The BROOKLYN Handicap is named for one of the five boroughs that comprise New York City. Brooklyn and Manhattan were rival commercial centers before the two merged to form the modern-day New York City in 1898. Brooklyn was first settled by the Dutch in 1636 and named “Breucklen” (Dutch for “marshland”) after a town in Holland. Among the principal attractions in Brooklyn are the New York Aquarium, Coney Island, Fort Hamilton and Prospect Park. At one time, Brooklyn had its own major league baseball team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, winners of the 1955 World Series. It is also said that one in every four Americans has some form of connection with Brooklyn.

The first winner of the BROOKLYN Handicap, in 1887, was Dry Monopole, familiar today as the name of a champagne. Following Dry Monopole`s victory, a wine salesman took advantage of the attendant publicity by furnishing free champagne to the fans in attendance.

The "Handicap Triple" The Metropolitan, Brooklyn, and Suburban handicaps began in 1891. Only four horses since have won these races in one racing year. The year, horse and respective weight carried in each race: 1913 Whisk Broom II (126, 139, 130); 1953 Tom Fool (130, 128, 136); 1961 Kelso (130, 133, 136); 1984 Fit To Fight (124, 126, 129).

The BROOKLYN Handicap was run at Gravesend from 1887 to 1910; at Old Aqueduct from 1914 to 1944 and from 1946 to 1955; at Jamaica in 1956, 1958, and 1959; at Aqueduct from 1960 to 1974 and in 1976. Not run in 1911 and 1912. Run at a mile and a furlong from 1915 to 1939; a mile and three sixteenths from 1956 to 1959 and 1972 to 1974; at a mile and a quarter from 1887 to 1914, 1940 to 1955, 1960 to 1971 and in 1975 and 1976; at a mile and a half in 1977 and 1978; at a mile and three eighths from 1991 to 1993.