LGA where once a might little race track stood

[46zilzal]

The days are numbered for what used to be a great little race place. One of the greatest of little race tracks was the fabled Longacres. The brain child of men of vision, real estate developers Joseph Gottstein and William Edris and was designed by B. Marcus Priteca. Over the years this hometown favorite right outside the city limits, gained in recognition and it was not long before many a good one was coming up from California as the Longacres Mile was becoming a great Fall prep.

The Blood Horse ranked it the best track for field size in the US and the stand would rock with the home spun nature of jockeys coming over to the rail on their way to the post talking with fans as the sounds of Camp Town races and the ever present "Do Dah" resounded in the crowd. Laffit, Shoe, Delahoussaye all came up with horse like Judge Angelucchi, Chinook Pass, Skywaker, Simply Majestic and hometown heroes like two time LGA mile winner Trooper Seven. Gary Stevens and Gary Boulanger started there and all was going well until Mrs. Gottstein died and son-in-law Morrie Alhadeff sold out the entire racing community without giving them a chance for a counter offer.....He sold out the entire state's racing community and it barely survived a four year absence to which it has NEVER gotten over

Right after the sale, our racing community, in response to this jack ass, turned their backs on him LITERALLY in the paddock not even giving him the recognition that he even existed....the P.O.S.

I was there on that last day in September 22, 1992 when Gary Henson told the crowd, ‘These horses belong to you. Listen to their final thunder.’ Then, for probably the first time in track history, the race was run in silence, without Henson’s customary calls” . More than 23,000 fans crowded the stands to see Native Rustler, ridden by jockey Gary Stevens, win the final race for his dad, a Coeur d'Alene shipper. After the final contest, fans poured out on the track taking small jars of the racing surface for souvenirs. What is reall pitiful is that Boeing, ostensibly bought the parcel to build its headquarters and then that company followed suit in leaving its supporters high and dry and snuck off to Ohio to build their next venture.

Crockett had to fight tooth and nail paying off Indian Reserves and environmental impact costs to open that current facility. Talking to many who worked in the front office and backstretch the opinion is universal: racing died there but there is a ghost now operating in Auburn.

[jballscalls]

Originally Posted by 46zilzal

The days are numbered for what used to be a great little race place. One of the greatest of little race tracks was the fabled Longacres. The brain child of men of vision, real estate developers Joseph Gottstein and William Edris and was designed by B. Marcus Priteca. Over the years this hometown favorite right outside the city limits, gained in recognition and it was not long before many a good one was coming up from California as the Longacres Mile was becoming a great Fall prep.

The Blood Horse ranked it the best track for field size in the US and the stand would rock with the home spun nature of jockeys coming over to the rail on their way to the post talking with fans as the sounds of Camp Town races and the ever present "Do Dah" resounded in the crowd. Laffit, Shoe, Delahoussaye all came up with horse like Judge Angelucchi, Chinook Pass, Skywaker, Simply Majestic and hometown heroes like two time LGA mile winner Trooper Seven. Gary Stevens and Gary Boulanger started there and all was going well until Mrs. Gottstein died and son-in-law Morrie Alhadeff sold out the entire racing community without giving them a chance for a counter offer.....He sold out the entire state's racing community and it barely survived a four year absence to which it has NEVER gotten over

Right after the sale, our racing community, in response to this jack ass, turned their backs on him LITERALLY in the paddock not even giving him the recognition that he even existed....the P.O.S.

I was there on that last day in September 22, 1992 when Gary Henson told the crowd, ‘These horses belong to you. Listen to their final thunder.’ Then, for probably the first time in track history, the race was run in silence, without Henson’s customary calls” . More than 23,000 fans crowded the stands to see Native Rustler, ridden by jockey Gary Stevens, win the final race for his dad, a Coeur d'Alene shipper. After the final contest, fans poured out on the track taking small jars of the racing surface for souvenirs. What is reall pitiful is that Boeing, ostensibly bought the parcel to build its headquarters and then that company followed suit in leaving its supporters high and dry and snuck off to Ohio to build their next venture.

Crockett had to fight tooth and nail paying off Indian Reserves and environmental impact costs to open that current facility. Talking to many who worked in the front office and backstretch the opinion is universal: racing died there but there is a ghost now operating in Auburn.

unfortunately when you go to Emerald, all you hear from people who have been around the game is that "it's just not Longacres" I grew up at Longacres, it was amazing. i still in my office have a great aerial photo of Longacres. It was truly a magic place.

that being said, i really enjoy Emerald Downs and they've carved out a fine nitch in Seattle. They certainly have a solid following and generally have a good on track crowd compared to most tracks, certainly far more than Portland or Hastings (the other 2 tracks in the Nw)

[plainolebill]

It was a great track, one of the more enjoyable places I've ever been. I spent many an afternoon there.

[Robert Goren]

I visited it a few time in the 60s when I visited some relatives who lived in Tacoma. It was a nice little track. I remember thinking at the time that Seattle should have had bigger time track. I am still not sure why they didn't.

[bane]

One of the valet's I know (the great stork) loved Longacres and has a jockey's boot filled with dirt from the track. To me only Ak-Sar-Ben has the "mystique" that Longacres has/had and it is a shame its now a glorified park. At least the trees are still there.
...I was in a convoy from Yakima to Fort Lewis and we drove by where it use to be, I almost wrecked into a truck looking for those trees lol.

side question:
For you WA fans, was Yakima Meadows decent?

[46zilzal]

Originally Posted by bane

side question:
For you WA fans, was Yakima Meadows decent?

out in the booneys and had the worst of the weather dates. Track variants would be over 45 at times

[Skanoochies]

Back in the late seventies and early eighties, before hastings had sunday racing, several buddies and our girlfriends would trek down to Longacres for the day, have a great day of racing, and stop at Bellingham at a steak house that I can`t seem to recall the name of and enjoy steak and wine.(Stewart Andersons maybe?) I can still remember the Alder trees(?) that lined the clubhouse turn end of the track. What a setting.

Also used to get some great sandwiches at a stand I think was just outside the Johnny Longden room.

Another little story. One time we were there, One of our crowd was in line to bet a race and ahead of him was a sort of hippy looking chap.
He took off his backpack and pulled out a wad of cash that looked like a lot for those days and plunked it down on the nose of a horse that I think was called Silky Steel.

I believe it was a Stakes and when the gate opened the horse went to its knees and the jockey went over his head and I learned a lesson that day.
Nothing in racing is certain and never put your whole wad on one nag.

[jballscalls]

one thing that is kind of fun and also eerie to do is go to the Longacres Grounds. Boeing only really developed on the area around where the 3/8ths pole was. the outline of the home stretch and the clubhouse turn are still there, just overgrown with grass, the green railing for the homestretch is still there, as is the flooring where the clubhouse was.

and most of all, the beautiful poplar trees are still there on the clubhouse turn.

it's fun to go and take a walk around the grounds

[bane]

Originally Posted by jballscalls

one thing that is kind of fun and also eerie to do is go to the Longacres Grounds. Boeing only really developed on the area around where the 3/8ths pole was. the outline of the home stretch and the clubhouse turn are still there, just overgrown with grass, the green railing for the homestretch is still there, as is the flooring where the clubhouse was.

and most of all, the beautiful poplar trees are still there on the clubhouse turn.

it's fun to go and take a walk around the grounds

Would love to see pictures of that.

[jballscalls]

Originally Posted by bane

Would love to see pictures of that.

i have them on my computer at home, i can email them to you if you'd like, shoot me a private message with your email

Jason

[Zman179]

Originally Posted by bane

Would love to see pictures of that.

Go to maps.google.com and enter the following address:

1301 Southwest 16th Street, Renton, WA

You'll see the outline of the old Longacres track and the poplar trees.

[bane]

I want to see the deatils, trust me I have already check that out, thank you however.