Morris Park Racecourse
Encyclopedia
Morris Park Racecourse was an American thoroughbred horse racing
facility from 1889 until 1904. It was located in a part of Westchester County, New York
that was annexed into the Bronx
in 1895 and later became known as Morris Park
. The racecourse was the site of the Belmont Stakes
from 1890 through 1904 as well as the Preakness Stakes
in 1890.
as a result of the planned closure of the nearby Jerome Park Racetrack
, where racing ended in 1894 to make way for the Jerome Park Reservoir
. Principal owner John Morris had extensive business interests in Louisiana
and the prominent New York businessman and horseracing enthusiast Leonard W. Jerome served as the racecourse's president. African-American Racing Hall of Fame
jockey Isaac Murphy
rode on opening day at the new facility—August 20, 1889—and Morris Park was described as "the finest race track in the world." Accessible by horse and buggy, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
added a short spur from its main line near the Van Nest
station that brought racing fans directly to the new race track from the greater New York City
area.
On June 10, 1890, Morris Park Racecourse hosted both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. While the Preakness Stakes was canceled for three years then restarted in 1894 at Gravesend Race Track
on Coney Island
, the Belmont Stakes was held at Morris Park until it moved to Belmont Park
on Long Island
in 1905. During this same period of 1890 through 1904, the Champagne Stakes and the Ladies Handicap
were also raced here. The Metropolitan Handicap
was inaugurated here in 1891 as was the Matron Stakes the following year.
A few days before he died in May 1895, John Morris leased the racecourse, with an option to purchase, to the Westchester Racing Association. Although the 1½ mile racecourse was modified to a one mile circuit to allow for better spectator viewing, a lack of patronage by high society
members meant the clubhouse was usually empty. By 1902, the decline in attendance resulted in the decision to close Morris Park Racecourse.
The final day of races was held on October 15, 1904, and racing shifted to the new Belmont Park the following year.
After its closure, the Morris Park Racecourse was used for automobile racing but a few years later the Morris heirs sold the property to real estate developers. The new owners ran into financial problems which resulted in the track being taken over by the City of New York in 1907. The city then leased it for two years to the Aeronautic Society of New York who hosted the first public air show
on the grounds. In June 1909, Glenn H. Curtiss put on a flying exhibition at Morris Park.
On April 10, 1910 a fire ravaged much of the stables and nearby facilities. Three years later the property was auctioned off to developers who would subdivide the land into building lots. As late as 1921 the clubhouse was still intact when it was sold as part of a fourteen-lot package to a company who converted it for use as a factory to manufacture ornamental iron
.
Northeast Corridor
, on the east by Williamsbridge Road, on the west by what is now Bronxdale Road, and on the north by Pelham Parkway
. The grandstand stood at the intersection of Bogart and Fowler Avenues and the clubhouse was near the intersection of Fowler and Van Nest Avenues.
The racetrack covered 360 acres (1.5 km²) and had a grandstand 650 feet (198.1 m) long that could accommodate up to 15,000 attendees. The main track had circumference of 1+1/2 mi, with a stretch that was 2250 feet (685.8 m) long and widened from 80 feet (24.4 m) at the top of the homestretch to 240 feet (73.2 m) at the finish line. The north end of the track was located on a hill so horses had to run uphill on the backstretch and downhill on the homestretch. A chute
on the main track permitted races of 1+1/8 mi to be run with one turn. Another track called the Eclipse course ran diagonally across the main track on a straightaway of 3/4 mi, joining the main track at its finish line. It was named after Eclipse, a horse owned by Francis Morris. A six furlongs race on the Eclipse course was nicknamed the "Toboggan Slide" and continues to be run today at Aqueduct Racetrack
as the Toboggan Handicap
. The stables at Morris Park Racecourse held a total of 1,000 stalls, more than any two of the other American racetracks combined.
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
facility from 1889 until 1904. It was located in a part of Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
that was annexed into the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
in 1895 and later became known as Morris Park
Morris Park, Bronx
Morris Park is a neighborhood in the Bronx borough of New York City . The neighborhood is part of Community Board 11 in the East Bronx. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: Pelham Parkway to the north, the Amtrak Northeast Corridor tracks to the east and south, and...
. The racecourse was the site of the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
from 1890 through 1904 as well as the Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
in 1890.
History
Morris Park Racecourse was conceived and built by majority shareholder John Albert MorrisJohn Albert Morris
John Albert Morris was an American businessman widely known as the "Lottery King" and a prominent figure in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing...
as a result of the planned closure of the nearby Jerome Park Racetrack
Jerome Park Racetrack
Jerome Park Racetrack was an American thoroughbred horse racing facility.-History:It opened in 1866 in the northwest part of Fordham, Westchester County , New York....
, where racing ended in 1894 to make way for the Jerome Park Reservoir
Jerome Park Reservoir
The Jerome Park Reservoir is located in Jerome Park, a neighborhood in the North Bronx, New York City. It was built in 1906 to serve the Croton Aqueduct as part of the New York City water supply system....
. Principal owner John Morris had extensive business interests in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and the prominent New York businessman and horseracing enthusiast Leonard W. Jerome served as the racecourse's president. African-American Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
jockey Isaac Murphy
Isaac Burns Murphy
Isaac Burns Murphy was an African-American Hall of Fame jockey, who is considered one of the greatest riders in American Thoroughbred horse racing history. Murphy won three Kentucky Derbies.-Early life:...
rode on opening day at the new facility—August 20, 1889—and Morris Park was described as "the finest race track in the world." Accessible by horse and buggy, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
added a short spur from its main line near the Van Nest
Van Nest, Bronx
Van Nest is a working class neighborhood geographically located in the east Bronx borough of New York City in the United States. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 11. Its boundaries, starting clockwise are as follows: Bronxdale Avenue to the northeast, the Amtrak tracks and part of...
station that brought racing fans directly to the new race track from the greater New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
area.
On June 10, 1890, Morris Park Racecourse hosted both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. While the Preakness Stakes was canceled for three years then restarted in 1894 at Gravesend Race Track
Gravesend Race Track
Gravesend Race Track at Gravesend on Coney Island, New York was a Thoroughbred horse racing facility built by the Brooklyn Jockey Club as a result of the backing of the wealthy racing stable owners, the Dwyer Brothers. Philip J...
on Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
, the Belmont Stakes was held at Morris Park until it moved to Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
in 1905. During this same period of 1890 through 1904, the Champagne Stakes and the Ladies Handicap
Ladies Handicap
The Ladies Handicap is a historic American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies three years of age and older that is held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Inaugurated at the Jerome Park Racetrack in 1868, it is the oldest stakes race in the U.S. exclusively for fillies and mares...
were also raced here. The Metropolitan Handicap
Metropolitan Handicap
The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile," is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the last week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile .The Met Mile was first...
was inaugurated here in 1891 as was the Matron Stakes the following year.
A few days before he died in May 1895, John Morris leased the racecourse, with an option to purchase, to the Westchester Racing Association. Although the 1½ mile racecourse was modified to a one mile circuit to allow for better spectator viewing, a lack of patronage by high society
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
members meant the clubhouse was usually empty. By 1902, the decline in attendance resulted in the decision to close Morris Park Racecourse.
The final day of races was held on October 15, 1904, and racing shifted to the new Belmont Park the following year.
After its closure, the Morris Park Racecourse was used for automobile racing but a few years later the Morris heirs sold the property to real estate developers. The new owners ran into financial problems which resulted in the track being taken over by the City of New York in 1907. The city then leased it for two years to the Aeronautic Society of New York who hosted the first public air show
Air show
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
on the grounds. In June 1909, Glenn H. Curtiss put on a flying exhibition at Morris Park.
On April 10, 1910 a fire ravaged much of the stables and nearby facilities. Three years later the property was auctioned off to developers who would subdivide the land into building lots. As late as 1921 the clubhouse was still intact when it was sold as part of a fourteen-lot package to a company who converted it for use as a factory to manufacture ornamental iron
Ornamental iron
-External links:**...
.
Physical attributes
Morris Park Racecourse was situated in the area bounded on the south by Sackett Avenue and the AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
, on the east by Williamsbridge Road, on the west by what is now Bronxdale Road, and on the north by Pelham Parkway
Pelham Parkway
The Bronx and Pelham Parkway is a parkway in the borough of the Bronx in New York City. Despite the parkway moniker, Pelham Parkway is a local street, with two main roadways , and two service roads. Like other parkways in New York City, commercial traffic is disallowed, and is redirected to the...
. The grandstand stood at the intersection of Bogart and Fowler Avenues and the clubhouse was near the intersection of Fowler and Van Nest Avenues.
The racetrack covered 360 acres (1.5 km²) and had a grandstand 650 feet (198.1 m) long that could accommodate up to 15,000 attendees. The main track had circumference of 1+1/2 mi, with a stretch that was 2250 feet (685.8 m) long and widened from 80 feet (24.4 m) at the top of the homestretch to 240 feet (73.2 m) at the finish line. The north end of the track was located on a hill so horses had to run uphill on the backstretch and downhill on the homestretch. A chute
Chute (racecourse)
In horse racing, the term chute refers to an extended path increasing the length of a straight portion of a racecourse, particularly an oval-shaped one, allowing races of a specified distance to start at a location other than on one of the turns....
on the main track permitted races of 1+1/8 mi to be run with one turn. Another track called the Eclipse course ran diagonally across the main track on a straightaway of 3/4 mi, joining the main track at its finish line. It was named after Eclipse, a horse owned by Francis Morris. A six furlongs race on the Eclipse course was nicknamed the "Toboggan Slide" and continues to be run today at Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing facility and racino in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.-History:...
as the Toboggan Handicap
Toboggan Handicap
The Toboggan Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the first week of March at Aqueduct Race Track in Queens, New York. Open to horses aged three and older, the Grade III event is contested over at a distance of six furlongs on the dirt and offers a purse of $100,000 ...
. The stables at Morris Park Racecourse held a total of 1,000 stalls, more than any two of the other American racetracks combined.
See also defunct New York race tracks
- Brighton Beach Race CourseBrighton Beach Race CourseThe Brighton Beach Race Course was an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility opened at Brighton Beach, Coney Island, New York on June 28, 1879 by the Brighton Beach Racing Association. Headed by real estate developer William A. Engeman, who owned the Brighton Beach Hotel, the one-mile race...
- Gravesend Race TrackGravesend Race TrackGravesend Race Track at Gravesend on Coney Island, New York was a Thoroughbred horse racing facility built by the Brooklyn Jockey Club as a result of the backing of the wealthy racing stable owners, the Dwyer Brothers. Philip J...
- Jamaica RacetrackJamaica RacetrackJamaica Race Course was an American thoroughbred horse racing facility operated by the Metropolitan Jockey Club in Jamaica, New York. The track opened on April 27, 1903, a day which featured the inaugural running of the Excelsior Handicap. Eugene D. Wood, one of the founders and largest...
- Jerome Park RacetrackJerome Park RacetrackJerome Park Racetrack was an American thoroughbred horse racing facility.-History:It opened in 1866 in the northwest part of Fordham, Westchester County , New York....
- Sheepshead Bay Race TrackSheepshead Bay Race TrackSheepshead Bay Race Track was an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility built on the site of the Coney Island Jockey Club at Sheepshead Bay, New York...