2 mile dirt race at AQU friday

[OTM Al]

I love the fact that they are doing this. It is carded as a NW1X Allowance optional claimer. I am a big fan of getting staying races back in this country. They are going to try to run a few of these marathons this year if they continue to get response. Think they have 8 or 9 entered for this and it is running as the feature.

[Suff]

I love the fact that they are doing this. It is carded as a NW1X Allowance optional claimer. I am a big fan of getting staying races back in this country. They are going to try to run a few of these marathons this year if they continue to get response. Think they have 8 or 9 entered for this and it is running as the feature.
Thats 4 turns right?

[Overlay]

If it's on Aqueduct's main dirt track, and if I correctly recall that track as being 1-1/8 miles around, that would be only three turns, with the starting gate at the normal position for a seven-furlong race.

[OTM Al]

Yep, 3 turns and starting in the chute.

[gillenr]

I believe the JCGC was run at that distance years ago when men were men & horses were horses.

[BlueShoe]

In the past,recall hearing a few old time horsemen voicing the opinion that those long races of 1 1/4 and up were actually easier on a horse than shorter races.The reason given was that the long races were a gallopers race that did not extend the runner to its fullest except at the end,whereas in a sprint or short route the horse was all out for almost the entire race.We often forget that horses were originally meant for endurance,and only in the last century were they bred for speed and still more speed,with endurance and durability secondary.Add myself to those that would enjoy seeing more long races carded.

[pjbc77]

Indeed it was. Then it dropped to 1 1/2 before dropping to its current distance of 1 1/4.

I like the idea of a 2 mile race, but its a shame they don't run some more of these at Belmont and take advantage of that gorgeous, huge track.

[First Time Blinks]

I used to love those marathons they ran in NY, especially during the winter months. Ahh, to go back to the days of Peat Moss, Freeo, Ring of Light, Wimpfybell, Bar Dexter, etc. Now there were horses that could run more than a dozen times over a 2 year period before being sent off to stud...

[cj]

I used to go every New Year's Eve to Aqueduct for the Display Handicap at 2 1/4 miles. Don't think I ever picked the winner though.

[PriceAnProbability]

I believe the JCGC was run at that distance years ago when men were men & horses were horses.

...and when a former $10,000 claimer almost won the race.

[speedking]

...and when a former $10,000 claimer almost won the race.

Was that an " Oscar Special" ?

[classhandicapper]

I used to go every New Year's Eve to Aqueduct for the Display Handicap at 2 1/4 miles. Don't think I ever picked the winner though.

I liked the Display too. Then again I probably would have been there even if they didn't run the Display. ;)

[First Time Blinks]

Was that an " Oscar Special" ?

No, I don't think so, at least not the "Oscar Special" everyone remembers best.

The OSB story you might be thinking of is the claim of Shifty Sheik, from Steve Jerkens. Old Oscar claimed the Sheik for 35k on 8/19/84 out of a 7F race at SAR, won 3 races with him in 2 weeks at distances from 6F to 9F before getting beat by Slew O' Gold by 1/2 length 10 days later in the Woodward.

That was the beginning of the end for Oscar. It was one thing to claim horses for $10k and win for $40k 3 days later, quite another to take a 5YO claimer and nearly upset America's top handicap horse. OSB went something like 1 for his next 80 starts and was out of the game soon after.

[ryesteve]

I used to go every New Year's Eve to Aqueduct for the Display Handicap at 2 1/4 miles. Don't think I ever picked the winner though.
Does that mean horses like Paraje and Peat Moss were before your time? It seems like they won that race every year while they were still around.

[ryesteve]

No, I don't think so, at least not the "Oscar Special" everyone remembers best.
No, that would've been the aforementioned Peat Moss. He was no "magic move-up"... he was a just a long-distance freak who competed in claimers before they realized this.

[classhandicapper]

Peat Moss....ah yes the good old days.

[cj]

I'm guessing so, I didn't really start until the mid 80s.

[Overlay]

Paraje set the Aqueduct track record for 2-1/4 miles (3:47.4) at age 7 on December 15, 1973. He won the Display in 1971, 1972, and 1973. Peat Moss holds the inner dirt track record for 2-1/8 miles (3:40.3), set at age 6 on January 31, 1981 (under 128 pounds). He won the Display in 1980.

[Tom]

I remeber listening to those Pete Moss races at OTB - before TV - just sound.
There was always a long pause in the middle of the race - we all guessed Marshall went to the can and came back! Gee, I think some of those races were even before Marshall - when did he start calling? I think OTB started in 1973 or 74.

[Turntime]

Yes, I remember Paraje also - he was a real distance freak. I used to also enjoy the annual renewal of the JCGC when it was 2 miles. Remember the year that Forego won the Woodward at 1 1/2 miles, then came back 3 weeks later to win the Vosburgh at 7f and then (3 weeks later), he won the JCGC at 2 miles? Now that's versatility.

[Overlay]

Gee, I think some of those races were even before Marshall - when did he start calling? I think OTB started in 1973 or 74.

Governor Rockefeller signed the bill creating OTB in 1970, and it went into operation in April, 1971. Marshall Cassidy called in New York from 1979 to 1990.

[highnote]

12 furlong and up distance races are often carded on the all-weather tracks in England. I have always wondered why they run more marathons in England than in the U.S. I think they are fun to handicap.

On Belmont Stakes day they often had a 12 furlong optional claiming race on dirt on the undercard. I always enjoyed it.

I seem to recall that Beulah or River Downs used to have some mile and 5/8ths dirt races.

I'd like to see more of those races, too.

[the little guy]

Here's a redboard for ya....I bet Peat Moss in his debut....all of $2. He paid $18 I think.

Anyone know who trained him? I'm not 100% sure I'm right but I think I know.

[PriceAnProbability]

Paraje set the Aqueduct track record for 2-1/4 miles (3:47.4) at age 7 on December 15, 1973. He won the Display in 1971, 1972, and 1973. Peat Moss holds the inner dirt track record for 2-1/8 miles (3:40.3), set at age 6 on January 31, 1981 (under 128 pounds). He won the Display in 1980.

In 1980 or 1981, Peat Moss was dropped into a $10,000 claimer for the express purpose of making him eligible for the starter caps. Thirty-five claims were put in for him, and for the next year or so he dominated the starter ranks, carrying up to 145 pounds at one point. After he was done with that, he moved up and almost won the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He was at one time a legitimate $35,000 claimer.

Regarding Oscar, he was going strong through 1986, but a year or so later, one of his horses dropped dead in the winner's circle, the state kept the body, and then you never heard from him again. His cardinal sin was almost winning a graded stakes, generally a no-no if you are suspect.

[KirisClown]

Here's a redboard for ya....I bet Peat Moss in his debut....all of $2. He paid $18 I think.

Anyone know who trained him? I'm not 100% sure I'm right but I think I know.


Didnt Murray Garren own and train him?

[speedking]

Didnt Murray Garren own and train him?


I'm quite certain Garren owned him, but Gil Puentes may have been training for him at the time. Murray took over the training duties after Puentes' demise. At least Murray was listed as trainer;) .

[the little guy]

At the end, or I guess later stages, when he got good they had him but I am almost certain David Whitely trained him when he debuted. I guess I could be confused, and it could have been his father Frank, but I believe it was David.

[First Time Blinks]

Frank Whiteley trained him for Claiborne until he was claimed away by Howie Tesher who lost him for 35k to Gil Puentes in Nov '79.

He "retired" for the first time in 1982 at age 7 before Puentes brought him back off a two year layoff at age 9 to run dead last. After Puentes died, Garren brought him back 2 years later where he was eased and mercifully retired for good.

[the little guy]

Thanks.

Hard to keep those Whitelys straight sometimes.

[Tom]

I had an angle with Garren/Puentes back then, that involved Keystone Park on Tudesdays, when there was seperate pool wagering in NY OTB, and he would og there with bad looking NT Breds. I caught a couple of bombs that, at the time, were live altering!

[Tom]

Thanks.

Hard to keep those Whitelys straight sometimes.

That's what Mother Whitley used to say! ;)

[speedking]

I had an angle with Garren/Puentes back then, that involved Keystone Park on Tudesdays, when there was seperate pool wagering in NY OTB, and he would og there with bad looking NT Breds. I caught a couple of bombs that, at the time, were live altering!

One time Garren supposedly had some magic potion similar to "Oscar Juice". He shipped up to Suffolk to test it and cash a nice bet. I took a drive up north for the race, myself. Problem was, everybody knew about this attempted "coup" and the 8 or 10/1 ML shipper went off at 2/5. Won by the length of the stretch almost. 2/5...Heard later that he was warned never to try a stunt like that in NY.

speedking

[banacek]

Hastings Park (Vancouver) is having a 2 1/8 mile race over its 5/8 mile oval on Saturday. It will be hard for the jockeys, let alone me, to remember when it is over.

[highnote]

Hastings Park (Vancouver) is having a 2 1/8 mile race over its 5/8 mile oval on Saturday. It will be hard for the jockeys, let alone me, to remember when it is over.


What's that -- like a 7 turn race?

[Overlay]

That would probably be seven turns, with the starting gate placed a quarter-mile before the finish line (unless the track had a chute on the main stretch that provided for a quarter-mile straight run to the finish line, in which case it would be only six turns).

[banacek]

I think they put it well back in the 6.5 furlong chute and the track is a touch more than 5 furlongs, so that would be six turns (I think). I think that's what they did last time.When I was a kid our local 1/2 mile track had a yearly 2 1/8 mile race. It was 8 turns. I remember one of the jocks standing up after 1 5/8 miles. The dumb thing was he was only in 2nd. I'd think if he thought he was in the home stretch at least he could have "won":) .

[JPinMaryland]

maybe he was just stretching his legs?

[PriceAnProbability]

One time Garren supposedly had some magic potion similar to "Oscar Juice". He shipped up to Suffolk to test it and cash a nice bet. I took a drive up north for the race, myself. Problem was, everybody knew about this attempted "coup" and the 8 or 10/1 ML shipper went off at 2/5. Won by the length of the stretch almost. 2/5...Heard later that he was warned never to try a stunt like that in NY.

speedking

That's good to know, because when I won a $276 late dd on his horse Big McCoy back in '86, who won by a pole at 5-1, I figured it had to be his talent, and now I know it was.

[banacek]

Hastings Park (Vancouver) is having a 2 1/8 mile race over its 5/8 mile oval on Saturday. It will be hard for the jockeys, let alone me, to remember when it is over.

Anybody that wants to see the 6 turn race, here's the link.

http://www.hastingspark.com/racereplayarchive/2006/Nov18.aspx

Click on Race 7
The regular caller doesn't start calling it until halfway through the race - not sure what the deal was.

The early splits were 23 4/5, 47, 112, 137 4/5, so not surprisingly the leaders faded. Final time 344 1/5

[highnote]

Ironically, Hastings Park 5/8 mile track might be fairer (less biased) for all horses in these 2 mile races than in sprints.