What are the longest races in North America and in the world?

[DJofSD]

I'm know about SAX's San Juan Capistrano H. at 1 and 3/4 mile. But what about other thoroughbred races for North America? Are there other races as long or longer?

Internationally, I only know about Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at 2400 meters (about 1 1/2 mile). Are there others with similar or greater distances?

DJofSD

[Buddha]

Mountaineer has a marathon series for starter allowance horses. on the turf i think they go to 2 miles, and on dirt, they go up to 2 1/16 miles.

[Figman]

I am waiting for "Tom" to get a hold of this question.
If I remember right, his home track of Finger Lakes once had three races over 4 miles! The distances were 4 miles and 70 yds., 4 & 1/16 miles and 4 & 1/8 miles. Probably there were many more long ones.

[Jeff P]

On closing weekend each year, for as long as I can remember, Turf Paradise has always run the Hasta La Vista Handicap at one mile and seven eighths on the turf. It is normally the last stakes race of the meet.

[BillW]

The Saratoga jumper series is in the 2 to 3 mile range.

[Zman179]

Back in 1973/74, the racing secretary at Finger Lakes would card starter allowances at all kinds of distances up to as much as 4 1/8 miles (wonder if they had a bell lap?) He figured that it would add a little interest into the game.

Currently, FL still holds North American records at the distances of
2 9/16M, 2 5/8M, 2 3/4M, 3 1/16M, 3 1/4M, 4M&70yds, 4 1/16M & 4 1/8M (with a time of 8:08).

The most greuling race in the world has got to be the Aintree Grand National in England at 4 1/8M and 30 excruciatingly tough obstacles & water jumps.

[cj]

CD runs a 2 mile Starter Allowance on closing day of the spring meet if I remember right, and I think Turfway and Ellis do something similar.

Aqueduct used to run the 2 1/4 mile Display Handicap on New Year's Eve every year, but they stopped that a while ago.

Most of the long races I remember were Starter Allowance (the real ones, not the SoCal brand) in Kentucky and Philly. I think they still run them at Philly Park, but I don't play there to know for sure.

[hurrikane]

are you talking about -at the track- . I know a woman that races horses long distance. Over 50 miles at a time She use to work for Grahm Motion but now does this. They actually train older thoroughbreds for these races and it is apparenlty a big deal.

[Dick Schmidt]

Ya, there is a 100 mile race across the mountains and desert here in Calif for horse and rider. Of course, sometimes the rider hops off and runs along with the horse to give it a rest. Not sure I've ever seen a jockey do that.

As an aside, a (real) good human runner can outdistance a horse over 10 or 12 miles. They have the speed, but not as much stamina. The Apache Indians used to catch wild horses by running them down. The chase might last for days as the horses got way out in front and caught a breather, but the Apaches ran them until they were too exhausted to run any more. No wonder Geronimo and 11 guys kept the Army hopping for years. Tough people.


Dick


Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

[OTM Al]

Longest I've seen recently is I believe the Gallant Fox at Aqu which is 1 5/8 mi. If you look at track records in DRF you see many tracks used to have 2 mile + races into the 90s, but they just don't seem to be around anymore.

[foregoforever]

There are about a half dozen group races in Australia at 2 miles. The Melbourne Cup is the highlight of their season. It's been won the past two years by a mare, Makybe Diva.

England's Ascot Gold Cup is 2 miles and 4 furlongs. I know that's their longest G1 race. The English St Leger is about 1 3/4 mile. The Irish St Leger, won by Vinnie Roe for the past 4 years, is also 1 3/4.

[toetoe]

i seem to recall that the jockey club gold cup was for years run @ 2 miles. maybe even as late as 1975 when wajima beat mighty forego to snatch the 3yo eclipse from foolish pleasure ? can someone check that & call the men in the white jackets if necessary? i know, i know, you were planning on that anyway.

[Tom]

Originally posted by Figman
I am waiting for "Tom" to get a hold of this question.
If I remember right, his home track of Finger Lakes once had three races over 4 miles! The distances were 4 miles and 70 yds., 4 & 1/16 miles and 4 & 1/8 miles. Probably there were many more long ones.

http://www.horse-races.net/library/na-records.htm


Heh, hehe, hehe, and we had Playboy bunnies dancing on a picnic table to count off the miles-one stepped down each lap.
BTW....I bet on a horse - Mill Reef - and he got LAPPED!
*groan*

[Zaf]

The Hippodrome de Quebec holds a annual 5 Mile race. Its a 1/2 mile track , so this race is actually 10 turns :eek: :eek: Boy I would hate to be parked out for a couple of miles :p

ZAFONIC

[Figman]

I know one thing from that link Tom provided....
If I'm around in 2022, I'm betting on SOLTEMIA to win the four mile race at Churchill Downs!

[Dan Montilion]

Your 5 for 5 and have a two length lead with your 8-1 pick six single. That's one long race and a whole lot of "sphincter syndrome".

Dan Montilion

[Brian Flewwelling]

longest race in my db (>=1999) is a Nat SteepleChase event at FAX, listed at 24fur(3 miles)

Fair Hills shows one race at 21 furlongs, in Oct 03.

both BEL and KEE show 3 races at 20fur (2.5miles)

SAR show a bunch of races at 19 fur, run each year prior to this year

Brian

[toetoe]

that's only 18 years from now. may be an in-running wager.

[Wiley]

i seem to recall that the jockey club gold cup was for years run @ 2 miles. maybe even as late as 1975 when wajima beat mighty forego to snatch the 3yo eclipse from foolish pleasure ? can someone check that & call the men in the white jackets if necessary? i know, i know, you were planning on that anyway.

According to the 1981 American Racing Manual the JCGC was at 2 miles from 1921 to 1975 (Group Plan beat Wajima in '75) Forego won in 1974.

[delayjf]

Ak-sar-ben used to card a 2 mile and 70 yard race on the meets last day back in the 80's. I think at that time it was billed as the longest race in the US.

[toetoe]

thanks, wiley. i guess i confused the belmont (wajima over foolish pleasure?) with the jcgc. can you check something else? i think wajima's sire, bold ruler, sired f.p.'s sire, whata pleasure. the odd thing is, i think wajima's dam was the dam of f.p.'s dam. i'll guess iskra for wajima, but no idea for f.p.'s dam's name. maybe by tom fool. y'know, keep posting & you'll soon be identified as wiley, veteran. i love this kind of stuff, & for that i'm so very, very sorry.

[Kevmath]

Here's some tracks that have run 2 mile races this year:

Mountaineer (earlier this month)
Beulah (ran earlier this week)
Penn National
Thistledown has a 2 mile race in their condition book for New Years' Eve
Woodbine had the Valedictory Stakes at 1 3/4 AND a 1 7/8 Starter allowance the last day of their season
Fort Erie 2m70y
The Woodlands had a 1 3/4m race at the end of their season
A couple years ago Portland Meadows had a 2m race the final day of their season for 10k

Many tracks usually card their longest race as the very last race of their season

Kevin...