assigned a top weight of 136 pounds giving 14 to 22 pounds to his nine rivals. Round Table won the event becoming the first two time winner of the event. By early 1960s the event had become as a logical and natural place for international and top US turf runners to prepare for the Washington D.C. International which was considered as the forerunner to the Breeders' Cup Turf and the championship long distance turf race. The event was held in September and with NYRA holding the Man o' War Stakes in late October or early November the path to the Washington D.C. International was clear. Although the 1960 winner T.V. Lark did not run in the Washington D.C. International, he did manage to go on as a four-year-old and win that event the following year. The 1962 and 1963 winner Mongo also went on to win the prestigious Washington D.C. International and captured US Champion Male Turf Horse honors. From 1963 to 1971 the event had a profound bearing on who would be crowned US Champion Male Turf Horse. The 1964 US Champion Male Turf Horse, Irish-bred Turbo Jet II finished third to Western Warrior in the event, but the following start he was victorious in the Man o' War Stakes. The 1964 second place finisher and 1965 winner Parka was crowned US Champion Male Turf Horse. The 1966 winner Assagai would also win the Man o' War Stakes was crowned US Champion Male Turf Horse. Assagai was also second to 1967 longshot winner Flit-to, and third was Fort Marcy who eventually was voted 1967 US Champion Male Turf Horse. Fort Marcy would run four times in the event finishing third three times before finally winning the event in 1970. However, Fort Marcy was not disgraced in defeat. The 1968 winner Dr. Fager who defeated Advocator and Australian champion Tobin Bronze was crowned US Horse of the Year and the 1969 winner, the South African-bred Hawaii was chosen as US Champion Male Turf Horse. In 1970 Fort Marcy won the United Nations Handicap, four weeks later won the Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park and in early November captured the Washington D.C. International for the second time and was crowned 1970 US Horse of the Year. The 1971 winner Run the Gantlet won the event on the soft track and in October also won the Man o' War Stakes