Notable New York races of the year

A list of the most memorable races run in New York this year would have to start with the Belmont, where Union Rags slipped up the rail to nail Paynter in the final jumps, and the dead — heat between Alpha and Golden Ticket in the Travers. Beyond those two, however, there were a number of other races that deserve to be included among the year’s best in New York. Here are six of them. Carter Handicap (Aqueduct, Apr. 7) and Metropolitan Handicap ( Belmont, May 28) — These historic races, both of which date from the late 1800s, featured showdowns between the three best sprinter/milers in the country at the time. Shackleford had things pretty much his own way in the Carter until Jackson Bend moved up to challenge on the turn. For a split — second on the video reply, the diminutive Jackson Bend actually disappears from view as he draws alongside the big red horse. After putting away Shackleford, Jackson Bend had to withstand the desperate late rush of Caleb’s Posse, holding on by a nose.

Shackleford also went to the front in the Met Mile, but this time there was no catching him. Caleb’s Posse, forced to go six — wide exiting the turn, made up ground steadily through the stretch but came up a nose short again in another thriller. Jackson Bend was fifth.

A. G. Vanderbilt Handicap ( Saratoga, Aug. 5) — This race featured arguably the wildest finish of the Saratoga meet, involving Emcee, Justin Philip and Philly Park — based longshot Poseidon’s Warrior. Emcee had a short lead at the sixteenth pole but was unable to fend off — or perhaps even see — Poseidon’s Warrior, who had drifted into the middle of the track, carrying

Justin Philip out with him. At the wire it was Poseidon’s Warrior, a 36 — 1 shot, by a neck over Justin Philip, with Emcee another neck back in third.

With Anticipation Stakes (Saratoga, Aug. 30) — No list of this sort is complete without a turf race in which the winner went from last to first in the stretch. In the With Anticipation,

Balance the Books started from the far outside post; was forced six — wide coming off the final turn; was bumped and briefly lost traction with his right hind leg while straightening out; then proceeded to run down his eight rivals with a sustained drive through the stretch, nailing a loose- onthe- lead Joha in the final strides to get up by a head.

Woodward Stakes ( Saratoga, Sept. 1) — To Honor and Serve wasn’t the most consistent horse during his career. This was especially true this year, when he came up well short as the favorite in the Met Mile and the Suburban and Kelso handicaps. In the Woodward, however, the Bernardini colt showed what he could do when at his best, holding off Mucho Macho Man after a head-and-head battle over the final furlong. The winning margin was a half — length.

Mucho Macho Man went on to lose the BC Classic in similar fashion, falling a neck short of catching Fort Larned after working to get by him nearly the length of the stretch. To Honor and Serve finished 10th in the same race.

Cigar Mile ( Aqueduct, Nov. 24) — It wasn’t the year that had been expected for Stay Thirsty. The 2011 Travers winner was winless in four tries and missed a planned start in the BC Classic. Given one last chance to end his career on a winning note, Stay Thirsty faced just four rivals in the Cigar Mile.

One of those four rivals was Groupie Doll, a winner of five straight and a lock as this year’s champion female sprinter. Groupie Doll looked to have victory within her grasp as she edged clear of Coil at the sixteenth pole. But Stay Thirsty collared her a jump from the wire, getting the bob over the game filly in a race that — until one saw the photo — it looked like he had probably lost.