On a wonderful day of racing in early June, every year that includes the final leg of the Triple Crown, Belmont Park in New York hosts the Grade I Manhattan Handicap, a $1million race on the turf track over a mile-and-a-quarter.
Open to all those aged 4+, the Manhattan (as a handicap) is very tough to win for the higher-rated horses who naturally have to carry the most weight, but despite this, it attracts some of the most feared animals over the Classic distance every year.
Inaugurated way back in 1867 at Jerome Park, it moved to another now closed track at Morris Park before finding its current home in 1905.
Some of the better past winners include Caucasus, Sky Classic, Star Of Cozzene, Paradise Creek, Beat Hollow, Dancing Forever and Flintshire. Both Beat Hollow and Flintshire were previously trained in Europe, showing the need for a strong turf breeding in order to win this race.