Where Have All the Racetracks Gone?

Washington Park, Chicago, c. 1900

When Bay Meadows closed for good last summer, leaving Northern California with only one major Thoroughbred racing venue -- Golden Gate Fields -- many wondered how such a thing could happen. Bay Meadows, after all, had been a fixture in California horse racing for more than 70 years and was the longest continually operating Thoroughbred track in California.

In Southern California, there is a real possibility that Hollywood Park will shutter its doors for good in the near future, and once again California race fans are wondering what this all means for the future of Thoroughbred racing.

A broad historical perspective reveals that these are certainly not the first great Thoroughbred racetracks to disappear and suggests that they are not likely to be the last.

Some of the first Thoroughbred racetracks in the country flourished in New York before the turn of the 20th century; yet few people even remember their names today: Jerome Park, Morris Park, Gravesend, Sheepshead Bay. Even earlier in the 19th century, breeding and racing were showcased in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky at tracks such as the Kentucky Association.

Many other racing centers in the United States, including Maryland, New Jersey, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Rhode Island, Nebraska and California, saw the rise and decline of important racetracks during the last two centuries. Here is a list of a few of them that are gone but hopefully not completely forgotten:

Aksarben (1920 - 1995), Omaha, NE
Aksarben (Nebraska spelled backwards) was an indoor arena and horse racing complex. In the mid-1980's, Aksarben was 10th in the nation in racetrack attendance. Triple Crown winner Omaha was buried at the track's Circle of Champions following his death in 1959. After the closure of the racetrack, Horsemen's Park, a simulcast facility, was opened in Omaha in 1998.

Bowie Race Track (1914 - 1985), Bowie, MD
At one time the flourishing track was served by the now defunct WB & A Railroad, which brought race fans from New York and Philadelphia. The track still exists as a Thoroughbred training center.

Cumberland Race Track (1924 - 1961), Cumberland, MD
Also known as the Fairgo Racetrack, it was located at what is now the Allegany County Fairgrounds. Cumberland was the first half-mile track in the state of Maryland and was regarded as one of the most beautiful racetracks in the state. It formed part of the Maryland horse racing circuit that included Timonium and Marlboro racetracks. Today the track is used for automobile racing.

Garden State Park (1942 - 2001), Delaware Township, NJ
Known as "the Garden," in its heyday, Garden State hosted some of the finest Thoroughbred racing in the nation, and legendary horses who competed there included Whirlaway, Citation and Secretariat. With Atlantic City Race Course and Monmouth Park, it was an integral part of what was called the "Golden Triangle" of New Jersey racing. The original grandstand, destroyed by fire in 1977, was rebuilt and the track reopened in 1985, just in time for Spend A Buck to win the Jersey Derby. The grandstand was demolished in 2003 to make room for a mixed-use town center development.

1904 Brooklyn Handicap, Gravesend Race Track

Gravesend Race Track (1887 - 1910), Coney Island, NY
Gravesend was built by the Brooklyn Jockey Club with the backing of wealthy horse owners the Dwyer brothers. Among the major stakes launched at the track were the Astoria Stakes, Brooklyn Handicap, and Gazelle Handicap. From 1894 through 1908, the track hosted the Preakness Stakes. When New York outlawed racetrack betting in 1910, the facility was closed, and the land was sold to real estate developers in 1920.

Havre de Grace Racetrack (1912 - 1950), Havre de Grace, MD
Nicknamed "The Graw," it was host to one of the most important races in the Northeast, the Havre de Grace Handicap. In 1920, Man o' War won the Potomac Handicap at Havre de Grace. In 1936, his son War Admiral won his first race there. Faced with competition from nearby Garden State Park and Delaware Park, Havre de Grace was sold in 1951 to Alfred G. Vanderbilt II, owner of Pimlico Race Course, and Morris Schapiro of Laurel Park, who closed the facility and transferred its racing dates to their own tracks.

Hialeah Park (1921 - 2001), Hialeah, FL
Hileah Park in Hialeah, Florida, is currently at the center of a battle for historical preservation, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its original grandstand was severely damaged by a hurricane in 1926 and subsequently rebuilt in 1930, at which time the famous infield lake was installed and stocked with flamingos. Among its famous races were the Flamingo Stakes and Widener Handicap. In 1987, the horseracing movie Let It Ride with Richard Dreyfuss was filmed at Hialeah Park.

Postcard of Jamaica Racetrack, 1907.

Jamaica Racetrack (1903 - 1959), Jamaica, Queens, NY

Built by the Metropolitan Jockey Club, one of the track's founders was Eugene D. Wood, for whom the Wood Memorial Stakes is named. Some of the other important stakes races hosted there were the Frizette Stakes, Remsen Handicap and Jamaica Handicap. Hall of Fame trainer Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons once trained at Jamaica, and the great Native Dancer made his winning debut there in 1952. Today, it is the site of the Rochdale Village housing development.

Jerome Park (1866 - 1894), Fordham (now The Bronx), NY
Operated by the American Jockey Club, its founders included Leonard W. Jerome and August Belmont. The first Belmont Stakes was held at Jerome Park and continued to be run there until 1890. It was also home to the Champagne Stakes and the Ladies Handicap. The track was closed to make way for the Jerome Park Reservoir.

The Kentucky Association (1826 - 1933), Lexington, KY
The Kentucky Association was formed to promote the breeding and racing of Thoroughbreds in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky. The Phoenix Stakes, the oldest stakes race in the United States, was first run there in 1831 as the Phoenix Hotel Handicap. Other important stakes races inaugurated there include the Ashland Stakes, Blue Grass Stakes and Ben Ali Stakes. The facility was torn down in 1935, the same year the new Keeneland Association racecourse opened.

Latonia Race Track (1883 - 1939), Latonia (Covington), KY
Once considered one of the top racetracks in the United States, Latonia was where jockey Eddie Arcaro got his start. It was the home of the 1-1/2 mile Latonia Derby, inaugurated in 1883. Financial difficulties during the Great Depression forced the closure of Latonia. The facility was dismantled during World War II, and today is the site of a shopping center.

Longacres (1933 - 1992), Renton, WA
Founded by Seattle real estate magnates Joseph Gottstein and William Edris and later overseen by Gottstein's son-in-law, Morris Alhadefff, Longacres was the longest continually operated track on the west coast by the time it closed. It was noted for its beauty, fast track surface, and the signature Longacres Mile. The property was sold to the Boeing Company, who demolished the track in 1994.

Morris Park Racecourse (1889 - 1902), The Bronx, NY
Morris Park, built as a result of the closure of the Jerome Park Racetrack, was described by the New York Times as "the most beautiful racetrack in the world." For several years, it was host to the Belmont Stakes, Champagne Stakes and Ladies Handicap. The Metropolitan Handicap was inaugurated there in 1891. Declines in attendance resulted in the closure of Morris Park Racecourse in 1902; however, it was subsequently used for automobile racing and public air shows.

Narragansett Park (1934 - 1978), Pawtucket, RI
Known for its mention in the movie The Sting, Narragansett Park once hosted races in which some of Thoroughbred racing's greats competed. Its important races included the Rhode Island Handicap, Governors Handicap and the Narragansett Special. War Admiral, Seabiscuit, and Gun Bow were among the horses that ran at Narragansett. After the track's closure, the city of Pawtucket bought the facility for commercial and residential development. The old grandstand still remains and is in use as discount retail outlet.

Raceland (1924-1928), Chinnville, KY
Known as the "million dollar oval" because of its ornate appearance, Raceland featured a 1-1/2 mile track circled by a white fence of wood and iron adorned with rambling roses, and an infield lake with several sunken gardens. Not surprisingly, financial difficulties forced its closure after only four years. The track was sold and torn down in 1937.

Sheepshead Bay Race Track (1884 - 1910), Sheepshead Bay, NY
The racetrack was built by a group of wealthy businessmen from New York City, including August Belmont Jr., Leonard Jerome and William K. Vanderbilt, who formed the Coney Island Jockey Club. The track's premier events were the Suburban Handicap and the Futurity Stakes, both run at Belmont Park today. Like the other racetracks in New York, Sheepshead Bay closed its doors when racetrack betting was banned in 1910. For several years the track was used for automobile racing, but eventually the property was sold for residential real estate development.

Tanforan Racetrack (1899 - 1964), San Bruno, CA
Tanforan was named for Torribio Tanforan, the grandson-in-law of Jose Antonio Sanchez, owner of El Rancho Buri Buri, a large Mexican land grant in the area. The track closed in 1911, when California passed legislation banning gambling. It reopened, without betting, for the 1923 and 1924 seasons, subsidized by Northern California sugar magnate Adolph Spreckels. It opened again in 1934, when pari-mutuel wagering was legalized in California. Like Santa Anita in the south, Tanforan was used as an assembly center for the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Among the notable trainers stabled at Tanforan was Noble Threewitt, who set a record with 9 consecutive wins in April 1954. Tanforan burned down in 1964, and today in its place is a shopping mall.

Washington Park Race Track (1884 - 1977), Chicago, IL
Washington Park had two locations during its existence -- first in the Woodlawn community area of Chicago, and later in Homewood, IL. Numerous notable horses and jockeys competed at Washington Park, including Thoroughbreds Emperor of Norfolk, Domino, Citation, Whirlaway, Native Dancer, and Swaps, and jockey Eddie Arcaro. It was home to the American Derby, one of the richest races in America at the time. It was closed in 1905 when the state of Illinois banned gambling, then reopened in Homewood in 1926. On August 31, 1955, Washington Park hosted a match race between Nashua and Swaps at a mile and a quarter. Nashua won by several lengths, and went on to be named Horse of the Year. The grandstand burned down in 1977, putting the track out of business.

Washington Park photo source - University of Chicago Library