RIP Fort Erie

[Calzone Lord]

The famous old Canadian track about an hour and a half from here is set to close after its 115th season is finished up later this year.

http://www.drf.com/news/fort-erie-cl...ently-end-year


Several Hall of Fame horses have run at Fort Erie over the years. Northern Dancer won his career debut there under bug rider Ron Turcotte.

Here was the result chart for the 1st race ever run at FE -- June 16th 1897




Here is the result chart from the 4th race that day ...





Note that the winning horse carried only 85lbs !!! That's a light jockey!

[justindew]

Split variant that day, from what I read. The sun came out after the 2nd race and really changed the complexion of the racing surface.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by justindew

Split variant that day, from what I read. The sun came out after the 2nd race and really changed the complexion of the racing surface.

Figure making on the Beyer scale would have been something of a bitch pre 1940 because of all the insane weight shifts.

In one race -- a winning horse might carry 85lbs to victory -- in another race they might carry 128lbs.

The filly race went a full second faster than the opens in the above race, but note the difference in pace, weight carried, and the huge margins between the beaten horses in the filly race.

[Frost King]

Beautiful old track until they put the slots in. The first time I went was about 30 years ago. The thing that stuck out to me was the old tote board that was inside. The old fashion chalkboard with chalk. I absolutely fell in love with the board.

[Calzone Lord]

I watched Dance Smartly win the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at Fort Erie when I was about 10 year old. She swept the Canadian Triple Crown over the males and won the Breeders Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs to complete a perfect 8-for-8 season.

Dance Smartly was 3-for-5 at age 2. One defeat coming at Fort Erie in the Ontario Debutante -- the other was a 3rd place finish to Meadow Star in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies.

The racing scene from the movie The Black Stallion was shot at Fort Erie:




This is Fort Erie from 1929:

[OldDog]

Sad news. I've never been, but every time an old track shuts down it feels like another link to racing's past is gone.

Why did Ontario Lottery & Gaming pull the slots? Weren't they making money (how could they not be)?