Fri Nite at Buffalo

[melman]

R1 4 Southwind Verde
R2 7 Nadine Killean
R3 2 Sams Girl
R4 6 Sir Ritz
R5 5 Silver Scoot
R6 3 In the Purple
R7 4 Alberts Rebel
R8 5 Cheesecake
R9 5 Little Peaches
R10 1 Gogosaflyin
R11 3 Miss Finale
R12 4 Star Caliber

Looks like a money making card.

[Nickle]

I did not even know they had harness in Buffalo

What type of handles/volume?

Thanks

[Zman179]

I did not even know they had harness in Buffalo

What type of handles/volume?

Miniscule. Total average handle is often less than $100,000. Been racing at Buffalo Raceway since 1942. They'll be switching to Batavia Downs in August.

[wilderness]

"I did not even know they had harness in Buffalo"

Buffalo was part of the original Grand Circuit:
http://mi-harness.com/publct/rgnggrnd.html

As a result there has been harness racing there since at least the 1870's.

Their website provides some info regrading the current location:
http://www.buffaloraceway.com/history.php

Should you be interested in any other locale?
In the US
http://www.ustrotting.com/trackside/trackfacts/trackfacts.cfm
In Canada
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/races/racetracks.html

BTW, prior to the St. Lawrence Seaway opening, the Erie Canal was active. Buffalo was the 7th largest port in North America until that time. As a result, Buffalo has a once rich history.

[wilderness]

All I needed was few minutes to gather material :-))

These two excerpts were part of a very extensive multi part article commemorating the 100 year anniversary of the Grand Circuit (1871-1971)

This is the earliest known photograph in American harness racing. It was taken Aug. 18, 1866, at Buffalo, N.Y., five years before that track figured prominently in formation of the Grand Circuit. It shows the king of American trotters at the time, Dexter, and his rider, the young, red‑whiskered Budd Doble, soon to be one of the great driving stars of the sport. Doble drove Dexter, Goldsmith Maid and Nancy Hanks to their records. He received his big break when Hiram Woodruff turned Dexter over to him in July, 1866, and one month later, on the day this picture was taken, Dexter defeated his arch rival of that season, General Butter, under saddle for a purse of $1,500. Dexter won the first two heats in 2:21½ and 2:26. In the third heat Doble cut him loose and the mile in 2:18 was the fastest ever trotted up to that time.

(Athough the picture that accompanied the above excerpt it's not of great quality. In addition, please note that the URL will NOT function from this forum, you'll need to copy and paste the URL into your browser)
http://mi-harness.com/jibh/special.jpg


In August, 1872, E. A. Buck, president of the Buffalo, N.Y. Trotting Park, hosted a meeting of four track executives to finalize formation of the Quadrilateral Trotting Combination, which became the Grand Circuit. It is likely the four were in the judges' stand sketched by George W. Gibson as Sleepy John won the featured $10,000 trot on August 6. It is easy to see that Buffalo was a leading track of the day.

[Zman179]

And don't forget, Buffalo Raceway was where the hamburger was invented (or at least steaks* a claim to it's invention.)

Ok, the raceway wasn't built yet, but it is situated on the Erie County Fairgrounds where the hamburger first appeared during the 1885 fair.


* = ugh