Russet Stakes

On June 10, 1886, the Coney Island Jockey Club opened the first turf racecourse in the United States. In 1895, the inaugural running of the Russet Stakes was won by Montana Copper King Marcus Daly's British-born import Bathampton. The four-year-old horse was ridden by future U. S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Fred Taral and trained by another future U. S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Matthew Byrnes.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1895/09/06/archives/ben-brush-shows-speed-the-western-youngster-won-a-race-at.html |title=The Stake Race Won By Bathampton |work=New York Times |date=1895-09-06|accessdate=2019-03-21}} The final running on September 9, 1909, was won by Bonnie Kelso, a $140 yearling purchase who set a new course record. Bonnie Kelso's owner/trainer and future Hall of Fame inductee George Odom had won the 1904 Russet as a jockey aboard Goughacre Stable's Shorthose.{{cite web|url=https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1900s/drf1909091201/drf1909091201_2_9 |title=Bonnie Kelso a Bargain Yearling |work=Daily Racing Form|via=University of Kentucky Archives|date=1909-09-12 |accessdate=2019-03-30}}

On June 11, 1908, the Republican controlled New York Legislature under Governor Charles Evans Hughes passed the Hart–Agnew anti-betting legislation. The owners of Sheepshead Bay Race Track, and other racing facilities in New York State, struggled to stay in business without income from betting.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1908/09/01/archives/keep-up-betting-ban-strict-enforcement-of-the-law-at-sheepshead-bay.html |title=Keep Up Betting Ban |work=New York Times |date=1908-09-01 |accessdate=2018-11-06}} Racetrack operators had no choice but to drastically reduce the purse money being paid out which resulted in the Russet Stakes offering a purse in 1909 that was less than one-third of what it had been in earlier years. These small purses made horse racing unprofitable and impossible for even the most successful horse owners to continue in business. As such, for the 1910 racing season management of the Sheepshead Bay facility dropped some of its minor stakes races and used the purse money to bolster its most important events.{{cite web|url=https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1900s/drf1908081101/drf1908081101_1_6 |title=Coney Island Clubs Sturdy Stand |work=Daily Racing Form|via=University of Kentucky Archives|date=1908-08-11 |accessdate=2019-02-03}} Further restrictive legislation was passed by the New York Legislature in 1910 which resulted in the deepening of the financial crisis for track operators and led to a complete shut down of racing across the state during 1911 and 1912. When a Court ruling saw racing return in 1913 it was too late for the Sheepshead Bay facility and it never reopened.{{cite web|url=https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1900s/drf1908121501/drf1908121501_1_7|title=Destruction Wrought by Hughes |work=Daily Racing Form|via=University of Kentucky Archives|date=1908-12-15|accessdate=2018-11-30}}{{cite web|url=https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1914111701/drf1914111701_1_2 |title=Famous Old Track is Sold |work=Daily Racing Form|via=University of Kentucky Archives|date=1914-11-17|accessdate=2018-11-30}}

Speed record:

• 2:32.40 – Bonnie Kelso (1909)

Most wins:

• no horse won this race more than once

Most wins by a jockey:

• 2 – Tod Sloan (1897, 1898)
• 2 – Winfield O'Connor (1899, 1901)

Most wins by a trainer:

• no trainer won this race more than once

Most wins by an owner:

• no owner won this race more than once

{{Reflist}}

Category:Discontinued horse races in New York City

Category:Turf races in the United States

Category:Open middle distance horse races

Category:Sheepshead Bay Race Track

Category:Horse races established in 1895

Category:Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1909

Category:1895 establishments in New York City

Category:1909 disestablishments in New York (state)

Category:Sports in Brooklyn