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Monday, February 7, 2000-On this date
Roosevelt Raceway, which had closed its doors 12 years earlier after giving
Long Island the best of harness racing for almost 48 years finally was torn
down. What was a landmark along the Meadowbrook Parkway in Westbury, New
York, is no more.
Roosevelt Raceway opened on the evening of September 2, 1940 bringing
harness racing to Long Island. It was built in a location very close (about
1/2 mile) to where Charles Lindberg took off on his historic flight to
Europe. The raceway was open for almost 48 years until its final racing
program on July 15, 1988.
For many years Roosevelt along with her sister track Yonkers Raceway was the
worlds formost harness tracks leading in attendance, handle, and purses.
Roosevelt Raceway introduced a new type of tote board which showed what a
horses possible win place and show prices will be rather than display the
odds.
In 1946 Roosevelt introduced the mobile starting gate to Harness Racing
which is now the standard gate used for the sport the world over.
For many years the Roosevelt International Trot was held there, probably the
second most important harness race second only to the Hambletonian.
Roosevelt highlighted the careers of some of harness racing's great horses
such as Albatross and Niatross and drivers Carmine Abbatiello-Del Insko-Stanley
Dancer-Lucien Fontaine-Norman Dauplaise-John Chapman-William Haughton-Satch
Werner-Eddie Cobb-Ben Webster-Earl Cruise-Buddy Gilmore-George Phalen-Herve
Filion-Henri Filion-Frank Popfinger-Russell Rash-William Myer-George Sholty-Frank
Tagariello-Real Cormier-Ken McNutt-Alan Myer-Jimmy Cruise Sr.-Mike Santa
Maria-Jim Tallman. |
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