolis and out of the mare, Miss Dolphin.
Polynesian was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire.
The Carter Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early April at Aqueduct Racetrack. Open to horses three-years-old and up, it is raced over a distance of seven furlongs.
The Clark Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Among the oldest races in the United States, it was first run in 1875, the year the racetrack opened for business. Currently a Grade I event, it is open to horses age three and older and is contested on dirt over a distance of 1 1⁄8 miles.
The Beholder Mile Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged three and up. It is run over a distance of one mile on the dirt each year in June at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
The Washington Park Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the first week of September at Arlington Park Racetrack in Arlington Heights, Illinois. A Grade III event open to horses age three and older, it is contested on Polytrack synthetic dirt over a distance of a mile and one-eighth. The race is designed to be a prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic.
The Vagrancy Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the end of May/early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The event is open to fillies and mares, age four and older. The Grade III race is contested on dirt over a distance of six and one-half furlongs.
The American Stakes, previously the American Handicap, is an American Thoroughbred horse race. It is now held at Santa Anita Park in the middle of May. It is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one mile on the turf. A Grade III event, it currently carries a purse of $100,000.
The Sunset Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the third week of July at Hollywood Park Racetrack in inglewood, California. The Grade III event is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-half miles on turf.
The San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap is an American invitational handicap Thoroughbred horse race run annually on turf at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is North America's longest graded stakes race. Open to horses age four and older, the Grade III event currently offers a purse of $100,000. Run during the second half of April as the traditional closing-day feature at Santa Anita Park, usually at about 1 3⁄4 miles it is one of the longest grass race in America. Since 1965 it has been an invitational handicap.
The Santa Barbara Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A Grade III event open to fillies and mares, age four and older, it is contested of turf over a distance of one and a half miles.
The race is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. It was called the Aqueduct Handicap, but beginning in 2009, the name was changed to the Evening Attire Stakes in honor of the great grey gelding Evening Attire. He raced until he was 10 years old, retiring in 2008. The race is an ungraded stakes event run on dirt at a distance of 1 1⁄16 miles, it is open to horses three years old and up.
The Last Tycoon Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late April at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. First run in 1938, the race is open to horses three years old and up. A Grade III stakes, it is raced on turf at a distance of 1 1⁄16 miles. The event currently offers a purse of $100,000.
The Excelsior Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the first week of April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. A Grade III event for three-year-olds and up, it is contested over a distance of one-and-one-eighth miles 9 furlong.
The Modesty Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Arlington Park Racetrack in Arlington Heights, Illinois near Chicago.
The Interborough Stakes, previously Interborough Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at the beginning of January at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. A non-graded stakes race open to fillies & mares age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of six furlongs.
The Edgemere Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race. Inaugurated in 1901 at the old Aqueduct Racetrack, it was open to horses of all ages and contested on dirt at a distance of one mile and seventy yards. The following year the distance was changed to one mile and one furlong.
The Grey Lag Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Open to horses age three and older, in its final years it was contested on dirt over a distance of one and three-sixteenths miles.
The Trenton Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Garden State Park Racetrack in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Open to horses age three and older, the race was contested on dirt at various distances during its tenure:
The Colleen Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the first part of August at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. Open to two-year-old fillies, it is contested on dirt over a distance of 5.5 furlongs.