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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Freehold Raceway
Freehold Raceway was a half-mile (0.80 km) harness racetrack in Freehold, New Jersey. At the time of its closure in December 2024, it was the oldest racetrack in the United States.

History

Horse races have been taking place at Freehold Raceway since the 1830s. The Monmouth County Agricultural Society was formed on December 17, 1853, and in 1854 they began holding an annual fair at Freehold Raceway with harness racing.

In 1984, an electrical fire destroyed the main building. Racing was then held under tents until the new building was completed in 1986.

In 1990, Freehold Raceway Mall opened up across the street, and was, until 2007, decorated with harness racing motif.

In 1998, Freehold was acquired by a joint venture of Penn National Gaming and Greenwood Racing (owner of Parx Casino and Racing).

From 1998 to 2010, Freehold Raceway was the home of the Cane Pace, a harness horse race run annually since 1955; in 1956 the race joined with the Little Brown Jug and the Messenger Stakes to become the first leg in the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers.

In 2005, Freehold was also the temporary home of the Yonkers Trot, part of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters, while renovations took place at Yonkers Raceway.

Closure

In September 2024 track officials announced that Freehold Raceway would close at the end of the year, with the track's general manager citing operational reasons with no "plausible way forward." Freehold's last racing program was held on December 28, 2024, with over 1,000 spectators in attendance. The final race was won by T's Raider II, driven by Johnathan Ahle.

As of the announcement of its closure, there was no word on future plans for the Freehold Raceway site.

Triple Dead Heat

An extremely rare photo finish triple dead heat, recorded in a 1953 harness race at Freehold Raceway

Freehold Raceway was the site of the first ever photo finish triple dead heat win in a harness race. Double, triple and even quadruple dead heats were more commonly awarded in horse racing when finishes were judged by the naked eye in real time. With the advent of photo finish technology in the second quarter of the 20th century, there was a significant decrease in dead heats.

During a harness race on October 3, 1953, the noses of horses Patchover (driven by Ed Myer), Payne Hall (F. Albertson) and Penny Maid (E. Beede) passed the finish line at exactly the same time.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Oldest horse racing track in US is closing. Freehold Raceway shutting down on Dec. 28". Associated Press. September 19, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  2. ^ Edelson, Stephen (19 September 2024). "Landmark Freehold Raceway to cease operations at end of year; no word on future plans for site". Ashbury Park Press. Gannet. app.com. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  3. ^ Jerry Cheslow (January 26, 1992). "If You're Thinking of Living in Freehold Borough". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-01-31.
  4. ^ Barbara Pepe (2003). Freehold: A Hometown History. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. p. 81. ISBN 9780738524184.
  5. ^ "Penn National Enters into Agreement with Greenwood New Jersey". RGT Online. November 6, 1998. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  6. ^ Goode, Sarah (28 December 2024). "End of an era: Final races held at Freehold Raceway". News 12 New Jersey. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  7. ^ Jordan, Bob (28 December 2024). "Freehold Raceway's final race is over. Who won it? What were the winning numbers?". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  8. ^ Pepe, Barbara (2003). Freehold: A Hometown History. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. p. 84. ISBN 0-7385-2418-2. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
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