Arlington Downs

Arlington Downs was an American horse racing track located in Arlington, Texas in Tarrant County, approximately 20 miles (32 km) from downtown Fort Worth, Texas. The $3 million facility, a 1¼-mile track with a 6,000-seat grandstand, was constructed on William T. Waggoner's 3D's Stock Farm, and opened on November 1, 1929.^[1]

History

Waggoner built the track for prize-winning horse races before parimutuel betting was legalized in Texas. They also held Quarter Horse shows, rodeos and various civic events on the same property. He and sons Guy (1883-1950) and E. Paul (1889-1967) campaigned in support of parimutuel betting which helped get the bill passed in the Texas state legislature. Waggoner lived to see the early success of Arlington Downs but died in 1934.^[2]

When two racegoers, O. O. Franklin and J. B. Coulter, were arrested at Arlington Downs in the fall of 1931 for openly betting on the races, the resulting publicity and court case allowed racing proponents to make their case public. In 1933, the Texas legislature legalized Parimutuel betting and issued the first permit to Arlington Downs.

The racetrack thrived as Thoroughbred owners from across the country sent their horses to compete at Arlington Downs. During its first year of full operation with legal wagering, 650 horses ran on the track, profits averaged $113,731 a day, and the average daily attendance was 6,734. Waggoner died of stroke on December 11, 1934, and the racing industry lost one of its most fervent boosters. At the end of the 1937 regular session, the state legislature repealed the pari-mutuel laws and Arlington Downs was sold to commercial developers. The racetrack was used for rodeos and other events until 1958, when the buildings were razed.

In 1978 a Texas historical landmark was placed on the site.^[3]

References