Last Days at the Aqueduct: New York’s Rundown Racetrack

On the final Sunday of June, the Aqueduct Racetrack in New York City closed its doors after 132 years of operation. The track had once been the world's largest racetrack and boasted a grandstand that could hold 82,000 spectators, along with bars, restaurants, and a hospital. The closure came after the New York Racing Association decided to consolidate racing operations downstate at Belmont Park and develop a new, modern racetrack there.

While the track's heyday was in the mid-1960s, it had seen a decline over the years, with aging crowds and a lack of high-end amenities. Despite this, many longtime patrons were saddened by the track's closure, recalling fond memories of their first visits and the races they had witnessed. NYRA's $555 million investment in Belmont Park was seen as an attempt to bring the excitement and glamour back to New York's racing scene.