by Rich Fisher, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — The Jackson Harness Raceway in Michigan has been without horse racing for nearly a decade, and will soon be demolished to make way for an events center on the Jackson County Fairgrounds.

Before that happens, plans have been made to send the old structure out with a farewell party in honor of its 60 years of service. Too many people have too many great memories to have it any other way.

A celebration of the Raceway’s life will be held Sunday (July 8) when the “Remembering Jackson Matinee” will be held from 12 noon to 6 p.m. The event is the brainchild of former JHR guard Mike Way, who is now on the Jackson Fair Board. Way is overseeing things with help from former Jackson trainer Claudia Cary Davidson.

“This is his baby, this is something he’s been thinking about for several years,” said Davidson, who won several Sire Stakes races at the old track. “The community has definitely backed him on this event.

“I think every horseman has a passion and a history of Jackson County Raceway. This is why horsemen are coming back for this. We hear some of these guys are coming from out east and from Indiana and everywhere just to come back and race their last start at Jackson.”

Situated just south of Lansing, Jackson Harness Raceway opened on May 28, 1948 and had its final day of racing July 19, 2008. Since then it has only played host to a few motorcycle and snowboard races.

In partnering with the Jackson parks system, the Fairgrounds board decided to build an entire new venue in place of the track. Before it goes, however, those who made the pulse and the hooves beat for so many years want to re-live the memories one last time.

The entry draw date is Saturday (June 30) from 8-11 a.m. Davidson had a commitment of 70 horses as of June 25.

“I put it out there to see if the horsemen will respond, and they responded big time,” she said. “If all 70 horses call and make their entries on the entry date, I think we’ll have plenty of horses. But I won’t know until race day.

“There are no conditions. When those horses enter their races, I will ask them what class they were racing in; if they were racing in a maiden or a free-for-all trot or whatever. Those horses will be classified in those races just to make the field competitive. I have no actual condition races written. Enter the horse and we’ll make those conditions for the horses that call in.”

Davidson hopes to have 10 races with six horses per race, along with one amateur race.

“We’re trying to get six-horse fields so all the horses are on the gate and there will be no trailers,” she said. “Everybody will get the same money, which is all being donated. The money will be divided out equally so every horse gets a check. The races, purse structure, are all coming from race sponsors and any proceeds will go to the Jackson County 4H youth programs.”

Evidently, lots of people want to be on board.

“It’s been a donation kind of event,” Davidson said. “The judges committed to come back to a matinee for free on a Sunday afternoon. I tried to include all the old and past employees. The girl who used to sell programs there, she’s a lot older now but she wants to come back and sell programs one last time. The girls that were outriders, I asked for one outrider and got three, they all want to come back and do something for the last day of Jackson.”

It will also be a day for the spectators, who will be admitted for free. There is no gambling since it is no longer a legal racetrack, but there will be a pick-a-winner contest in which program tickets are put in a pot for each race, and there will be a ticket drawing to win prizes instead of money.

There will be a legislative luncheon and three double-seated jog carts will provide legislators with rides from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. From 12 noon until 2 p.m. the general public can take jog cart rides, and post time is 2 p.m. Vendors will be on hand to sell soda, food (including $1 hot dogs) and beer.

Mike Bozich and Michael Carter of the famed Post Time with Mike & Mike podcasts will be doing a live broadcast, a celebrity table will feature former drivers and trainers signing autographs, the Happy Horse will wander through the grandstand and a Lady’s Hat contest will be held for women wearing Kentucky Derby-style hats.

The day will conclude with a horsemen’s walk, where all the drivers walk down to the winner’s circle and pose for a group picture.

“All the horsemen are requesting to be in the last race of the day,” Davidson said. “They all want to win the last race at Jackson County Fair.”

More information can be found on the Remembering Jackson Harness Facebook page.