Meadowlands Racetrack

The Meadowlands Racetrack is a horse racing track at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Related Topics:
Horse racing - Meadowlands Sports Complex - East Rutherford, New Jersey

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The track hosts both thoroughbred racing and harness racing; its first-ever harness race was run on September 1, 1976 while thoroughbred racing commenced on September 6, 1977. With the exception of the opening season of 1976, the autumn has been dedicated to the thoroughbreds, while the rest of the year features standardbreds, or harness horses.

Related Topics:
Thoroughbred racing - Harness racing - September 1 - 1976 - September 6 - 1977 - Autumn - Thoroughbred - Standardbred

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The advertising campaign that accompanied the start of thoroughbred racing at the Meadowlands in 1977 was highly sophisticated and well-received, and was chiefly noted for its use of the song "Racing With The Moon," originally popularized in 1941 by bandleader Vaughn Monroe (alluding to the fact that the racing was to be conducted at night - a circumstance that still pertains, although afternoon programs during long holiday weekends are occasionally put on).

Related Topics:
Advertising - 1977 - 1941 - Vaughn Monroe

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The Meadowlands Racetrack, including the main building, horse barns and site, was designed by the Philadelphia architectural firm of Ewing Cole, who also designed a number of other track facilities around the world.

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Like many racecourses in the United States, the main (dirt) track at the Meadowlands has a one-mile (1609 m) circumference; inside of this is a turf course (used by the thoroughbreds only) which is 7 furlongs (1408 m) in length. With a span of exactly 3/16ths of a mile (302 m) from the top of the stretch to the finish line and a distance of exactly 1/16th of a mile (101 m) from the finish line to the beginning of the first (clubhouse) turn, the dimensions of the track are considered "typical" or "standard" for an American racetrack. The main track is 90 feet (27 m) wide, while the width of the turf course is 80 feet (24 m).

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With its sweeping curves and wide stretches, the "Big M" has been known for exceptional times for harness racing. Opening night at the track featured the fastest harness mile run in New Jersey to that time, 1:55 3/5 by Rambling Willie. The world record for a mile by a standardbred, 1:47 3/5 by Jenna's Beach Boy, was established at the track on June 22, 1996, in the final of the Alfred E. Driscoll Series, named after a former state governor.

Related Topics:
New Jersey - Rambling Willie - Jenna's Beach Boy - June 22 - 1996 - Alfred E. Driscoll

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