The prestigious Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) at Belmont Park has been won by many great horses through the years–check out the replays of some of the most memorable renewals of this historic race!
Most remember A.P. Indy as a legendary stallion, but he was also a great racehorse, winning the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I), Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II), and San Rafael Stakes (gr. II) in 1992 to earn recognition as Horse of the Year. But one race he didn’t win was the Jockey Club Gold Cup, in which he stumbled badly and could only finish third as Pleasant Tap romped by 4 1/2 lengths in a mild upset.
The 1995 Jockey Club Gold Cup
In 1995, the legendary Cigar was in the process of establishing his legacy as perhaps the greatest horses of the 1990s, and after winning ten straight races–many of them grade Is–he entered the Jockey Club Gold Cup as the 2-5 favorite in a talented field that included Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch and the capable Unaccounted For. After racing three-wide throughout the race, Cigar pounced into the lead at the top of the stretch, then held off a determined bid from Unaccounted For to win by a length.
The 1996 Jockey Club Gold Cup
In the penultimate start of Cigar’s career, he tried his best to secure a second consecutive victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, but it wasn’t to be. After settling about 4 1/2 lengths off the early lead, Cigar swept into contention of the far turn but found that the up-and-coming three-year-old Skip Away wouldn’t be easy to catch. Cigar tried his best, but his late run fell just a head short of catching his younger rival.
The 2013 Jockey Club Gold Cup
Ron the Greek was one of the best older horses from 2012-2013, winning major races like the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) and Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I), but he also had a tendency to be inconsistent. After disappointing throughout much of 2013, Ron the Greek rebounded with a huge effort in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, drawing off to win by 6 3/4 lengths over Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice. What a run!
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