Narragansett Race Track
Encyclopedia
Narragansett Park was an American
race track
for Thoroughbred horse race
s in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
. On May 18, 1934 a special election was held, where by a 4-1 margin, pari-mutual wagering was made legal. Walter E. O'Hara formed the Narragansett Racing Association and was named president and manager. On June 2nd, 1,800 laborers were put to work on the former What Cheer Airport, and by the end of July, Narragansett Park was ready for business. 22 barns with stalls that could hold more than 1,000 horses, supported the one mile oval that was described by the Baltimore Sun as "the showplace of the North; one of the finest tracks in the country". The 182 acre (0.73652852 km²) property opened on August 1, 1934 with better than 35,000 people attending.
Some of its important races were the Rhode Island Handicap, Governors Handicap, King Phillip Handicap, Providence Stakes and the Narragansett Special
. In its heyday, the track hosted races in which numerous Thoroughbred
greats competed such as, Equipoise
, Challedon
, Discovery
, War Admiral
, Seabiscuit
, Stagehand
, and Gun Bow
- a virtual Who's Who for horseracing in the the 1930's and 40's ran at the track they called "Gansett".
On September 19th of 1942, one of the great races of the American Turf took place on this site. Whirlaway
, the 1941 Triple Crown Champ and 1941 Horse of the Year, took on, the one year younger, Alsab
, who was the reigning Preakness winner as well as 2 yr old and soon to become 3 yr old Champ.
Whirlaway
had won the rich 31k Narragansett Special just 7 days before and in the "winner-take-all" 25k Match race let Alsab
take the lead. "Whirly" closed strongly, but in the end, Alsab
went to the lead and lasted by a nose.
Whirlaway
was still named horse of the year for 1942 after defeating Alsab
twice in subsequent races.
A slow decline in the 1950's lead to a last gasp in the 1960's. "Go 'Gansett" was the slogan, but fewer people did.
Finally, the slow death ran it's course in the 1970's as competition for the betting
public saw the facility close following the Labor Day
weekend in 1978. The end was at hand as the facility was over a half million dollars in arrears for back-taxes. The next year, the city of Pawtucket bought the site for commercial and residential redevelopment. The entire property was bulldozed and eventually Hasbro built a facility on what was once the backstretch of a great race-track, and previously, the landing strip of an airport. All that remains of the racing plant today is the grandstand building, which is in use as an outlet for the discount retailer Building 19
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
race track
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
for Thoroughbred horse race
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...
s in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
. On May 18, 1934 a special election was held, where by a 4-1 margin, pari-mutual wagering was made legal. Walter E. O'Hara formed the Narragansett Racing Association and was named president and manager. On June 2nd, 1,800 laborers were put to work on the former What Cheer Airport, and by the end of July, Narragansett Park was ready for business. 22 barns with stalls that could hold more than 1,000 horses, supported the one mile oval that was described by the Baltimore Sun as "the showplace of the North; one of the finest tracks in the country". The 182 acre (0.73652852 km²) property opened on August 1, 1934 with better than 35,000 people attending.
Some of its important races were the Rhode Island Handicap, Governors Handicap, King Phillip Handicap, Providence Stakes and the Narragansett Special
Narragansett Special
The Narragansett Special was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Narragansett Race Track in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. At the time of its inaugural running in 1935, the Narragansett Special offered a purse of $25,000 making it New England's richest horse race Open to horses age three...
. In its heyday, the track hosted races in which numerous Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
greats competed such as, Equipoise
Equipoise
Equipoise may refer to:* Equipoise , a 1993 album by Happy Rhodes* Equipoise , a thoroughbred race horse* Clinical equipoise, or the Principle of Equipoise, a medical research term...
, Challedon
Challedon
Challedon was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred in Maryland by William L. Brann and Robert S. Castle, he raced under the colors of their Branncastle Farm....
, Discovery
Discovery
Discovery may refer to:* Discovery , observing or finding something unknown* Discovery , a character's learning something unknown* Discovery , a process in courts of law relating to evidence- Devices :...
, War Admiral
War Admiral
War Admiral was an American thoroughbred racehorse, the offspring of the great thoroughbred Man o' War and the mare Brushup. He inherited his father's fiery temperament and talent, but did not resemble him physically...
, Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. From an inauspicious start, Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression...
, Stagehand
Stagehand
A stagehand is a person who works backstage or behind the scenes in theatres, film, television, or location performance. Their duties include setting up the scenery, lights, sound, props, rigging, and special effects for a production.-Types of stagehand:...
, and Gun Bow
Gun Bow
Gun Bow was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse. Owned and bred by cosmetics tycoon Elizabeth Arden at her Maine Chance Farm, Gun Bow was sired by Gun Shot, a son of Hyperion, the 1933 Epsom Derby winner and a six-time leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland. He was out of the mare...
- a virtual Who's Who for horseracing in the the 1930's and 40's ran at the track they called "Gansett".
On September 19th of 1942, one of the great races of the American Turf took place on this site. Whirlaway
Whirlaway
Whirlaway was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse.The chestnut horse was sired by English Derby winner Blenheim II, out of the broodmare Dustwhirl. Whirlaway was bred at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky....
, the 1941 Triple Crown Champ and 1941 Horse of the Year, took on, the one year younger, Alsab
Alsab
Alsab was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. Alsab was voted the 1941 U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and in his three-year-old season in which jockey Basil James rode him to a win in the Preakness Stakes and second-place to Shut Out in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, he...
, who was the reigning Preakness winner as well as 2 yr old and soon to become 3 yr old Champ.
Whirlaway
Whirlaway
Whirlaway was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse.The chestnut horse was sired by English Derby winner Blenheim II, out of the broodmare Dustwhirl. Whirlaway was bred at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky....
had won the rich 31k Narragansett Special just 7 days before and in the "winner-take-all" 25k Match race let Alsab
Alsab
Alsab was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. Alsab was voted the 1941 U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and in his three-year-old season in which jockey Basil James rode him to a win in the Preakness Stakes and second-place to Shut Out in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, he...
take the lead. "Whirly" closed strongly, but in the end, Alsab
Alsab
Alsab was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. Alsab was voted the 1941 U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and in his three-year-old season in which jockey Basil James rode him to a win in the Preakness Stakes and second-place to Shut Out in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, he...
went to the lead and lasted by a nose.
Whirlaway
Whirlaway
Whirlaway was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse.The chestnut horse was sired by English Derby winner Blenheim II, out of the broodmare Dustwhirl. Whirlaway was bred at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky....
was still named horse of the year for 1942 after defeating Alsab
Alsab
Alsab was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. Alsab was voted the 1941 U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and in his three-year-old season in which jockey Basil James rode him to a win in the Preakness Stakes and second-place to Shut Out in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, he...
twice in subsequent races.
A slow decline in the 1950's lead to a last gasp in the 1960's. "Go 'Gansett" was the slogan, but fewer people did.
Finally, the slow death ran it's course in the 1970's as competition for the betting
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
public saw the facility close following the Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend in 1978. The end was at hand as the facility was over a half million dollars in arrears for back-taxes. The next year, the city of Pawtucket bought the site for commercial and residential redevelopment. The entire property was bulldozed and eventually Hasbro built a facility on what was once the backstretch of a great race-track, and previously, the landing strip of an airport. All that remains of the racing plant today is the grandstand building, which is in use as an outlet for the discount retailer Building 19
Building 19
Building #19 is a chain of discount stores in New England. The store is well-known throughout New England for selling items at drastically discounted prices, although the items are oftentimes factory irregulars or damaged in some other way...
.