1880; 1915; 1923

Brooklyn: Voorhies Lane - Ocean Avenue

Coney Island Jockey Club Inc., of New York City, was bounded on the south by Voorhees Lane, on the west by Ocean ave., on the north by Ave. V and on the east by Brown Street. This club, founded in 1879, held its first races on the Prospect Park Fair Grounds. In 1880 the construction of the Sheepshead Bay Race Track was completed, and it was opened on June 19, 1880. William K. Vanderbilt was president in 1904. This track was one mile in circumference, but it was extended in 1884 to 1 1/8 miles, and in 1886, a mile track was constructed inside the old. The oval track was between East 23rd Street and Nostrand Ave., and Aves. W and Z. Mrs. Harriman a daughter of one Gertisgen owned this track which comprised about 125 acres, that was purchased by Max Natanson, Joseph P. Day, and Charles F. Noyes for $2,400,000 on April 1, 1915. They in turn, cut it into lots and sold them at auction in August and September 1923. Parts of the track in (1937) in- cluding some of the stables may yet be seen. The grounds are still referred to as the Harkness Estate. This view shows the stands and straight-away. The foundations of the stands are still visible north of Jerome Ave. (1937) 19----? Eugene L. Armbruster Collection.

Photo from the New York Public Library - Milstein Collection