Longest DSLR

[DRIVEWAY]

River Downs 4-24-2009 Race 8 Cruguet DSLR 1252

This is the longest I've seen.

[Rook]

7/11/2008 ANF 3 Northern Front 2352 days. There were 8 others who came back after 2000+ days over the past few years.

[Track Collector]

7/11/2008 ANF 3 Northern Front 2352 days. There were 8 others who came back after 2000+ days over the past few years.

Anf = Anthony Downs in Anthony Kansas. A great little track which is not running in 2009 and may not run again due to lack of funding from the state. What a unique place!! You start with a 1/2 mile dirt track that looks like it is in the middle of some field, add a old, but still excellent shape grandstand that butts right up against the track with a track that is sunken (by design) about 8 feet, then add a 1/4 oval inside the 1/2 mile track for dog racing. Racing was usually for two Friday to Sunday weekends in July. It was a mixed bag of 13-15 races a day with alternating horse and dog races. The horse races were usually 3-5 for thoroughbreds, 2-3 for Quarter horses, and perhaps one for paint and appolussa (sp?). I recall that racing started in the early 1900's, and that they recently the celebrated their 100th year of racing. Anthony racing was also not paramutuel until the past ~10 years. Handles for an entire race day usually swelled to about 5-8K. This place was so unique I followed up my initial visit with another one accompanied by my wife.

I hope you other small track lunatics get a chance to visit this one in the future.

[Bettowin]

Anf = Anthony Downs in Anthony Kansas. A great little track which is not running in 2009 and may not run again due to lack of funding from the state. What a unique place!! You start with a 1/2 mile dirt track that looks like it is in the middle of some field, add a old, but still excellent shape grandstand that butts right up against the track with a track that is sunken (by design) about 8 feet, then add a 1/4 oval inside the 1/2 mile track for dog racing. Racing was usually for two Friday to Sunday weekends in July. It was a mixed bag of 13-15 races a day with alternating horse and dog races. The horse races were usually 3-5 for thoroughbreds, 2-3 for Quarter horses, and perhaps one for paint and appolussa (sp?). I recall that racing started in the early 1900's, and that they recently the celebrated their 100th year of racing. Anthony racing was also not paramutuel until the past ~10 years. Handles for an entire race day usually swelled to about 5-8K. This place was so unique I followed up my initial visit with another one accompanied by my wife.

I hope you other small track lunatics get a chance to visit this one in the future.


Who said Anthony isn't running this year? I'll be there:) I have pics from last year and will post pics from this year if you don't believe it.

[Track Collector]

Who said Anthony isn't running this year? I'll be there:) I have pics from last year and will post pics from this year if you don't believe it.

Equibase indicates no racing in 2009, and, I thought I read in previous articles regarding the closing of the Woodlands race track before the start of their scheduled season in 2008 that places like Anthony and Eureka would not race do to lack of funding.

Sounds like things may have changed and this is a good thing!

[Run Nicholas Run]

Kingman ,AZ has dropped 2 of their four days
for their meet which opens May 9th.
I can see the White Pine County Fair in Ely, Nv.
cancelling their meet.

[wilderness]

Anf = Anthony Downs in Anthony Kansas. A great little track which is not running in 2009 and may not run again due to lack of funding from the state. What a unique place!! You start with a 1/2 mile dirt track that looks like it is in the middle of some field, add a old, but still excellent shape grandstand that butts right up against the track with a track that is sunken (by design) about 8 feet, then add a 1/4 oval inside the 1/2 mile track for dog racing. Racing was usually for two Friday to Sunday weekends in July. It was a mixed bag of 13-15 races a day with alternating horse and dog races. The horse races were usually 3-5 for thoroughbreds, 2-3 for Quarter horses, and perhaps one for paint and appolussa (sp?). I recall that racing started in the early 1900's, and that they recently the celebrated their 100th year of racing. Anthony racing was also not paramutuel until the past ~10 years. Handles for an entire race day usually swelled to about 5-8K. This place was so unique I followed up my initial visit with another one accompanied by my wife.

I hope you other small track lunatics get a chance to visit this one in the future.

There was harness racing at Anthony, Kansas during the '20's and 30's (perhaps earlier and even later), although it too would have only been a few days a year.

Here's some brief text from 1936:

Anthony, Kansas

July 15

Racing started here with the 24 class pace, in which sixteen were ready for the word, making it necessary to split the race in two divisions. Princess Vonian 2:11, owned by G. A. (Bo) Stearns proved that her victory at Wichita was no fluke, in the first heat she was away last and lost the heat by a nose, then won the next two from Princess Pat 2:08. Catherine Favonian, from the Roy Owen stable finished third in the summary. In the second division Hollyrood Betty 2:11, won the first two heats which gave her first money and Mary Lee winner of the third heat was second in the summary, with Floraline and Chesterfield dividing third and fourth money. Everett Osborne trained the winners of both divisions. The three-year-old trotters had another rousing battle with Rustic Chimes (3) 2:12 once more proving the best, Roberta McElwyn, (3), 2:121/2 proved the winner of the first heat, the two Nebraska owned fillies, Mamie H and Pee Wee were right there in this race. True McKinney, winner of one heat at Wichita did not start and Czar Man was not up to as much as he was at Wichita, that race evidently taking a little of the edge off of that good colt. Prosperity, (3), 2:05 proved the winner of the three-year-old pace in straight heats and again it was the fast Missouri filly, Helen Dale that carried the battle to him, Tommy Lee, from the Argo stable, finished second in the first heat and may prove troublesome with another race or two under his belt. The third mile, which was paced in 2: 10, was the fastest of the day and under the conditions was a corking mile, Prosperity is a great colt that has a bright future ahead.

July 16
A splendid crowd was in attendance today and was rewarded by seeing three as good contests as have ever been staged at this place. In the 2:17 trot, the great little Guy Abbey filley, Abbie Dodge (3) 2:071/2, now a four-year-old, proved to be all that this department of THE HARNESS HORSE has claimed when she handled a great field of fast trotters in a way leaving no room for argument as to her class. In the opening round the fast gelding, Calumet Can 2:063/4, carried the battle to the filly, leading to within a few feet of the wire where she collared him, winning by a nose. The next round Virginia D 11, 2:081/2, was leading a few feet from the wire and again Abbie Dodge snatched the heat, coming the last end of it like a wild horse, then in the third heat Abbie Dodge set the pace all, of the way, winning without being all out. Betty Lou McK, from the Osborne stable, but driven by Lee Smith, proved the best in the 2:24 trot. In the first heat Betty Lou McK finished first but was set back for running, and Fatima which finished second was awarded the heat, but, after that it was all Betty Lou McK and she is the most improved trotter, over the form she showed last season, now racing thru the K & O. Best Vonian trotted a good race, and the writer has not changed his mind about her being a high class mare that will trot a great mile when she hits the mile rings. Senatress Ada 2:191/4, a five-year-old mare with very little racing experience looked the part of a high class mare today and will bear watching in the future. The two-year-old pace proved easy for The Mail Man 2:131/2, after Leon Silk fell at the half in the first heat, due to his boy not fastening his hopples, and he was then drawn. The Mail Man is a classy "baby" that acts the part of a pacer going places.

July 17
The race meeting ended today with Walter Anderson 2:011/4 winning the 17 pace in straight heats, and this good pacer looks to be in the form of his life, so do not be surprised if he paces a mile in even time. The Handicap Trot was won by Grace Grattan from the J. E. Crosbie stable and More Expense (2) 2:24 won the two-year-old trot, although he lost one of the two heats trotted, but finished at the head of the summary, this was the first start for More Expense and his victory was most pleasing to horsemen throughout the mid-west for Robert McNeill, of Eureka, Kansas, owner of the colt is known wherever harness horses are raced. For nearly one year Mr. McNeill has been unable to get around and is just now able to attend the races.
end of quote
The article was accompanied by two images, however they are not great quality.
It appears the infield was used along with large tents to paddock horses.

[toetoe]

I recall that Kissin George was gone for four or five years, 1968 through 1973(?).

[DrunkenHorseplayer]

I recall a horse (Rainier Bear?) that ran at Longacres in '88 and didn't race again until '94 at GG; I believe the horse broke down in it's second start back.

[DRIVEWAY]

LAD Race 5 FUI DSLR 2543 9-20-2009

Nearly 7 years

[illinoisbred]

somewhat related-in late december of 2007 a 10 yr old 1st starter debuted at Hawthorne.The idiot trainer[Manny Perez] was quoted in the DRF saying the horse had real potential and several times in the previous 8 years he was almost ready to start but things just didn't go right.Needless to say this horse trailed the field throughout the race.

[DRIVEWAY]

12/07/2009 Pha Race 6 Murderinthefirst DSLR 1253 7/2 ML

[sandpit]

What about that 12-year-old that got scratched at Churchill Downs a couple of weeks ago? I don't think it had been out since 2000. I remember looking at the pps and seeing that Eddie D. had ridden her!