Freehold Raceway facts for kids
| Location | Freehold Borough, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°15′18″N 74°17′15″W / 40.254999°N 74.28762°W |
| Owned by | Penn National Gaming and Greenwood Racing |
| Date opened | 1830s (informally) 1854 (officially) |
| Course type | Harness racing |
| Notable races | Cane Pace |
Freehold Raceway is a famous racetrack in Freehold Borough, New Jersey. It's a half-mile track, which means it's quite small. This makes it the oldest racetrack in the United States! People have been watching horse races here since the 1830s.
In 1854, a group called the Monmouth County Agricultural Society started holding yearly fairs. These fairs included exciting harness races. In harness racing, horses pull a small two-wheeled cart called a sulky. A driver sits in the sulky behind the horse.
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History of Freehold Raceway
Freehold Raceway has a long and interesting history. It has seen many changes over the years.
The Cane Pace Race
From 1998 to 2010, Freehold Raceway hosted the Cane Pace. This is a very important harness horse race. It has been held every year since 1955.
In 1956, the Cane Pace became part of something special. It joined two other races, the Little Brown Jug and the Messenger Stakes. Together, these three races form the first leg of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers. Winning all three is a huge achievement for a horse.
Rebuilding After a Fire
In 1984, a big electrical fire destroyed the main building at the raceway. This was a sad event for everyone.
For a while, races were held under large tents. This allowed the racing to continue. A brand new building was finished in 1986.
New Ownership and Temporary Homes
In 1998, two companies bought Freehold Raceway. These were Penn National Gaming and Greenwood Racing. Greenwood Racing also owns Parx Casino and Racing.
In 2005, Freehold Raceway helped out another track. It became the temporary home for the Yonkers Trot. This race is part of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters. It was held at Freehold while Yonkers Raceway was being updated.
Freehold Raceway Mall
In 1990, the Freehold Raceway Mall opened right across the street. Until 2007, the mall was decorated with themes from harness racing. This showed its connection to the famous track nearby.
Racing Seasons at Freehold
Freehold Raceway holds races during two main times of the year. They race from New Year's Day until the end of May. Then, they open again in September and race until mid-December.
New Jersey has two main harness tracks. One is Freehold Raceway. The other is The Meadowlands. Many farms and training centers are located near Freehold Raceway. These places are home to hundreds of special racehorses called standardbreds.
Triple Dead Heat Race
Freehold Raceway was the site of a very rare event. It was the first time a "photo finish" showed three horses crossing the finish line at the exact same moment in a harness race. This is called a triple dead heat.
Before photo finish technology, judges used their eyes. It was more common then to have dead heats. But with cameras, it became much rarer.
On October 3, 1953, three horses finished together. Their names were Patchover, Payne Hall, and Penny Maid. Their noses all crossed the finish line at the same time. It was an amazing moment in racing history!
