By Ben Massam
Saturday's renewal of the GI United Nations S. at Monmouth Park marks 65 years since the inaugural “U.N.” was held at Atlantic City Race Course, and while the 2018 edition will look decidedly different than its original predecessor, it will mark the next chapter in one of the most historically significant races on the annual calendar.
Not only was the race's first winner, William Arnold Hanger's Chilean-bred Iceberg II, named the first-ever American Champion Turf Horse by the Daily Racing Form at year's end, but in many ways, the United Nations was ahead of its time as the richest U.S. turf race ever run–beginning during an era when grass racing was still a relative rarity on American shores. Looking back through a retrospective 65 years, the prestigious event was situated alongside Laurel Park's Washington D.C. International S. (inaugurated one year prior) at the starting point of a steady increase in the prominence of turf racing that still remains on the rise to this day.
“Turf course racing, growing in popularity every year, will gain further prestige and importance this year at Atlantic City,” the Form noted in May of 1953. “The new program, which is counted upon to lure some of the world's finest grass performers to the resort course, was announced by John B. Kelly, president of the Atlantic City Racing Association.”
Twenty days prior to the race, the New York Times observed that Atlantic City had indeed shaken up the seasonal racing calendar.
“Atlantic City will offer something in the way of opposition to the Sysonby Mile on Sept. 26,” the Times reported, referencing one of Belmont's marquis events on for older horses on dirt that had been won by Triple Crown hero Citation five years prior. “It will be the United Nations Handicap, a mile-and-three-sixteenths event on the turf. Worth $50,000, the United Nations will be a qualifying event, the competitors being drawn from the first four horses to finish in two preliminaries.”
Not unlike the international flair of the present-day Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” model, the two final qualifiers–run at Atlantic City 10 days prior to the United Nations–were simply known as the Foreign-Bred Stakes and the American-Bred Stakes, with the first four horses from each division automatically earning spots in the United Nations starting gate. With a stated goal of incentivizing international participation in American turf racing, it was only fitting that the centerpiece event would be named the United Nations.
The Times added, “The triple turf classic, carrying an aggregate of $100,000 in added money, a race series unique on United States turf courses, was inaugurated this year by the Atlantic City Racing Association. It has as its main purposes the fostering of better relations between nations, and the selection, ultimately, of the 'turf course horse of the year.'”
That mission was accomplished, with strong international interest in the event and Iceberg II ultimately being crowned the nation's first turf champion.
Ridden by Chilean champion jockey Jorge Contreras and trained by Hall of Famer Horatio Luro, the 5-year-old bay son of prominent Argentinian stallion Espadin had made 18 previous starts in the United States since arriving from his native land and qualified for the U.N. via a runner-up finish in the Foreign-Bred Stakes. Dismissed at a touch over 7-1 odds, Iceberg II seized control at the head of the lane and proved not for catching in the stretch, stopping the clock in a track-record time of 1:55 4/5 for 1 3/16 miles.
The race was televised nationally in a half-hour broadcast on WCBS and attracted a healthy on-site crowd for its inaugural running.
“The world around horse racing is tops in sporting thrill and the United Nations Handicap draws 20,000 fans to Atlantic City for this classic with worldwide appeal,” NBC broadcaster Ed Herlihy reported in a post-race recap on the following day's news. “Excitement mounts…as the field of eight hits the final turn with the Chilean-bred entry Iceberg II coming up fast on the outside. That's the hottest iceberg ever seen.”
True to the international emphasis of the event, the post-race celebration included an appearance from Rudecindo Ortega Masson, Chilean Ambassador to Washington and a United Nations representative, joining the winning connections in the winner's circle. Hanger–a successful Thoroughbred owner who headed the Mason and Hanger Company, best known for the construction of the Lincoln Tunnel and Grand Coulee Dam–was presented with a lavish trophy featuring “a clock, giving the time in all the world zones.”
“With the Chilean national flag fluttering proudly overhead, the winning owner led the 7-1 shot into the victor's circle. H.A. Luro, the trainer, and Contreras patted his neck as a blanket of blue and white gardenia was draped on him,” the Times reported.
In the years following its resounding debut, the United Nations saw notable turf horses such as Manila, Parka, Fort Marcy, Dr. Fager and Round Table find its winner's circle and, despite steady purse declines in recent years to its current $300,000 level, the race has been won by eventual champions in four of its last five runnings.
Some 65 years later and a bit further north up the Jersey Shore, Saturday's United Nations still manages to retain an international flair, with Brazilian Group 1 winner Vettori Kin (Brz) (Vettori {Ire}) and French Group 1 hero Silverwave (Fr) (Silver Frost {Ire}) among the entrants. In a fitting nod to Iceberg II, Kurilov (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky) will look to become the second Chilean-bred to win the United Nations.
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