The Peter Pan Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. A Grade II event, it is open to three-year-olds willing to race nine furlongs on the dirt.
The race is run in honor of National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame inductee, Peter Pan.
Inaugurated in 1940, it was run as a handicap at one and one eighth miles until 1960 when the race was placed on hiatus. Revived at Aqueduct Racetrack in 1975, the Peter Pan Stakes was moved to Belmont Park for the 1976 running. It was contested at a distance of one mile until 1977 when it reverted to its traditional one and one eighth mile format.
Famous quotes containing the words peter, pan and/or stakes:
“Different rules apply when it gets this late. You know what I mean? It’s, like, after hours.”
—Joseph Minion, U.S. screenwriter, and Martin Scorsese. Peter (Rocco Sisto)
“A ‘spasm band’ is a miscellaneous collection of a soap box, tin cans, pan tops, nails, drumsticks, and little Negro boys. When mixed in the proper proportions this results in the wildest shuffle dancing, accompanied by a bumping rhythm.”
—For the City of New Orleans, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“Law makes long spokes of the short stakes of men.”
—William Empson (1906–1984)