The Marathon (horse race)
| Grade II race | |
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The 2009 Marathon, won by Man of Iron (almost hidden on the rail) by a nose
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| Location | United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 2008 (as Breeders' Cup Marathon) |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 3⁄4 miles (14 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-years-old & up |
| Weight | Set Weights with allowances |
| Purse | $200,000 (since 2014) |
The Marathon Stakes, formerly known as the Breeders' Cup Marathon, is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race. It is open to horses three years old and up, and contested on dirt at a distance of 1 3⁄4 miles. The race has a purse of US$200,000. The horses carry Set Weights with allowances.
The race was originally established in 2008 as part of the annual Breeders' Cup World Championships with its inaugural running at a distance of 1 1⁄2 miles. The inaugural running took place on the second day of the Breeders' Cup on the Pro-Ride synthetic dirt at the 2008 host track, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
In 2009, the distance was extended by 2 furlongs to 1 3⁄4 miles.
Due to technical requirements, the race was not eligible for classification as a graded stakes race in its first two runnings. It received Grade III status effective in 2010. The race was upgraded to Grade II status for 2011. The race was originally run under Weight for Age conditions.
On April 25, 2014, the Breeders' Cup announced that the Marathon would be discontinued. The event would be renamed to the Las Vegas Marathon as an undercard Breeders' Cup stakes race. The purse of the event was reduced from $500,000 to $200,000.
Citing that "the conditions of the race have not developed into a competition that we believe reaches the standard set by the remaining races comprising the Championships", the Breeders' Cup Committee announced its discontinuation.
Most wins:
Most wins by a jockey:
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Wikipedia