The Brighton Derby was an American

Thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a 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 jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

run annually by the Brighton Beach Racing Association at its

Brighton Beach Race Course The Brighton Beach Race Course was an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York (state), New York, opened on June 28, 1879 by the Brighton Beach Racing Association. Headed by real estate developer William A. ...

Brighton Beach Brighton Beach is a List of Brooklyn neighborhoods, neighborhood in the southern portion of the New York City Borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn, within the greater Coney Island area along the Atlantic Ocean coastline. Brighton Beach ...

Coney Island Coney Island is a neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the south and west, and Gravesend to ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

. Open to three-year-olds, it was contested at a distance of one and one half miles (12

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 foot (unit), feet, 220 yards, 40 rod (unit), rods, 10 chain (unit), chains, or a ...

s) on dirt. Run during the mid to latter part of July, it was the last of the racing season's thirteen Derby races. The Brighton Derby was first run at 1½ miles in 1901, then at 1¼ miles in 1902 and 1903 before reverting to the original distance. During its seven years of existence, Brighton Derby winners

Ort Wells Ort Wells (foaled 1901) was an American Thoroughbred two-time Champion racehorse. Background Ort Wells was bred by Col. Kinzea Stone of Scott County, Kentucky. He was sired by Withers Stakes winner King Eric and out of the mare Tea's Over, a da ...

Sysonby Sysonby (1902–1906) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He won every start easily, except one, at distances from one mile to two and a quarter miles. His superiority as a two and three-year-old was unchallenged during his short career of 1 ...

and

Accountant An accountant is a practitioner of accounting or accountancy. Accountants who have demonstrated competency through their professional associations' certification exams are certified to use titles such as Chartered Accountant, Chartered Certif ...

went on to earn

American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse The American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when ''Turf & Sports Di ...

honors. Sysonby would also earn the

American Horse of the Year The American Award for Horse of the Year, or simply Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to san ...

title.

The end of a race and of a racetrack

The 1908 Brighton Derby was never run and as such the August 3, 1907 edition was its last. The race's demise was a result of the 1908 passage of the Hart–Agnew anti-betting legislation by the

New York Legislature The New York State Legislature consists of the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of New York: the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly. The Constitution of New York does not designate an offici ...

under Republican

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Charles Evans Hughes Charles Evans Hughes (April 11, 1862 – August 27, 1948) was an American politician, academic, and jurist who served as the 11th chief justice of the United States from 1930 to 1941. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

that led to a state-wide shutdown of racing in 1911 and 1912. Although a February 21, 1913 ruling by the

New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York is the intermediate appellate court in New York State. The state is geographically divided into four judicial departments of the Appellate Division. The full title of each is, u ...

saw horse racing return in 1913, it was too late for the Brighton Beach horse racing facility and it never reopened.

Records

Speed record: (at 1½ miles) : 2:30 4/5 – Charles Edward (1907) (new race and track record) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

: * 2 – Frank O'Neill (1903, 1904) Most wins by a trainer: * No trainer won this race more than once. Most wins by an owner: * 2 – James B. A. Haggin (1901, 1903)

Winners

References

{{reflist Brighton Beach Race Course Discontinued horse races in New York City Coney Island Horse races established in 1901 Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1907 1901 establishments in New York City 1907 disestablishments in New York (state)