Detroit has a strong sporting heritage, with many of the leading sports across North America being represented within the area.
However, horse racing is one of the sports that rarely threatened to break the status quo. Last year, the area lost its one remaining horse racing venue, as Northville Downs closed its doors for the first time.
Therefore, that means that long-suffering fans of the sport will now need to travel long distances to watch the best that horse racing has to offer. But, what was the horse racing scene in Detroit like, and what were some of the most popular venues in the region prior to their closures?
Hazel Park Raceway
Hazel Park Raceway was one of the most successful early ventures by businessman into the world of horse racing within the Detroit area.
The track was opened to the public for the first time in 1949, and racing was staged at the course every Friday and Saturday between May and September.
As well as thoroughbred action, there was also harness racing staged at Hazel Park throughout the season. Thoroughbred racing was scrapped from the schedule after 1985, before making a short-lived return in April 2018.
However, the track was never able to give racing fans in the region what was needed, as competitive and high-quality action was rare. That ultimately led to the closure of Hazel Park Raceday in 2019. Nowadays, it is a distribution center for Amazon.
Sports Creek Raceway
Sports Creek Raceway opened its doors to the public in 1986, and it was located at a 100-acre site in Swartz Creek, Michigan. It was a hugely popular location for fans of the sport during its early history, and it generously gave back to the local area, with 100 workers employed on race day during the season.
The track would continue to be a common sporting venue, including in 2013 saw $15.3 million change hands in simulcast wagering. But, the track would be losing money for a long period before its ultimate closure.
Revenues at Sports Creek declined from 1998, which led to the eventual closure in 2014. The final year of racing action on track was a sad affair, with just eight days taking place.
Fresh hope was given to locals in the area in 2018 after Sports Creek was purchased by AmRace and Sports, who planned to re-open the track to stage thoroughbred racing. However, nothing has yet materialised.
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Northville Downs
Michigan’s final horse racing venue closed its doors for the final time in 2024, as Northville Downs staged its final day of action. Its final days were celebrated by those that had become locals at the course, with many claiming that the final meet was more well attended than the day of the Kentucky Derby.
Downs was once the number one spectator sport in the region, but it always appeared that the days of the track were numbered when many of the courses around it were closing their doors for the final time.
Still, Northville’s story remains a successful one. The track first opened in 1944, and was one of six in the local area. Furthermore, it was the first to offer parimutuel gambling in the state.
Owners of the Downs had looked to get back involved in the sport following the closure with sights set on land in Plymouth Township. However, opposition to these plans now means that jockeys and fans from the local area will have to travel out of the state to get to the nearest track.
Where to Watch Racing Now?
Following the closures of all racetracks in the Michigan state, it means that fans of the sport will now need to travel further afield to watching horse action. Unfortunately for U.S. fans, the nearest track geographically is located in Canada, as Woodbine will be a high-quality destination on the outskirts of Toronto.
For those looking to stay inside of the United States, flights will be needed to reach some of the world-leading tracks in the country.
The only exception to that could come in the form of Churchill Downs, which is a five-hour drive from downtown Detroit. Churchill Downs is one of the world’s best venues for horse racing, and it typically attracts worldwide visitors for some of the most important racedays of the year.
The most important of those comes in the form of the word-famous Kentucky Derby, which is staged annually on the first Saturday in May. This race has been staged since 1875, and serves at the opening leg to the Triple Crown series. It has produced no shortage of memorable moments throughout history, including Secretariat’s record-breaking win in 1973, while also setting future superstars such as Justify and American Pharoah on their path to Triple Crown glory.
Photo credits:
By Bpeterse – Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/
