This is the twenty fourth of a major series of articles concerning racetracks in the USA, continuing our review with a look at Delaware’s closed venues from past years.
Delaware – closed venues
Brandywine Raceway (BRD) –
Originally operating as a half mile track until its conversion to a five eights mile track in 1970, Brandywine Raceway near Wilmington, Delaware formed a racing circuit with Liberty Bell Park in nearby Philadelphia. Competition between the two tracks ultimately led to the demise of both tracks.
Nathan Miller led the quest for a harness racing track to serve the Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey areas. His son Howard Miller was in charge of Brandywine Raceway which proved an immediate success. Entrepreneur John Rollins purchased the operation in the mid-1960’s installing Hap Hansen as raceway director.
Opening before a crowd of 13,500 on 7 September 1953, Head Pin won the first race contested at Brandywine Raceway, a Class C pace for a stake of $900. In 1970 as part of a four million dollar upgrade Brandywine converted its racetrack from a half mile circuit to a five eighth mile oval (straight of 608 ft) with a new clubhouse featuring a window in its dining room which could become open air when weather and temperatures permitted. Its grandstand capacity was 12,000 with parking for 10.500 vehicles. The first meeting held on the new five eighths track was held on 1 July 1970; a record crowd of 25,275 attended the races on 23 July 1970 (Christmas in July meeting) with the same crowd setting a new betting record of $1,051,742.
Other track features included two tall water towers located in a centerfield lake; the ‘White House’ publicity office which hosted hospitality after racing had concluded; famed Horsemen’s Kitchen and Snack Bar. Brandywine was the first major track to race on Sundays; one of the first to provide exacta and trifecta betting and one of the first to offer free admission. CCTV and sound was provided by Electronic Race Patrol who were also the first to offer split screen and colour TV to fans. Between races, Brandywine featured a great number of interviews and vignettes to keep its patrons informed.
Brandywine innovated with a number of special events for patrons – Christmas In July; Bret Hanover’s world record attempt drew nearly 20,000 fans; father and son rivalry competition; races between Dancer and Filion families; Camel and Ostrich races; big band and top singers were other promotions. Many top sports and entertainment figures attended the track – Pete Rose, Julius Erving, Muhammad Ali, NFL (gridiron), NBA (basketball), NHL (ice hockey) and MLB (baseball) players often made presentations at the track.
Many top drivers and horses of the last half of the twentieth century raced on the Brandywine surface, including immortals Billy Haughton, Stanley Dancer and Joe O’Brien and a young Herve Filion started out there. Annually in June Brandywine was leadoff track for Grand Circuit racing during its heyday. The Battle of the Brandywine was the first major three-year-old pace each season (1960 – 1989) with winners including Niatross, Nero and Albatross. The Tom Hall Colt Pace and Nancy Hanks Filly Trot were major two year old events. Later in the season, the Marquis de Lafayette Trot and Adios Harry Pace were among leading older aged horse races. The top colts, fillies and older horses raced annually at Brandywine.
Among highlights at Brandywine were :
- Nansemond scoring another upset victory over legendary pacer Albatross following having beaten him in two heats of the Little Brown Jug
- Hall of Famer Herve Filion in 1970 trained and drove five horses from his stable to sub two minute victories.
- Su Mac Lad driven by Stanley Dancer defeated Speedy Scot and Speedy Count in an all-star FFA trot, the first of the year and the last race for previous seasons three year old of the year, Ayres, who was retired to stand as a Hanover Shoe Farm stallion
- Eddie Davis went onto become the all-time most winning driver at Delaware Valley tracks including Brandywine
- Rambling Willie was an early joiner of the 1:55 list – pacing 1:54.3 on 30 June 1977
- Track record holders : Pacing – Pershing Square, 1:53.4, 1985; Trotting – Lindy’s Crown T1:57.1, 1980
After several seasons of heavy financial losses, Brandywine closed to racing after its final meeting on 28 December 1989. This was after a slot bills was passed by an overwhelming majority in the Delaware legislature in June 1989. The slots bill would have passed into law without signature but was vetoed at the last minute by then governor Mike Castle. A strong effort to override the veto failed by one vote in January 1990. At the time of its closing after the 1989 campaign, Brandywine had the most two minute miles recorded on a five-eighths mile racetrack.
Today the site of Brandywine Raceway is a housing development named Brandywine Hunt. In the development is a street named Clubhouse Lane, bordering the lane is what appears to be the outline of the racing surface at Brandywine.
Kirkwood –
Kirkwood was a one mile kite track operated by Maple Valley Trotting Association from 1892. A downhill track, like Chillicothe, it was reconstructed so racing could be conducted on a level surface. The Wilmington Morning News report of 5 July 1892 (repeated in Morning Star of 24 May 1969), outlined a little of the history and opening days racing at this venue.
Dr. J.C. McCoy (sportsman/horse breeder/medical entrepreneur) on his farm at Kirkwood, 10 miles south of Wilmington, built a large kite shaped racetrack that offered purses attracting the finest racing talent available. Many horsemen sent their young stock to the McCoy farm to be handled and trained. McCoy owned Saladin, a great stallion who recorded a 2:05¾ mile in 1893 on the Kirkwood track. Saladin attracted large crowds but his superior speed meant he outclassed his opponents eventually leaving him without any contestants.
The Maple Valley Trotting Association’s kite track was opened on American Independence Day (4 July 1892). The track was watered by a mile of 2 inch pipe placed on the inside fence with sprinklers to provide a track in perfect condition. Water came from a 60 foot water tower storing 15,000 gallons of water. Stables for 100 horses and a grandstand seating 1,000 with restaurant below were among the facilities provided.
Opening day attracted a crowd of more than 8,000 to the quiet little Delaware town. Special trains ran from Wilmington (three trains from Wilmington alone : 10 carriages/1,500 passengers; 8 carriages/1,000 passengers; 6 carriages/880 passengers), New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Lancaster County. A specially priced ticket provided a round trip fare and entrance to the track. A considerable walk was required to the track and only 70 hacks were available to convey patrons. The grandstand filled quickly, the crowd spreading over both sides of the track over half its distance and several hundred carriages were tied up to the south of the track. The meeting featured a doubles trotting event that was reported as establishing a world record of 2:12.0 (Globe and Belle Hamlin). The day also featured dog and bicycle races.
Georgetown (GR) –
The half mile Georgetown Raceway was located about thirty five miles from Dover on Route 9 across from the Sussex County Airport. It featured a glass enclosed grandstand that hosted winter racing. Georgetown Raceway together with Dover Downs, Harrington Raceway and Brandywine provided year round harness racing in Delaware.
Before Georgetown Raceway opened the site was known as Delmarva Raceway where racing had taken place since the 1930’s. Delmarva Raceway should not be confused with Delmarva Downs, which is what Ocean Downs in Maryland was known as for a couple of years. With the opening of Brandywine Raceway in 1953, Delmarva Raceway applied for pari-mutual dates which it then sold to Brandywine to extend its season until Georgetown opened in 1965.
Georgetown Raceway opened for business on 3 November 1965 when a small crowd of 1,941 attended its opening night. The glass enclosed grandstand was not fully enclosed on opening night as glass for the sides of the grandstand had yet to arrive. Pearl C won the first race run at Georgetown which held the first harness racing double header in Delaware on its inaugural Saturday card on 6 November 1965.
The track featured mostly $500 claiming races meaning it fought to remain solvent during most of its short existence. The Securities and Exchange Commission ordered the track to close due to financial concerns on 15 November 1967 and following the securing of a loan the track reopened for racing on 9 December 1967. Georgetown track only lasted seven seasons from 1965 to 1971 before going out of business. C B Linda won the final race at Georgetown on 5 September 1971. Talk of the track being resurrected in 2009 as a racino came to nothing.
Next Article : Delaware part two
Peter Craig
29 March 2023
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
