Hamilton Jockey Club - 1893

“About two inches of snow covered the new grounds of the Central Fair and Industrial Company yesterday when the large party of invited guests went out to view the scene, but this had no noticeable effect upon the enthusiasm of the horsemen and citizens generally who took in the little Jaunt”

          “Call It Hendrie Park : A Fitting Name for the Fair Grounds and Race Track” Hamilton Herald. November 30, 1892¹

          Despite the cold and unpleasant weather of Tuesday afternoon, November 29, 1892, a large number of prominent gentlemen gathered at Hamilton’s Stuart street railway station to board a special train which was moved out at 2:30 p.m.

          Seven minutes later, the party arrived at the seventy-one and a half acres of property which had purchased from Mr. J. W. Gage for $250 an acre. The property had been acquired for the purpose of building what was hoped to be the finest race track on the North American continent.

          The gentlemen, on arriving at the property, were surprised at the progress which had already been made:

          “Upon alighting from the train, the party tramped through the snow to the grandstand. The admiration of everyone present was let loose at the site of this fine structure which is rapidly nearing completion. It is only a short distance from the railway entrance and not much further from the main entrance on Barton street.”¹

                The grandstand was not only a substantial structure, but also a handsome one. Ten tiers of seats provided enough seating for 1500 people. The first row of seats was built at a height of ten feet off the ground. Underneath the grandstand, a refreshment booth and retiring rooms for ladies and gentlemen were provided. The finish post of the track was located directly in front of the grandstand.

          To the east of the grandstand provision was made for a bookmakers’ ring and carriage stands. The saddling paddock was located west of the grandstand.

          The roadhouse, or club house associated with the track was located in the southwest corner of the property within easy reach of the planned extension of Hamilton Street Railway’s Barton street line:

          “The architecture is colonial Queen Anne style. Part of the building will be used for a roadhouse, and the other portion for club members. There are fireplaces in the ladies’ parlor and sitting room. As the club house is some distance from the grandstand, there is a veranda from where the members can view the races, and it is the intention to build a small stand for ladies.” ²

² “May Call It Hendrie Park : Ald. Moore Suggests a Name for the Race Track”. Hamilton Spectator. November 30, 1892.

          The main entrance drive to the grounds passed under a stone archway which had been built using stones gathered from the property when it still was the Gage farm. The massive gateposts, also made with stones gathered from the farm, were over 12 feet high.

          The grounds to the race track and the amenities which surrounded it consisted of 71 ½ acres, while an additional 51 acres were available for use as a fair grounds. Nothing had been done to the proposed fair ground area, as it had been proposed that both the City of Hamilton and the County of Wentworth be asked to provide financial assistance to the scheme.

          When the gentlemen were about to boarded the train from the return trip to the city, a few speeches were made. In his address, Mr. E. King Dodds said that he had no doubt that horse races would attract large crowds, not only from Hamilton but also from Toronto.

Mr. Dodds also thanked Mr. William Hendrie who, as president of the Ontario Jockey Club, had brought the sport of horseracing out of the hands of dishonest people:

Until now the purest lady in the land and the best gentleman could take an interest in the sport.”²

Mayor Blaicher was present at the gathering, but owing to illness, could only say a few words. He yielded to Alderman Moore to speak on behalf of the City of Hamilton :

“Alderman Moore said that as a member of council, he would do all he could for the fair grounds. He understood that no name had been given to the park, and he suggested that it be called ‘Hendrie Park.’ (Applause) With all deference to Mr. Hendrie’s modesty, he made the suggestion. ‘We all know what racing was and how it has been elevated by him,’ the alderman concluded.” ²

Mr. William Hendrie thanked Alderman Moore for his kind reference to him, and then proceeded to outline the history of the project to that  point:

“The first suggestion, he said, came from a member of the Board of Trade, and he referred to the appointment of the committee, and the steps leading to the formation of the company. He thought everything about the track was about near right as possible. The draining was perfect, but no credit was claimed for the buildings as they were copies from other places. He also spoke of the excellent railway facilities, and said that the electric cars would also run to the track.”²

Mr. Hendrie concluded his address by expressing his confidence that the agricultural fair beside the race track would be a success.

Mr. Nicholas Awrey, M.P.P. was about to speak when the train began to move, when the train started to move. After all the gentleman were able to hastily get on board, Awrey delivered his speech in the passenger car:

“Mr. Awrey said it was a great racetrack, but as a farmer he was most interested in the fair grounds. He suggested that buildings be erected so as to hold a provincial fat stock and stallion show. He thought if the city and county would put up the buildings, the government would grant the prizes, and the show would be equal to the industrial exhibition. He considered that the city and country members would be recreant to their duty if they did not deal liberally with the enterprise.”²

Up to May 31, 1893, the Hamilton Jockey Club had spent $80,000 on the race track grounds. The grandstand, betting ring, saddling paddocks and stables were of the best construction possible.

There were two tracks on the grounds, one within the other :

“The inner being a seventy-foot trotting track, and the outer sixty feet wide for running. The former is exactly one mile long three feet from the rail. In the center is the steeplechase track, with water jumps etc., which is highly praised by visiting horsemen.”³

³  “How the Horses Should Run : Probable Winners of Several Races Today” Hamilton Spectator. June 1, 1893.

Thursday, June 1, 1893 was selected as the day for the inauguration of operations at Hamilton’s magnificent new race track.

For weeks previous to opening day, the directors of the Hamilton Jockey Club had been preoccupied with the weather forecasts:

“Despair and hope have alternately been depicted on the faces as the clouds thickened and the fine rain drizzled down, or as the sun could be dimly seen doing his best to struggle through the thick grey banks of clouds which jealously hid him. At length, as the day worn on, the hope of fine weather for the opening day of the inaugural meeting quite vanished, and the officers of the Hamilton Jockey Club did made brave efforts to look as cheerful as possible.”⁴

⁴  “ HJC : Opening of the finest track in Canada” Hamilton Spectator. June 2, 1893

The weather conditions did not defer the keen track enthusiasts, but many of the fashionable ladies of the city were unwilling to risk having their new dresses exposed to the elements:

“At it was, however, a crowd that was respectable in size and exceptional in quality, had gathered at the track by 2 o’clock. The people continued to trail in, and before the races began, the grandstand was almost filled, and a large portion of its occupants were ladies, in spite of the dull, lowering sky and cool air, all dressed in bright summer costumes.”⁴

At 2 p.m., the bell at the judges’ stand was rung to signal that proceedings were about to begin. The crowds, which had been milling about the grounds, quickly filled the grandstand and impatiently awaited the first race:

“Many ladies asked eager questions of men they never saw before, and the men, most of whom didn’t know anymore than the ladies about the subject in hand, replied with as much evasive wisdom as they could muster.⁴

Shortly after 2:30 p.m., a party consisting of over 100 prominent ladies and gentlemen, headed by Ontario Lieutenant-Governor Kirkpatrick and Mr. J. M. Lottridge, president of the Hamilton Jockey Club, arrived at the members’ stand:

“Presently a Thirteenth bugler, in uniform, blows a warning blast, and the horses entered for the first race come out. A buzz of comment runs along the grandstand. It is not a very important race, the inaugural one – only a scurry of six furlongs, in which four horses are entered. On account of the short distance, the start is made on the opposite side of the track, and can hardly be seen by the spectators, who are taken unawares. The racers have gone several yards before the crowd realizes that the race has begun, and the time-honored ejaculation, ‘They’re off!’ passes from mouth to mouth of those who feel in duty-bound to utter it because it is the proper thing to do. With wide-strained eyes, the people watch the fair flyers, the ladies uttering shrill little cries as the jocks begin to apply the whip. As the finish is neared, two of the racers draw away from the others and came thundering down the stretch together.”⁴

The finish was so close nobody seemed to know whether the winner was Coquette or Victorious. However, the latter horse lived up to its name, becoming the first winner at the Hamilton Jockey Club’s new track.