More New England racing history...
Jan 29, 2014 23:46:13 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2014 23:46:13 GMT -5
New England has a long history of thoroughbred racing. At one time, there were four operating race tracks - Suffolk Downs and Rockingham Park had a spring/summer/fall circuit, while Narragansett Park in Rhode Island and Lincoln Downs had their own circuit ('Gansett in the summer, Lincoln in the winter)
Here's a great site that has a complete history of Narragansett Park:
intothesunstudio.com/narragansettpark/?page_id=2
(there are a couple of interesting videos on this site, too)
I was lucky enough to get there on Belmont Stakes day a year before they closed down, in 1977 - a lifetime New York racing fan, believe it or not I saw Seattle Slew win his Triple Crown at Narragansett! It was one of those great, old time race tracks. Even to the day they closed, they still used mules to pull the starting gate into position!
One of the racing highlights at Narragansett was a match race between Alsab (Preakness winner) and Whirlaway (Triple Crown winner) - Alsab won by a nose.
Unfortunately the only operating track left is Suffolk Downs. Rockingham Park is still there, but is only a simulcast and special events facility (the last time I was there the track was torn up and it was being used for monster truck races!)
Here's a great site that has a complete history of Narragansett Park:
intothesunstudio.com/narragansettpark/?page_id=2
(there are a couple of interesting videos on this site, too)
I was lucky enough to get there on Belmont Stakes day a year before they closed down, in 1977 - a lifetime New York racing fan, believe it or not I saw Seattle Slew win his Triple Crown at Narragansett! It was one of those great, old time race tracks. Even to the day they closed, they still used mules to pull the starting gate into position!
One of the racing highlights at Narragansett was a match race between Alsab (Preakness winner) and Whirlaway (Triple Crown winner) - Alsab won by a nose.
Unfortunately the only operating track left is Suffolk Downs. Rockingham Park is still there, but is only a simulcast and special events facility (the last time I was there the track was torn up and it was being used for monster truck races!)