Inaugurated in 1901 at the old Aqueduct Racetrack, it was open to horses of all ages and contested on dirt at a distance of one mile and seventy yards.
[2][3] On June 11, 1908, the Republican controlled New York Legislature under Governor Charles Evans Hughes passed the Hart-Agnew anti-betting legislation.
[4] The owners of Aqueduct Racetrack, and other racing facilities in New York State, struggled to stay in business without income from betting.
A February 21, 1913 ruling by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division saw horse racing return in 1913.
[6] However, the Edgemere was not revived until 1917 and to fit horsemen's needs, the race conditions were modified to make it a contest for horses age three and older.