For as long as many can remember, the Hollywood Gold Cup has hosted countless Thoroughbreds who are members of the older horse division. That means everyone in the lineup is no less than four years old, and it is far from uncommon for the winner of the grand race to be even older.

Seabiscuit was four when he captured the first Hollywood Gold Cup in 1938, while Citation was six when he won the 1951 renewal to become racing's first millionaire. And the one and only Native Diver scored his three Gold Cups at six, seven and eight years of age.

Looking at more modern times, Lava Man's three-peat played out during his four to six-year-old campaigns. Game On Dude's two Gold Cups came at five and six, and Awesome Gem took his at seven.

But like the Santa Anita Handicap, there was a time when the Hollywood Gold Cup was open to three-year-old horses. And in 1957, one three-year-old who was in the midst of building his legend used that year's iteration to write his own page in the event's history.

By the time he debuted at Hollywood Park in the spring of 1957, Round Table had already begun to show the all-around talent that has defined his career. Proven at sprints and routes, he stepped into the Track of the Lakes and Flowers a multiple stakes winner thanks to scores in Keeneland's Lafayette Stakes, Breeders' Futurity and the Blue Grass Stakes. The class was evident not even a third of the way into Round Table's career, but he was only beginning to scratch the surface.

California racing had already been acquainted with the son of Princequillo prior to his first stint at Hollywood Park. During his Kentucky Derby prep season, Round Table had taken third in the Santa Anita Derby and fifth in the San Bernardino Handicap before heading up north to claim the Bay Meadows Derby. Following a third in the Kentucky Derby, it was back to the Southland for Hollywood Park's spring-summer meet.

It is likely safe to say that in terms of his days in California, Round Table tends to be more associated with Santa Anita due to his going undefeated in five stakes races during the track's 1957-1958 winter-spring meet. But he gave Hollywood Park fans a meet to remember earlier that spring and summer in what turned out to be a preview of coming attractions in Arcadia.

After a second in the Californian, Round Table began what turned out to be an eleven-race winning streak. First came a win in the Will Rogers Handicap five days after the Californian, then a seven length romp in the El Dorado Handicap, followed by a four length victory in the Cinema Handicap. Each of those stakes wins came at a route, with the Will Rogers at a mile, the El Dorado at a mile and one-sixteenth, and the the Cinema at a mile and one-eighth. Round Table had already taken races at the latter two distances, but each of the three stakes he conquered at Hollywood Park served as a gradual build up for his magnum opus of the meet: the mile and one-quarter Hollywood Gold Cup.

Set for July 13, exactly one week after the Cinema, the Gold Cup served as Round Table's second attempt at ten furlongs. Only two horses beat him in his first try at the classic distance, with Iron Liege and Gallant Man getting the better of him in the Kentucky Derby. But Round Table was undeniably on a roll. Since being purchased by Travis Kerr from Claiborne Farm earlier that winter, and getting William Molter as his trainer after the Santa Anita Derby, Round Table compiled a record of third or better in all his starts after the San Bernardino. Fans had taken notice, for he had been favored at odds-on from the Will Rogers forward. He would be 7-5 odds in the Hollywood Gold Cup, but still favored. The message was clear: fans envisioned nothing but a Round Table victory on Gold Cup Day.

As good as Round Table had been at Hollywood Park, he was tasked with battling a large field in the meet's main race. Ten horses went to the post parade with him. Included among the entrants was Porterhouse, 1953's Champion-Two-Year-Old Male who had gone to be a multiple stakes winner in Southern California. Third in the 1956 Hollywood Gold Cup, Porterhouse was back to improve two places in 1957. Also set to start was Terrang, who was destined to be Santa Anita's all-time leading stakes winner with ten for many years before being equaled by Ancient Title and then overtaken by John Taken (Terrang is still tied for third in that category).

Of the eleven sent to the Hollywood Gold Cup, however, Round Table stood well above everyone else in the eyes of the fans. Outside of Round Table, no one else had odds below 4-1 as the eighteenth Hollywood Gold Cup began.

With Bill Shoemaker aboard, Round Table had all but one rival behind him after a quarter-mile. Longshot El Khobar set a :22 3/5 opening split, but Round Table was only behind by a head. He led by the same margin at the half-mile point, the time being :45 2/5. But the lead would not stay that tenuous. No one except Round Table would win that day.

And that is just what the fans saw. After later fractions of 1:09 1/5 and 1:33 4/5, Round Table and Shoemaker were well clear of runner-up Porterhouse at the wire, the time being 1:58 3/5. And that was a clocking only seen once before in the Hollywood Gold Cup.

One year after Swaps won the race in that exact same time, Round Table equaled his predecessor for the record of fastest Gold Cup in history. But a hallmark of Round Table's saga is the fact he always found a way to separate himself from other horses both on track and in the record books. And he did exactly that with Swaps.

In every single Hollywood Gold Cup before 1957, every winner had been at least four years of age. That is, until Round Table came along. When he completed the mile and one-quarter around the track of the Lakes and Flowers, Round Table had become the first horse to win the race at three. And ever since then, only Quack in 1972 and Island Whirl in 1983 has matched that distinction. And Round Table's time in the race has only been beaten by Quack, Affirmed (1979) andd Greinton (1986).

When it comes to certain records, it is rare to draw level with or equal Round Table. He was just that kind of racehorse who could do it all.

In what might be called an added attraction to the proceedings on Hollywood Gold Cup Day, Bob Shafer of the Independent Star-News reported this interesting piece of information surrounding Round Table's latest victory. "In so doing, he ran the mile and a quarter in 1:58 3/5 to tie the track record set by Swaps in the same race last year. It was the fastest any three-year-old ever had run the distance. Swaps, at the time he set the mark, was four years old. The time is two-fifths off the world record, hung up by Noor at Golden Gate."

Paul Lowry of the Los Angeles Times added another intriguing fact that speaks volumes of Round Table's gift for racing. "In addition, no other 3-year-old in the last 10 years has beaten older horses at this time of the year over the Gold Cup distance, not even Citation and Swaps."

Those quotes say it all: Round Table was not just an elite racehorse. He was a once-in a generation star with a knack for doing things no other horse could. Durability, power and talent just flowed through him. And it captured the imaginations of countless race fans who saw him in action.

It can be said that Round Table will always be primarily remembered in Southern California for his undefeated Santa Anita season. But he is deservedly one of the Hollywood Gold Cup's all-time greats because he simultaneously made and defied history in the 1957 edition.

Sources:

In so doing, he..." Shafer, Bob. "Round Table Toys With Gold Cup Foes," Independent Star News, July 14, 1957

In addition, no other..." Lowry, Paul. "Round Table Wins $162,100 Gold Cup," Los Angeles Times, July 14, 1957