- Jamaica Racetrack
Jamaica Racetrack was an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility opened at
Jamaica, Queens ,New York on April 27, 1903 by the Metropolitan Jockey Club. One of the tracks founder's and a former president, wasEugene D. Wood for whom theWood Memorial Stakes is named.Legendary Hall of Fame
horse trainer Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons was the first to train at Jamaica Racetrack andNative Dancer made a winning debut here on April 19, 1952.The facility's attendance record of 64,679 was set on
Memorial Day , 1945. It was home to ongoing races such as theFrizette Stakes ,Paumonok Handicap ,Excelsior Breeders’ Cup Handicap ,Wood Memorial Stakes , Remsen Handicap,Bed O' Roses Breeders' Cup Handicap , and theJamaica Handicap .In 1955, the
New York Racing Association (NYRA) took over management of Jamaica Racetrack. In the late 1950s, NYRA undertook renovations on the other track in the Greater Jamaica area,Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, and Jamaica took the Big A dates. On August 1, 1959, with Aqueduct reopening that year, Jamaica ceased operations. Today it is the site of the Rochdale Village housing development.References
* [http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/historical_signs/hs_historical_sign.php?id=7911 Jamaica Racetrack information at the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation website]
ee also defunct New York race tracks:
*
Brighton Beach Race Course
*Gravesend Race Track
*Jerome Park Racetrack
*Morris Park Racecourse
*Sheepshead Bay Race Track
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