Arlington Downs Racetrack (site) (Arlington, Texas)

 horse racing track, historical layer / disappeared object

 Upload a photo

Arlington Downs, a 1¼-mile track with a 6,000-seat grandstand, opened on November 1, 1929, under the guidance of oil and cattle magnate William T. Waggoner. The track was located on his "Three D" stock farm half-way between Dallas and Fort Worth near Arlington, and the construction cost was nearly $3 million.

During it's peak, 650 horses ran on the track, profits averaged $113,731 a day, and the average daily attendance was 6,734. As Arlington Downs increased its financial health, Waggoner's physical health broke. On December 11, 1934, he died of a stroke. Nevertheless, the popularity and prestige of Arlington Downs grew throughout the country. In 1937 the Texas Derby was heralded as the "tryouts" for the more famous Kentucky Derby.

At the end of the 1937 regular session the state legislature banned pari-mutuel gambling, 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.