Montgomery Park Race Track Explained

Montgomery Park Race Track
Location:	Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Owner:	New Memphis Jockey Club
Opened:	1851
Coursetype:	Flat racing 1 mile dirt oval
Notableraces:	Tennessee Derby Tennessee Oaks Montgomery Handicap

Montgomery Park Race Track was an American thoroughbred racetrack in Memphis, Tennessee.^[1]

History

The track was originally constructed in 1851 on plantation land southeast of Memphis. In 1882, Colonel Henry A. Montgomery organized the New Memphis Jockey Club, which purchased the race track and the surrounding land. The facility was named Montgomery Park at this time.

The track ran its last race meet in 1906 due to the outlawing of gambling by the Tennessee legislature. Following the closure, the track land and facilities were first leased and then purchased by the city of Memphis and incorporated into the Mid-South Fairgrounds.^{[2] [3]}

Physical attributes

The track consisted of a one mile dirt oval 65 feet wide at all points.^[4]

Track Records

Track records for Montgomery Park at various distances.^[5]

border="1" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size:90%"
Distance	Horse	Age	Weight	Date	Time
^1/2 mile	Rose Dele Strome				49
4^1/2 furlongs	Sainrida Montgomery				55 ^1/4
^5/8 mile	Horace E.				1:01 ^1/4
5^1/2 furlongs	Toah Nannie Hodge				1:08 ^1/4
^3/4 mile	Waring				1:14
^7/8 mile	Triaditza The Rush				1:27 ^3/4
7^1/2 furlongs	Elsie L.				1:34 ^1/2
1 mile	Rapid Water				1:40 ^1/2
1 m. & 70 yds.	Silurian				1:45 ^3/4
1^1/16 miles	Ram's Horn				1:47 ^1/2
1^1/8 miles	The Lady James Reddick				1:54 ^1/4
1^3/16 miles	Jack Young				2:02 ^1/2
1^1/4 miles	Joe Lesser				2:08 ^3/4
1^3/8 miles	Royal Choice				2:27
1^1/2 miles	Jackanapes				2:38 ^1/2
	Handsqueeze				2:48
	MacLaren				4:37

Notes and References

1. Web site: Henry A. Montgomery ...and the Historic Montgomery Park . Historic-Memphis. com . 2019-08-23 . 2019-08-23 .
2. Web site: History of the Fairgrounds - About - Kroc Memphis . 2012-08-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130102025554/http://www.krocmemphis.org/about/history-of-the-fairgrounds/ . 2013-01-02 .
3. Web site: Famous Race Course Now Public Park . Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives . 1912-01-19 . 2019-08-23.
4. Goodwin's Annual Official Turf Guide for 1905, Volume 1, p. ccxvii
5. American Racing Manual, Daily Racing Form Publishing Co., 1922 edition, p. 105