Breeders' Cup Marathon
Encyclopedia
The Breeders' Cup Marathon is a Grade II
American Thoroughbred horse race
established in 2008 as part of the annual Breeders' Cup World Championships. A Weight for Age
race open to horses three years old and up, it was contested on dirt at a distance of 1½ miles in its inaugural running. For 2009, the distance was extended to by 2 furlongs to 1¾ miles. The race carries a purse of US
$500,000.
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
.
Due to technical requirements, the race was not eligible for classification as a graded stakes race
in its first two runnings. It received Grade III status effective in 2010. The race was upgraded to Grade II status for 2011.
, the Cougar II Handicap
, an ungraded race at Del Mar
and the Diamond Stakes
a group three race at Dundalk Racecourse.
Raced at 1½ miles in its debut in 2008, the 2009 edition was changed to a distance of 1¾ miles.
Most wins by a jockey
:
Most wins by a trainer
:
Most wins by an owner:
† - Ran at 1½ miles
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
American Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide 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 National Hunt racing...
established in 2008 as part of the annual Breeders' Cup World Championships. A Weight for Age
Weight for Age
Weight for Age is a term in Thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race. It means that a horse will carry a set weight in accordance with the Weight for Age Scale. This weight varies depending on the horse’s age, its sex, the race distance and the month of the year...
race open to horses three years old and up, it was contested on dirt at a distance of 1½ miles in its inaugural running. For 2009, the distance was extended to by 2 furlongs to 1¾ miles. The race carries a purse of US
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
$500,000.
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
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
in Arcadia, California
Arcadia, California
Arcadia is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and located approximately northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains....
.
Due to technical requirements, the race was not eligible for classification as a graded stakes race
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
in its first two runnings. It received Grade III status effective in 2010. The race was upgraded to Grade II status for 2011.
Automatic Berths
Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup developed "The Breeders' Cup Challenge", a series of races in each division that alloted automatic qualifying bids to winners of defined races. Each of the fourteen divisions has between three and six of these, "Win and You're In," qualifiers. In the Breeders' Cup Marathon Division there are four automatic berths. In 2009, the Win and You're In races are: the Greenwood Cup Handicap, an ungraded race at Philadelphia Park, the Turfway Park Fall Championship Stakes, a grade three race at Turfway ParkTurfway Park
Turfway Park is an American horse racing track located just outside the city limits to the north of Florence, Kentucky, about 10 miles south of the Ohio River at Cincinnati...
, the Cougar II Handicap
Cougar II Handicap
The Cougar II Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late July/early August at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. 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 a half...
, an ungraded race at Del Mar
Del Mar Racetrack
Del Mar Racetrack is an American Thoroughbred horse racing track at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in the seaside city of Del Mar, California, 20 miles north of San Diego. Operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, it is known for the slogan: "Where The Turf Meets The Surf." It was built by a partnership...
and the Diamond Stakes
Diamond Stakes
The Diamond Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Dundalk over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 150 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.The event was formerly...
a group three race at Dundalk Racecourse.
Raced at 1½ miles in its debut in 2008, the 2009 edition was changed to a distance of 1¾ miles.
Records
Most wins:- No horse has won this race more than once.
Most wins by a jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
:
- No jockey has won this race more than once.
Most wins by a trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
:
- No trainer has won this race more than once.
Most wins by an owner:
- No owner has won this race more than once.
Winners of the Breeders' Cup Marathon since 2008
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time | Purse |
Grade |
| 2011 | Afleet Again | 4 | Cornelio Velasquez Cornelio Velásquez Cornelio H. Velásquez is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. He was introduced to horse racing at age fifteen by trainer Carlos Salazar Guardia in his native Panama and enrolled in the national jockey school... |
Robert E. Reid, Jr. | Kasey K Racing Stable | 3:00.39 | $500,000 | II |
| 2010 | Eldaafer | 5 | John Velazquez | Diane Alvardo | IEAH Stables IEAH Stables IEAH Stables operates a thoroughbred horse racing stable in the United States. It is based in Garden City, New York.IEAH was formed in 2003 by Michael Iavarone, Michael Sherack and Richard Schiavo. Current IEAH employees include Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens as a bloodstock agent and Mike... and Mansour Albaroudy |
2:59.62 | $500,000 | III |
| 2009 | Man of Iron Man of Iron (horse) Man of Iron, foaled in Kentucky in 2006, is the son of the Better Than Honour and is out of Giant's Causeway. Bred by Skara Glen Stables, he was sold as a yearling to Racing Partners Smith/Magnier/Tabor, who turned over his training to Aidan O'Brien.... |
3 | Johnny Murtagh Johnny Murtagh Johnny Murtagh is a Irish flat racing jockey from Bohermeen, Navan, County Meath.He excels on the big stage, having won many Group 1 races around the world... |
Aidan O'Brien Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien is an Irish horse racing trainer. Since 1996, he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables near Cashel in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud associates.... |
Derrick Smith/Susan Magnier/Michael Tabor Michael Tabor Michael B. Tabor is a businessman and owner of Thoroughbred racehorses.-Thoroughbred racing career:... |
2:54.11 | $500,000 | |
| 2008 | Muhannak | 4 | Pat Smullen Pat Smullen Patrick J. Smullen is a jockey and considered one of the top riders in Ireland. He has had many successes through his position as stable jockey to Dermot Weld.-Major wins: Ireland... |
Ralph Beckett | Richard Pegum | 2:28.24† | $500,000 | |
† - Ran at 1½ miles
See also
- Breeders' Cup Marathon "top three finishers" and startersBreeders' Cup Marathon top three finishersThis is a listing of the horses that finished in either first, second, or third place and the number of starters in the Breeders' Cup Marathon, a race run on dirt on the first day of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships...
- Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred ChampionshipsBreeders' CupThe Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Thoroughbred horse races, most but not all Grade I, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. The location...
- American Thoroughbred Racing top Attended EventsAmerican thoroughbred racing top attended eventsThis is a listing of the top attended stakes race for thoroughbred racing in North America by year. This chart will list the paid attendance to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky; the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland; the Kentucky Oaks at...