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11-20-2014, 08:44 AM
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 219
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The end of Rockingham
Well, good old Rockingham is getting ready to be just a memory. They have asked the town to subdivide their property (170+ acres) and sell 50 acres. This is an area where all of the barns were. Last year they lost approval for a casino by one vote. It doesn't look like it is going to happen this year either. They had been keeping up the turf course until this summer when they stopped and let it all go to seed. I held out hope that they would have racing back someday, but that now looks like it is not going to happen. I hope they allow a simulcast parlor when they tear the thing down and make all the new condo's I'm sure they will create.
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11-20-2014, 10:39 AM
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#2
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Registered user
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: FALIRIKON DELTA
Posts: 4,439
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I hope all similar tracks follow the same path.
We have way too many race tracks and most of them need to go away, for horse racing to survive and become again the King of Gambling...
__________________
whereof one cannot speak thereof one must be silent
Ludwig Wittgenstein
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11-21-2014, 12:19 AM
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 997
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not too surprised, and giving MA voters kept the casino bill in the election, probably a decent chance Suffolk will still be around as a racing facility for the short term.
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11-21-2014, 02:30 AM
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 7,727
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I'm sorry to hear the news about Rockingham, Soupman. I have fond memories of the track - including being there on BC day in 1989.
__________________
One flew east, one flew west,
One flew over the cuckoo's nest.
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11-21-2014, 02:41 AM
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Boston+Ocala
Posts: 23,758
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Lou Smith is rolling over in his grave right now
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11-21-2014, 01:30 PM
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#6
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Veteran
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,849
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This one really hurts. What great memories of have of The Rock. Great spread of grass from the top of the stretch to the paddock and walking to to spread a blanket, watch and bet the ponies and get shitfaced with some cold brews.
Every year I would vacation in Maine and on the way home get a hotel room in Salem. One day would be for me at Rockingham Park and One day would be for the family at Canobie Lake. Great way to end a vacation.
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09-12-2016, 06:26 PM
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#7
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NoPoints4ME
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 9,854
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09-12-2016, 08:03 PM
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 209
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Thanks for posting the pics.
I was never there so it was nice to see what it looked like.
Boy, it does make me sad though.
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09-12-2016, 09:04 PM
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Spaghetti Junction and Frustration Blvd.
Posts: 1,901
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I used to live in Gardner, MA around 1998 to mid 2000 and my sons were little at the time. My wife and I would take them over to "The Rock" for a bite to eat and to watch the horses! We would put out a blanket and chairs and watch the hot walkers bring out the horses toward the paddock as each impending race approached. It was Awesome!! The brass band playing in the pavilion was very cool. It was just a very nice place to watch the Thoroughbreds. When they changed the track to harness racing I stopped going. It is very sad that the place won't ever be the same as it once was.
__________________
Warm Regards,
Vinnie
"All Human error is impatience; a premature renunciation of method"- F. Kafka
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09-12-2016, 09:14 PM
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Boston+Ocala
Posts: 23,758
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the new owners offered the old ones the opportunity to stay open through the end of November, but they just wanted out of the place.
they turned the place into a first class dump. they never had a chance at the slots because the state house never liked the owners.
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09-12-2016, 09:16 PM
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 7,510
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What a shame.....How could such a nice place fall on such hard times that keeping operations going became impossible
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09-12-2016, 09:25 PM
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 175
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memorabilia aucton sept 25th & 26th for anyone in the area
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09-12-2016, 09:28 PM
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Spaghetti Junction and Frustration Blvd.
Posts: 1,901
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by EMD4ME
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Thanks for including that excellent link EMD4ME:
I enjoyed looking at those photographs although it saddens me at the very same time.
__________________
Warm Regards,
Vinnie
"All Human error is impatience; a premature renunciation of method"- F. Kafka
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09-13-2016, 11:49 AM
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 876
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Ive never been, but one of the instructors here started in the industry there in the racing office. She always spoke very highly of the place, and from looking at the pictures it does look like a nice place to spend the afternoon. Unfortunately another track bites the dust.
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09-14-2016, 06:19 PM
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#15
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NoPoints4ME
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 9,854
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Vinnie
Thanks for including that excellent link EMD4ME:
I enjoyed looking at those photographs although it saddens me at the very same time.
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It is an eerie feeling walking down what used to be a racetrack. It reminds me of the Titanic seen, where in the end after the Titanic has sunk, old memories of what used to be are shown for certain parts of the boat......
It pains my stomach to think of all the father and sons, new couples etc that spent time bonding there over a live set of races who now look at what used to be.
Sad....
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