Any big 1 1/2 to 2 mile races left on dirt.

[RacingFan1992]

Okay I know there are three races that come to mind and they are 1 3/4 Valedictory Stakes, 1 1/2 Belmont Stakes, and 1 1/2 Brooklyn Handicap which are 1 1/2 or longer. Can anyone think of any other races that are of that distance especially ones for fillies? I like a good marathon race.

[cj]

G3 Tokyo City Cup, 12F, SA
G3 Cougar II, 12F, Dmr

Can't think of any more, not graded at least.

[RacingFan1992]

G3 Tokyo City Cup, 12F, SA
G3 Cougar II, 12F, Dmr

Can't think of any more, not graded at least.

They had the Marathon Stakes which used to be the Breeders'Cup Marathon, I don't know what happened to that.

[OTM Al]

There has been a "marathon" as part of the card on one of the BC days both this and last year. Doesn't Parx have the Greenwood at 1 1/2 m as well as a G3?

[PoloUK6108]

KY Downs has a graded 1-1/2 if I'm not mistaken, could be wrong. Maybe 1-3/8?

Edit:
Oh...DIRT is a keyword I missed there :sleeping: :cool:

[RacingFan1992]

KY Downs has a graded 1-1/2 if I'm not mistaken, could be wrong. Maybe 1-3/8?

Edit:
Oh...DIRT is a keyword I missed there :sleeping: :cool:

They do have a race that is at 1 1/2 called the Kentucky Turf Cup but that is on turf. I have noticed the dirt 12+ furlong races are few and far between. As for Parx, they have the Greenwood Cup Stakes that is also 12 furlongs.

[RacingFan1992]

Here is what I would like to see with the Breeders' Cup.

Breeders' Cup Marathon - 1 3/4 (Now the Las Vegas Marathon)

Win and You're In
1.) Brooklyn Handicap 1 1/2
2.) Belmont Stakes 1 1/2
3.) Valedictory Stakes 1 3/4
4.) Lawrence Realization 1 5/8 (Discontinued)
5.) Jockey Club Gold Cup 2 Miles (Now 1 1/4)
6.) Greenwood Cup Stakes 1 1/2
7.) Birdstone Stakes 1 3/4
8.) Tokyo City Cup 1 1/2
9.) Cougar II Handicap 1 1/2
10.) Gallant Fox Handicap 1 5/8 (Discontinued)
11.) Fort Harrod Stakes 1 5/8 (Discontinued)

People might not like long distance but I would rather watch one of them than one of those little races that zips through and is over in 48 seconds.

Offer a giant purse for a long race like this anywhere from $3-5,000,000. That will get people interested instead of that paltry $500,000 they were offering.

[OTM Al]

Its not that people don't like these things, it's that no one was entering runners for them. The Gallant Fox didn't fill two years in a row so it was cancelled. You can put whatever you want in a condition book but you can't make owners and trainers enter.

[RacingFan1992]

Its not that people don't like these things, it's that no one was entering runners for them. The Gallant Fox didn't fill two years in a row so it was cancelled. You can put whatever you want in a condition book but you can't make owners and trainers enter.

Thanks. OTM Al what would you suggest could be a possible solution to get people more interested in running in them. You would think an increase in purse size would make a difference. I can see no one wanting to enter a distance race at $150,000 when there is a sprint race at over $1-2,000,000. Would like to hear feedback.

[castaway01]

Thanks. OTM Al what would you suggest could be a possible solution to get people more interested in running in them. You would think an increase in purse size would make a difference. I can see no one wanting to enter a distance race at $150,000 when there is a sprint race at over $1-2,000,000. Would like to hear feedback.

Horses aren't bred to go that far anymore. If you could wind the clock back 50 years, then maybe, but you're wondering why a group that is 95% bred for speed and a mile or less aren't entering mega-marathons. There's no mystery to this one.

[RacingFan1992]

Horses aren't bred to go that far anymore. If you could wind the clock back 50 years, then maybe, but you're wondering why a group that is 95% bred for speed and a mile or less aren't entering mega-marathons. There's no mystery to this one.

Now I don't believe they a bred for speed. I believe they are trained for speed. How many times do people skip the St. Legers because of "Distance Limitations" yet they can win at 2-4 miles. I remember there was one horse who won the 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby but was not entered in the St. Legers because of "Distance Limitations" yet he was entered in a race that was even longer and won. Horses don't put doubt on themselves, it's people who do.

[Tor Ekman]

Horses don't put doubt on themselves, it's people who do.
Nominated for quote of the month, if not year! :ThmbUp:

[RacingFan1992]

I am so sick and tired of hearing about "The Breed is deteriorating" That has been said since the 1800's. 1974 Forego won the Carter Handicap at 7 furlongs and the 2 mile Jockey Club Gold Cup "Yeah but that was 40+ Years ago, the breed has weakened." 1982 Conquistador Cielo won the Met Mile against older horses and won the Belmont 6 days later "Yeah but that was 30+ years ago, the breed has weakened" 1992 A.P. Indy wins the Peter Pan Stakes and the Belmont Stakes "Yeah but that was 20+ Years ago, the breed has weakened" Palace Malice wins the 2013 Belmont and 2014 Met Mile "Yeah but they were a year apart, he got some rest" 2014 Tonalist wins the Peter Pan and Belmont Stakes. Do you want to tell me that over a year the breed has weakened. I don't and will never believe they are bred for speed. As long as we have horses who can sprint at a mile and then win at a mile and a half I will never be convinced they are bred for either speed or distance. You can train a speed horse to go a distance and vice versa.

[ultracapper]

They are bred for speed, and like some one just suggested, when they start putting up big purses for the marathon distance races, the breeders will start looking at "stretching out" the breed again. The Tokyo City has to be won by one of the maximum 8 entries it gets. That doesn't make the winner a world class marathoner. Just means he survived better than the others. Aside from graded stakes, there may be less than a dozen 1 1/4 mile allowance races written in SoCal a year. And they always end up being filled by a bunch of claimers. God I hate it when an N1X has 4 horses that are exiting a $20K claimer or lower.

[ultracapper]

Just thinking about it, I handicap every maiden race for older horses in SoCal. There may be about 20-25 1 1/8 mile races on the turf, and probably a quarter of that on the main track, PER YEAR, for MSW in SoCal. Even 1 1/16 mile races are way less than they were 15 years ago. At least 75% of all routes run in SoCal for MSW on the main are a flat mile.

[OTM Al]

Thanks. OTM Al what would you suggest could be a possible solution to get people more interested in running in them. You would think an increase in purse size would make a difference. I can see no one wanting to enter a distance race at $150,000 when there is a sprint race at over $1-2,000,000. Would like to hear feedback.
I would suggest you stop being obsessed with fantasy or start learning to handicap races in Europe, though even there the distance races are losing favor. Or maybe you think they should bring back the four mile heat races that were popular way back when.

[RacingFan1992]

I would suggest you stop being obsessed with fantasy or start learning to handicap races in Europe, though even there the distance races are losing favor. Or maybe you think they should bring back the four mile heat races that were popular way back when.

Hey my fantasies aren't hurting anyone. I just get sick and tired of seeing sprints and distances races that don't go beyond 1 1/8.

[OTM Al]

Hey my fantasies aren't hurting anyone. I just get sick and tired of seeing sprints and distances races that don't go beyond 1 1/8.
Then I suggest you get a new hobby because that is what is.

[RacingFan1992]

Then I suggest you get a new hobby because that is what is.

I know but hey doesn't hurt trying to change something.

[elhelmete]

Marathons can often be boring as hell to a bettor too. Harness racing speed quarter miles then a slightly quick sprint in the finish, with a small, spread out field of runners coming out of a variety of meaningless last-out races.

Of all the things I'd like to see changed in our game, this isn't even in the top 50. The effort it would take from a half dozen different stakeholders could best be spent elsewhere.

Just one guy's opinion.

[RaceBookJoe]

While not "big" races, each of the past couple of years I see a 2M dirt race at Saratoga.

[cj]

After watching the 1st at the Spa today, I can see why we don't offer much distance racing on any surface.

[thespaah]

Its not that people don't like these things, it's that no one was entering runners for them. The Gallant Fox didn't fill two years in a row so it was cancelled. You can put whatever you want in a condition book but you can't make owners and trainers enter.
yep..But that is what we get when it seems trainers think a 6f race is too long.
Oh well

[RacingFan1992]

Good to see the Marathon Stakes has a full field of 14. Maybe the Breeders' Cup will reconsider.

[nearco]

Long distance races on dirt often tend to be boring affairs because of the nature of dirt races. Looks like most of the horses are going backwards in the stretch.
On Turf it's a different story, and you often get exciting finishes.

Speaking of distance races, ol' Cirrus des Aigles, who was one of the top middle distance turf horses in the world over the last 4 odd years, before losing form this season, ran in the almost 2mile Prix Royal Oak G1 this last weekend. Unfortunately the added distance didn't appear to help his form.

[nijinski]

Not interested in a 2 mile race and if you have several coming off layoffs , they don" t seem to make good betting races . I also agree they don"t breed for that kind of stamina these days .

[PhantomOnTour]

Speaking of marathon races, the Melbourne Cup will be run next Tues (Mon night here) at Flemington...2 miles I believe.
Anyone see the filly Minx win the Cox Plate with complete ease over the weekend?
Very impressive, but not sure if she's gonna go in the Cup.

[RacingFan1992]

It's about damn time, now bring back the 2 mile Jockey Club Gold Cup and 1 1/2 Coaching Club American Oaks. Get some distance back into racing.

http://www.horseracingnation.com/news/Belmont_Park_Schedules_Three_New_Marathon_Races_12 3#

[azeri98]

Love it.

[Mandrake]

All longer races used to be so much better when there were the rabbits that set it all up for a great finish. These days these races are basically yawn city, and so many horses seem to go 115 to 116 for 6 and it's a steal job. The days of the jockey with the clock in his head are over.

[ronsmac]

I'm glad they don't run many 1 1/2 races on dirt anymore.

[andtheyreoff]

It's about damn time, now bring back the 2 mile Jockey Club Gold Cup and 1 1/2 Coaching Club American Oaks. Get some distance back into racing.

http://www.horseracingnation.com/news/Belmont_Park_Schedules_Three_New_Marathon_Races_12 3#

A two-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup would be a terrible idea. There's a reason why that race was shortened: a race that long had become archaic even by 1975. It drew a solid field last year. Do you think any of those horses would have shown up if the race was two miles?

[RacingFan1992]

A two-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup would be a terrible idea. There's a reason why that race was shortened: a race that long had become archaic even by 1975. It drew a solid field last year. Do you think any of those horses would have shown up if the race was two miles?

They show up for the Melbourne Cup don't they? Isn't that two miles?

[rastajenk]

Is there an Australian Breeders Cup event one month later? Not that I'm aware of.