On three occasions, 1902, 1903 and 1904, a new
world record was set by the race winner. In a review of
Peter Pan's win in the 1907 race in front of 40,000 fans, the
New York Morning Telegraph was quoted as saying the horse "accomplished a task that completely overshadowed any previous 3-year-old performance in turf history." Following passage of the
Hart–Agnew anti-betting law by the
Legislature of New York, Brighton Beach Race Course closed is doors permanently by the end of 1908. The Brighton Beach track had maintained the
purse level for the Brighton Handicap by reducing purse money for other minor races or by eliminating them entirely. However, to survive, racetrack operators saw no choice but to drastically reduce the purse money being paid out which by 1910 saw an
Empire City Race Track edition of the Brighton Handicap offer a purse which was one-quarter of what it had been. ==Records==