PDA

View Full Version : Race Tracks That Have Closed


Track Phantom
09-18-2014, 01:57 PM
Seeing Suffolk hit the scrap heap got me thinkin'. I've been following horse racing since 1986 and I wonder how many tracks have closed since then.

Here is what comes to mind for me.

Suffolk
Hollywood Park
Woodlands
Manor Downs
Yavapai
Hialeah
Sportsman's Park
Aksarben
Atlantic City
Detroit
Pinnacle
Rockingham Park
Blue Ribbon Downs
Great Lakes Downs

Steve 'StatMan'
09-18-2014, 02:10 PM
Long Acres
Balmoral TB dropped (harness only remains)

Canterbury closed but others brought it back.

River Downs & Beulah are gone but replaced by new facilities, sometimes elsewhere, as part of the casino deal.

QuarterCrack
09-18-2014, 02:11 PM
Bay Meadows
Garden State Park

RaceBookJoe
09-18-2014, 02:12 PM
This is a list that goes before 1986 I believe, and doesn't look to be too updated, noting Hollywood not listed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Defunct_horse_racing_venues_in_the_United _States

thaskalos
09-18-2014, 02:14 PM
Yes...but how many new ones have risen to take their place?

Steve 'StatMan'
09-18-2014, 02:16 PM
A track in Erie, PA (Comodore?) closed, replaced several years later by Presque Isle Downs.

Prairie Meadows in Iowa was gone for a while until a slots deal brought it back.

Kenner Downs in LA

Steve 'StatMan'
09-18-2014, 02:17 PM
Dueling Grounds was gone for a while but had a ressurection as Kentucky Downs

Stillriledup
09-18-2014, 02:21 PM
Harness Tracks that Closed:

FreeState
Brandywine
"The Bell"
Louisville Harness
Roosevelt Raceway

Any others that come to mind?

Steve 'StatMan'
09-18-2014, 02:22 PM
NE also has/had Fonner, Lincoln and Atokad. I have no idea if some of those run I remember Atokad was brought back, at least temporarily as Horseman's Park-Atokad. Perhaps another one as well. One or more of those may still exist.

Steve 'StatMan'
09-18-2014, 02:24 PM
Aksarben & Atokad - Don't let school children name your racetracks!

Stillriledup
09-18-2014, 02:24 PM
Seeing Suffolk hit the scrap heap got me thinkin'. I've been following horse racing since 1986 and I wonder how many tracks have closed since then.

Here is what comes to mind for me.

Suffolk
Hollywood Park
Woodlands
Manor Downs
Yavapai
Hialeah
Sportsman's Park
Aksarben
Atlantic City
Detroit
Pinnacle
Rockingham Park
Blue Ribbon Downs
Great Lakes Downs

Atlantic City runs 5 racing dates a year, so they're technically still open...unless they officially closed now?

Another track to add is Fairplex.

DeltaLover
09-18-2014, 02:26 PM
The legendary race track of FALIRIKON DELTA...


A race contacted back the 80's..


uFJEHNRLjR8



DeltaLover is not visible since he is somewhere in the Second Class of the Grand Stand among many other horse addicts as can be seen here:


http://www.themindofagambler.com/ippodromos-faliroy.jpeg

pele polo
09-18-2014, 02:35 PM
Yes...but how many new ones have risen to take their place?

Since '94
Sam Houston Race Park
Retama Park
Emerald Downs
Colonial Downs
Lone Star Park
Hoosier Park (discontinued TBs)
Indiana Downs
Pinnacle Race Course (since closed)



Evangeline Downs (rebuilt on new location)
Great Lakes Downs (not a new build; since closed)

QuarterCrack
09-18-2014, 02:36 PM
Aksarben & Atokad - Don't let school children name your racetracks!

Or people with dyslexia!

cutchemist42
09-18-2014, 03:14 PM
Well Detroit at least has Hazel now.

castaway01
09-18-2014, 03:17 PM
Since '94
Sam Houston Race Park
Retama Park
Emerald Downs
Colonial Downs
Lone Star Park
Hoosier Park (discontinued TBs)
Indiana Downs
Pinnacle Race Course (since closed)



Evangeline Downs (rebuilt on new location)
Great Lakes Downs (not a new build; since closed)

Presque Isle Downs

thaskalos
09-18-2014, 03:32 PM
Since '94
Sam Houston Race Park
Retama Park
Emerald Downs
Colonial Downs
Lone Star Park
Hoosier Park (discontinued TBs)
Indiana Downs
Pinnacle Race Course (since closed)



Evangeline Downs (rebuilt on new location)
Great Lakes Downs (not a new build; since closed)

Will Rogers Downs, Zia Park...etc.

So, where is this track contraction that some people keep talking about? One track closes...and another sprouts up to take its place.

BlueShoe
09-18-2014, 04:02 PM
I've been following horse racing since 1986 and I wonder how many tracks have closed since then.
Aqua Caliente, Tijuana, closed 1992. Strickly speaking, not a US track, but in a practical way, it was, since most clintele were Americans.

Rise Over Run
09-18-2014, 04:10 PM
NE also has/had Fonner, Lincoln and Atokad. I have no idea if some of those run I remember Atokad was brought back, at least temporarily as Horseman's Park-Atokad. Perhaps another one as well. One or more of those may still exist.

Fonner Park (Grand Island, NE) runs in the spring (~April, May, June?) and definitely had live racing this year.

fmhealth
09-18-2014, 04:55 PM
Here's an old harness track that closed years ago outside Phx. Fascinating video of what all tracks may eventually look like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGvAYRKz50Y

ronsmac
09-18-2014, 05:07 PM
Aqua Caliente, Tijuana, closed 1992. Strickly speaking, not a US track, but in a practical way, it was, since most clintele were Americans.That reminds me of my military days. Horses and dogs at Caliente. Bowie is another track that closed, but that may have been 1985?

therussmeister
09-18-2014, 06:33 PM
Seeing Suffolk hit the scrap heap got me thinkin'. I've been following horse racing since 1986 and I wonder how many tracks have closed since then.

Here is what comes to mind for me.

Suffolk
Hollywood Park
Woodlands
Manor Downs
Yavapai
Hialeah
Sportsman's Park
Aksarben
Atlantic City
Detroit
Pinnacle
Rockingham Park
Blue Ribbon Downs
Great Lakes Downs
Birmingham Turf Club, our whatever it was called.

DelMarJay
09-18-2014, 06:42 PM
Centennial horse track was opened just a few miles west outside of Denver in 1950 and had a checkered history with mismanagement and flooding and all sorts of problems. Like so many old tracks that were built far away from the main population, the land just became too valuable as the builders of "progress" kept encroaching closer and closer. Finally closed in 1983, it was "sort of" replaced a few years later with the gorgeous new Arapahoe Park built a few miles southeast of Denver in unincorporated Aurora county.

Getting Arapahoe opened and running didn't go as hoped. Three different times owners tried and three different utter failures were the results. Two of those times the meet closed within a week. Finally reopened with new ownership in 1992, full card simulcasting from tracks across the country(which the dog tracks already had) was allowed ONLY if live racing ran during the summer(with simulcasting going the rest of the year).

How the heck they're still open is a mystery to me. Every dog track in Colorado has closed down. Management and ownership have had financial turmoil through the years and seemingly care more about keeping the simulcasting going and trying desperately to get a casino on the grounds (sound familiar?) than getting people out to the live racing. It's a beautiful facility and I recommend the rugged racetrack travelers put it on their bucket lists to visit Arapahoe Park. Probably best to do it quick, even if your life expectancy is long, Arapahoe's might not be.

Ocala Mike
09-18-2014, 07:19 PM
Don't forget NY State quarter horse tracks:

Tioga Downs - Opemed 1976, Closed 1978 (but reincarnated as Tioga Park, a harness track).

Parr Meadows - Opemed May, 1977 and closed a few months later (but reincarnated as Suffolk Meadows).

Suffolk Meadows - Opemed May, 1986 and closed a few months later for good.

NJ Stinks
09-18-2014, 07:20 PM
Birmingham Turf Club, our whatever it was called.

You beat me to it.

Also, trotter track Lewiston Raceway in Maine and Liberty Bell in Philly that ran both trotters and flats.

johnhannibalsmith
09-18-2014, 08:06 PM
The problem with the reality that we do replace defunct tracks is that we aren't replacing them with race tracks, we're replacing them with the cancer that eats at those tracks left standing that do try to run a sensible business (within the scope of what that constitutes in TB racing industry).

iceknight
09-18-2014, 08:18 PM
Santa Fe Downs (1971-1975). Bankruptcy.
Then opens as Downs at Santa Fe. (1975-1984)
Again opened for short time in the late 90's.

One of the few (closed) race tracks that I have visited/driven past. The old track sign off the freeway was in really bad shape when I went in 2013. Anyhow.. the random trivia about this track is that GG and Mike Smith scored their first victories here and also Real Quiet (yes, THAT Real Quiet) raced here twice!
Most of these details were from wiki entry which I had memorized last year
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Downs_at_Santa_Fe

thespaah
09-18-2014, 10:36 PM
Harness Tracks that Closed:

FreeState
Brandywine
"The Bell"
Louisville Harness
Roosevelt Raceway

Any others that come to mind?
Latonia( KY) Wheeling Downs( WV) is now a dog track/casino. Lewiston(ME)now an off track wagering facility
Greenwood( ON)....Hazel Park(MI) closed then reopened
Ben White(FL) Windsor Raceway( ON).
Sportsman's Park (IL) Cahokia Downs( IL)

thespaah
09-18-2014, 10:48 PM
Birmingham Turf Club, our whatever it was called.
That was rthe original name of the track.
I went there once.
I was living in Hilton Head Island.
The closest place I could find that handled wagering on the Preakness( 1990) was Birmingham.
Took me almost 6 hours to cover the 400 mile trek.
I got there half way through the live card.
There was a pretty decent crowd. Looking the tote board, betting was lively on the live racing.
I was a nice place. Clean. Even with a fairly large crowd.
Now it's a dog track.

Billnewman
09-18-2014, 11:03 PM
I loved going to greenwood up there in Toronto. Sit in the grandstand looking out onto Lake Ontario.

appistappis
09-18-2014, 11:10 PM
In southern Ontario as late as the mid 50's there were 7 or 8 tracks for thor'breds, now just woodbine and ft erie hanging by a thread.

Steve 'StatMan'
09-18-2014, 11:25 PM
Harness, from my original hometown area, Quad City Downs in East Moline, IL (Davenport, Bettendorf IA, Rock Island, Moline & East Moline IL) Still an OTB in the Trackside/CD network of parlors.

kmac1470
09-19-2014, 12:26 AM
Queensbury Downs
Polo Park
Blue Bonnet
Whittier Park
Greenwood

BlueShoe
09-19-2014, 01:06 AM
That reminds me of my military days. Horses and dogs at Caliente. Then if you still had money and the inclination, downtown to the Jai Alai Fronton. Then after that, a cold beer or two, and watch the dancing girls. ;) :D

ronsmac
09-19-2014, 01:10 AM
Then if you still had money and the inclination, downtown to the Jai Alai Fronton. Then after that, a cold beer or two, and watch the dancing girls. ;) :DI didn't know they had jai alia.I would've checked it out if I'd known.

thespaah
09-19-2014, 12:39 PM
Queensbury Downs
Polo Park
Blue Bonnet
Whittier Park
Greenwood
That's right...I forgot about Blue Bonnets....Which was renamed Hippodrome de Montreal before the track was closed.

Copyroomjim
09-19-2014, 01:01 PM
Miles Park- Louisville
Blue Grass Downs- (Thoroughbred meet) still run a harness meet

parshooter
09-19-2014, 01:30 PM
Stampede Park, Calgary, AB
soon to be replaced by Century Downs in Balzac just north of Calgary
Will be a ship in harness track proposed for first couple years of operation which is to begin next spring

wisconsin
09-19-2014, 03:38 PM
Prescott Downs
Anthony Downs

Track Phantom
09-19-2014, 06:19 PM
A lot of tracks shutting down. What is the common thread for reasons they don't make it? Is there a business model that actually works on its own (without slot infusion)?

levinmpa
09-20-2014, 07:59 AM
Tracks that I have personally been to that have since closed.

Bay Meadows
Solano (Solano County Fair at Vallejo, CA)
Hollywood Park
Fairplex Park
Sportsman's Park
Rockingham Park (not sure if they are still running a Harness meet)
Suffolk Downs
Beaulah Park

schweitz
09-20-2014, 09:24 AM
Trinity Meadows---Willow Park, TX
Manor Downs---Manor, TX

BlueShoe
09-20-2014, 11:00 AM
Tracks that I have personally been to that have since closed.
Tanforan.
Aqua Caliente.
Bay Meadows.
Fairplex.
Hollywood Park.

Steward
09-20-2014, 12:46 PM
Here's a few that come to mind:
Lincoln Downs
Naragansett Park
Pitt Park
Pocono Downs
Wheeling Downs
Toledo/Maumee
Yavapai
Bowie
Aberdeen
Mt Pleasant
Tropical Park
Sportman's Park
Washington Park
East Moline Downs
Birmingham Race Course
Cahokia Downs

Ocala Mike
09-20-2014, 01:43 PM
Anyone mention Green Mountain, Pownal, VT?

ronsmac
09-20-2014, 06:17 PM
Anyone mention Green Mountain, Pownal, VT?I think they closed pre 1986 at least for thoroughbreds.

levinmpa
09-20-2014, 11:22 PM
Tanforan.
Aqua Caliente.
Bay Meadows.
Fairplex.
Hollywood Park.

I've been to the Tanforan Mall that occupies the land of the old Tanforan racetrack. Does that count? :-)

banacek
09-21-2014, 12:21 AM
I've been to the Tanforan Mall that occupies the land of the old Tanforan racetrack. Does that count? :-)

And I've been to the Polo Park Mall and the Lansdowne Park Shopping Centre. Must be a common pattern.

PhantomOnTour
09-21-2014, 12:54 AM
Jefferson Downs in Kenner, La (suburb of New Orleans)...where my dad made my first horsie bets ever for me.

They kept the grandstand open for simulcast for a few years, but it's now a condo development (with an OTB right next door...and a casino right around the corner on Lake Pontchartrain).

Track Collector
09-21-2014, 02:22 AM
Prescott Downs
Anthony Downs

Eureka Downs, KS

BlueShoe
09-21-2014, 10:43 AM
I've been to the Tanforan Mall that occupies the land of the old Tanforan racetrack. Does that count? :-)
Nope, not quite. The year I was there, George Taniguchi was the leading rider, that's how long ago that was. :)

pele polo
09-21-2014, 11:03 AM
Jefferson Downs in Kenner, La (suburb of New Orleans)...where my dad made my first horsie bets ever for me.

They kept the grandstand open for simulcast for a few years, but it's now a condo development (with an OTB right next door...and a casino right around the corner on Lake Pontchartrain).

Where you at in South La?

Ocala Mike
09-21-2014, 02:48 PM
Jefferson Downs in Kenner, La (suburb of New Orleans)...where my dad made my first horsie bets ever for me.



Yeah; night racing, as I recall. Went there once back in 1964 when I was stationed in Biloxi, MS. Lost all night, then got picked up for speeding through NOLA with my '59 Chevy, and spent the night in the pokey.

PhantomOnTour
09-21-2014, 04:02 PM
Where you at in South La?
Used to live in New Orleans off Robert E Lee Blvd (how's that for a southern stereotype?)...but now I'm a Katrina transplant living in Cajunland, Lafayette

Track Collector
09-21-2014, 05:18 PM
More that come to mind....

Marlboro (Upper Marlboro, MD)
Playfair (Spokane, WA)
Kamloops (Kamloops, BC)
Salem (OR)

Jens
09-21-2014, 06:14 PM
The second horse I claimed was at Solano (Vallejo, CA). She was claimed off me a couple of months later at Bay Meadows. Both tracks now history.

tanner12oz
09-21-2014, 06:19 PM
Saw some old black and whites from a track in Cumberland, MD that no longer exists

The Cumberland Race Track (1924-1961), also known as the Fairgo Race Track, was located just outside the west side of Cumberland, Maryland along McMullen Highway at the location of the present day Allegany County Fairgrounds

1GCFAN
09-21-2014, 08:20 PM
Ascot Park in Akron.

wiffleball whizz
09-21-2014, 08:47 PM
Every now and then I drive by in the laurel area on rt 1 freestate raceway......would love some info on that place of anybody has any stories

BlueShoe
09-21-2014, 11:34 PM
Half a century ago there was even a racetrack, a half miler I believe, that only had a short life, 1963-1966, in Las Vegas. It was called Thunderbird Downs.

Wickel
09-22-2014, 10:31 AM
Santa Fe Downs (1971-1975). Bankruptcy.
Then opens as Downs at Santa Fe. (1975-1984)
Again opened for short time in the late 90's.

One of the few (closed) race tracks that I have visited/driven past. The old track sign off the freeway was in really bad shape when I went in 2013. Anyhow.. the random trivia about this track is that GG and Mike Smith scored their first victories here and also Real Quiet (yes, THAT Real Quiet) raced here twice!
Most of these details were from wiki entry which I had memorized last year
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Downs_at_Santa_Fe

The Wikipedia entry for The Downs at Santa Fe is mostly correct, but confusing. The track indeed opened in 1971, but had a straight run through 1997. There were bankruptcies and ownership changes, but The Downs never missed a season during that span. Pojoaque Pueblo bought the track in 1996 (I believe) and showcased the inaugural (and only) Indian Nation Futurity Cup in 1997, then the second-richest 2-year-old race after the Breeders Cup Juvenile. Grady, trained by California-based Randy Bradshaw won the race. General Gem, with Pat Val aboard, finished second and Real Quiet was third. The track closed after the season due to financial difficulties and has not reopened since. I know a lot of this info because I worked for the local newspaper as a sportswriter/copy editor from 1974-1988 and, of course, the track was one of my beats.

Also, La Mesa Park in Raton (near Colorado border) closed its doors in the early 1990s, and San Juan Downs closed in the late '90s and later reopened as refurbished SunRay Park at the same location.

BlinkersOn
09-22-2014, 02:09 PM
Yakima Downs closed. I used to love going there. Les Bois in Boise, ID closed for 3-4 years, and then finally reopened for just a mo. out of the year.

thespaah
09-22-2014, 10:09 PM
And I've been to the Polo Park Mall and the Lansdowne Park Shopping Centre. Must be a common pattern.
Malls occupy the land on which Roosevelt Raceway and Brandywine Raceway occupied.
Where Sportsmans Park once sat there is now a Walmart and undeveloped land adjacent to it.

thespaah
09-22-2014, 10:22 PM
Every now and then I drive by in the laurel area on rt 1 freestate raceway......would love some info on that place of anybody has any stories
It closed in 1990 after 41 years in operation. Started out with the name "Laurel Raceway"....When purchased in 1980 by Frank De Francis bought the track he changed the name to Free State Raceway.

FocusWiz
09-22-2014, 10:23 PM
I don't think this was mentioned, but it is at the very least a sad footnote about horse racing. A quarter horse track known as Suffolk Meadows (AKA Parr Meadows) opened and closed twice in a 10 year period in the latter part of the 20th century in the eastern part of Long Island. I am not sure if they quite completed two meets during that timeframe.

Ocala Mike
09-23-2014, 01:16 PM
I don't think this was mentioned, but it is at the very least a sad footnote about horse racing. A quarter horse track known as Suffolk Meadows (AKA Parr Meadows) opened and closed twice in a 10 year period in the latter part of the 20th century in the eastern part of Long Island. I am not sure if they quite completed two meets during that timeframe.



Yes, mentioned quite a few posts back:

"Don't forget NY State quarter horse tracks:

Tioga Downs - Opemed 1976, Closed 1978 (but reincarnated as Tioga Park, a harness track).

Parr Meadows - Opemed May, 1977 and closed a few months later (but reincarnated as Suffolk Meadows).

Suffolk Meadows - Opemed May, 1986 and closed a few months later for good."

parshooter
09-23-2014, 01:53 PM
I believe Playfair was the name of track in Spokane, WA that is no longer in use and I haven't seen mentioned