Race tracks that are gone

MMSC

Great thread.

Sure I'm missing some. Here are the tracks I've been to that are now gone.

The one's in CAPS are where I called a race. Two of which was the final race ever run.

AK-SAR-BEN, BLUE RIBBON DOWNS, Birmingham Race Course, Bowie, CALIENTE, DETROIT RACE COURSE, FAIRPLEX, GARDEN STATE PARK, HOLLYWOOD PARK, Longacres, Playfair, Sportsman's Park, Suffolk Downs, Rockingham Park, THE WOODLANDS, VALLEJO, YAKIMA MEADOWS, Yavapai (Prescott then).

HOLLYWOOD PARK: Obviously tugs the most heartstrings. Not a day goes by I don't think of HP. Heart remains and perhaps will always be broken. Cannot believe a place like Hollywood actually closed. Rapidly closing in on the anniversary of the final race and my final race call. Dec. 22nd.

AK-SAR-BEN: Much different than Hollywood. Called final race there too. Didn't know at the time that was it. Great memories of racing at AK. A major attraction in it's heyday. Busses from many cities would roll in. Kansas City, Grand Island, Des Moines. Much like Oaklawn to this day the town really embraced the track. Walk into anyplace with 5 miles of the track and everyone was talking horses.

CALIENTE: Called my first live race there. Filled in for Ernie Meyers. As a San Diego kid, along with Del Mar in the summers, where I fell in love with our great sport. Used to go with the great Don Alexander aka The Golden Throat. We'd sit in the back row of the grandstand and practice. Caliente and Ak-Sar-Ben stories are separate threads on their own.

DETROIT RACE COURSE: First full time job. Was fired after 3 years for being young, stupid and arrogant. At least I'm no longer young. Called 3 running's of the Michigan Mile. Badwagon Harry, De Jeau and Waquoit. DRC stories may be 2 threads.

GARDEN STATE PARK: The back-up to main announcer Ralph Siraco for 6 weeks in 1985. That was the year when Spend A Buck skipped the Preakness for a shot at a $2 million bonus by winning the Jersey Derby. I came within a few seconds of calling that race live on ESPN. New facility, wires crossed. Thank God they fixed it as the field entered the gate and we heard the great Dave Johnson. Laffit Pincay Jr. rode Spend A Buck not Cordero who was aboard in the Derby. Laffit's winning ride still ranks as the greatest I've ever seen.

BLUE RIBBON DOWNS: End of the earth town called Salisaw OK. Didn't stay long. Took over for a fill in guy they didn't think was ready. When I left they brought the fill in back and gave him the permanent job. That young announcer? LUKE K.!! (rip). He WAS ready.

YAKIMA MEADOWS: Went for a full season that ended up only being one weekend. Hialeah called. Worked for a great gentleman named Billy Aliment. Excellent golfer. Played for a while on the PGA Senior Tour.

THE WOODLANDS: Came in a couple weeks after the opening. They started meet with the Director of Marketing trying to also call the races. Proved too much so in I came. That marketing man? Former President of Hollywood Park and current Executive Director of the CHRB Rick Baedeker. That racetrack proved to be a fertile breeding ground for people that would go on to do great things in our industry. Along with Baedeker. Martin Panza, Lonny Powell, Bruce Rimbo, Rick Henson, Nancy Ury. Track was founded by R D Hubbard.

FAIRPLEX: Was known as Pomona back then. Never called a TB race there. Ralph Siraco was calling a harness meet there and let me try a couple.

VALLEJO: Called many seasons there as part of the Northern California Fair circuit.

Happy Holiday's to all DT'ers.

Cheers.

Goof