Union Course
Union Course was a United States horse racing course in Queens, New York that hosted some of the most famous horse races in American history, including the 1823 match between American Eclipse and Sir Henry. The track was located in what is now the neighborhood of Woodhaven, between Jamaica Avenue on the north and Atlantic Avenue on the south, and 79th and 84th streets.
Background
Although horse races (and betting on them) had enjoyed popularity in New York prior to the American Revolution, the sport fell out of favor in the northern part of country after the war, and was seen as fostering immoral behavior. In 1802, the New York State legislature passed an "Act to Prevent Horse-Racing" and banned the sport altogether.[1][2][3] In 1820, the "New York Association for the Improvement of the Breed of Horses" (NYAIBH) was founded by John Cox Stevens and Cornelius W. Van Ranst, among others, and successfully pushed to repeal the ban.[2] In 1821, New York approved a limited bill allowing races only in May and October, and only in Queens.[2][4][5] Not coincidentally, NYAIBH had already purchased land in Jamaica on the western border of Queens with Brooklyn. The first races were held on October 15, 1821, when Lady Lightfoot suffered one of her few losses to the famed American Eclipse.
In the 1823 match set up by John Cox Stevens, American Eclipse (representing the North) raced Henry. Eclipse won the best-of-three heats competition. 60,000 spectators watched.[6][7][8][9]
By the 1860s, the popularity of Union Course declined, and trotting races became the main attraction. By 1888, the course had been subdivided into building lots for new housing.[10][11][12]
References
- ^ Eisenberg, John. The Great Match Race: When North Met South in America's First Sports Spectacle, p.62- (2007)(ISBN 978-0618872114)
- ^ a b c Kroessler, Jeffrey A. The Greater New York Sports Chronology, p. 18- (2009) (ISBN 978-0231146494)
- ^ Laws of the state of New-York, Vol. III, p.52 (1804)(text of bill as passed on March 19, 1802)
- ^ An Act to Amend..., p.451 (copy of act passed on March 30, 1821 allowing exemption)
- ^ Goldberg, Ryan (11 November 2010) The golden era of Brooklyn racing, Daily Racing Form, Retrieved November 15, 2010 ("That track gave way to the famous Union Course in 1821 at a location closer to the City of Brooklyn. The Union Course survived almost a half-century.")
- ^ (22 May 2009) Racing to history, Daily Racing News, Retrieved November 15, 2010 ("May 27, 1823: A $20,000 match race between American Eclipse (representing The North) and Henry (representing The South) was held at Union Course, Long Island. Eclipse won in two-of-three heats, after his original jockey, William Crafts, was replaced by Samuel Purdy before the second heat. The race, witnessed by 60,000 spectators, was the first to have been timed by split-second chronometers, which were imported for the event.")
- ^ Grimes, William (10 May 2006). The Day Two Great Horses Foreshadowed the Civil War, The New York Times, Retrieved November 15, 2010
- ^ (31 May 1908) Where the Ponies Run for the Masses, The New York Times, Retrieved November 12, 2010
- ^ (14 May 1905) New York Racing Returns to Its Original Home, The New York Times, Retrieved November 12, 2010
- ^ The End of a Famous Race Course, Wallace's Monthly, November 1888, p. 664
- ^ Union Course Park advertisement, Brooklyn Eagle (1888 advertisement)
- ^ The Running Turf in America, Harper's Magazine (June 1870)
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