Flashback: History’s rare two-time Suburban winners

The Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park is among the older stakes in North America, dating to 1884. Known for more than a century as the Suburban Handicap, the historic race boasts an impressive roster of winners, including Hall of Fame inductees Dr. Fager, Kelso, Forego and Assault, to name a few.

But two-time winners of the Suburban have been remarkably rare. Only six horses have completed the elusive double.

In advance of the 2021 Suburban, let’s shine a spotlight on history’s rare two-time Suburban winners:

Crusader (1926-27)

One of the best colts sired by the legendary Man o’ War, Crusader is considered to have been the Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male of 1926. The Hall of Fame inductee enjoyed a stellar and decidedly unusual sophomore campaign, at least by modern standards. One week before winning the Belmont Stakes against his own age group, Crusader carried a feathery 104 pounds to a five-length upset victory against older rivals in the Suburban Handicap.

The following year, carrying 127 pounds, Crusader became the first two-time winner of the Suburban, flying to the finish line seven lengths clear of champion filly Black Maria. Crusader also won the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Dwyer Stakes, Delaware Handicap, and six other stakes during his decorated career.

Kelso (1961 and 1963)

Five-time Horse of the Year Kelso needs no introduction – his sustained success at the highest level of the sport (as indicated by his 63: 29-12-2 career record) speaks for itself. But we’ll single out his two Suburban victories for special attention. In 1961, as part of sweeping the elusive Handicap Triple Crown, Kelso toted 133 pounds to a five-length romp in the Suburban.

Then – after finishing second in the 1962 renewal – Kelso came back and finished fast off a slow pace to win the 1963 Suburban by 1 1/4 lengths, again carrying 133 pounds. For good measure, he finished second by a head in the 1964 edition, his fourth consecutive exacta finish in the Suburban.

Winter’s Tale (1980 and 1983)

Although Winter’s Tale was never a champion, the four-time Grade 1 winner deserves special recognition for winning his two Suburbans three years apart. After carrying 114 pounds to an upset victory over State Dinner (114) and Czaravich (127) in 1980, Winter’s Tale failed to win a stakes in 1981 or 1982. But he remarkably resurrected his career as a 7-year-old in 1983. In his final start, Winter’s Tale picked up 120 pounds and rolled to a six-length triumph in the Suburban, ending his career on a high note.

Devil His Due (1993-94)

Carrying top weight of 121 pounds didn’t bother Devil His Due in the 1993 Suburban. Despite conceding the runner-up 11 pounds, the Allen Jerkens trainee advanced smartly from mid-pack to win by 1 1/2 lengths, a major highlight from his lucrative four-year-old campaign.

The following year, Devil His Due picked up 124 pounds and employed pace-pressing tactics to win the Suburban by a hard-fought half length, again while toting 11 pounds more than the runner-up. It’s safe to say that Devil His Due was a star of his generation. By the time he retired, he’d cracked the exacta in 15 Grade 1 stakes, winning five.

Flat Out (2011 and 2013)

Following the precedent set by Kelso and Winter’s Tale, Flat Out achieved his Suburban victories in non-consecutive years. The 2011 Suburban was breakout race for the durable Florida-bred, who started as the longest shot in the field at 13-1, only to romp by 6 1/2 lengths under a hand ride.

Flat Out skipped the 2012 Suburban, but returned better than ever in 2013. Picking up top weight of 119 pounds (two more than his 117-pound assignment from 2011), Flat Out tracked the early pace, then finished fast to beat a compact field by 2 1/2 lengths. It’s safe to say the three-time Grade 1 winner loved Belmont Park, where he compiled a 7: 5-0-2 resume highlighted by two victories in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).

Effinex (2015-16)

The most recent two-time Suburban winner is Effinex, a New York-bred known for his grit and tenacity. His first Suburban triumph came in 2015, when he carried 117 pounds and outdueled odds-on favorite Tonalist by a hard-fought head.

The following year, Effinex returned to the Suburban with a loftier reputation, having won the Clark Handicap (G1) and finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) in the interim. Under top weight of 122 pounds, Effinex tracked long shot Samraat for most of the journey, then relentlessly wore down the pacesetter to prevail by a neck.

Which of these two-time Suburban winners would you rank as your favorite?

J. Keeler Johnson is a writer, videographer, handicapper, and all-around horse racing enthusiast. A great fan of racing history, he considers Dr. Fager to be the greatest racehorse ever produced in America, but counts Zenyatta as his all-time favorite. You can follow him on Twitter at @J_Keelerman.