No Taxation Without Representation!
Brockton Fair LogoThe Brockton Fair started it's journey into thoroughbred pari-mutual racing in 1941. It was a half mile bullring that was part of the Massachusetts Fair Racing Circuit. Brockton ended it's racing days back in 1972 but attempted a comeback in 2001.
In 2001 George Carney who owned the Raynham Dog Track, put up three million dollars for renovations to upgrade the racing facility at the Brockton Fair, with the hope of reviving horse racing there. He managed to pull of a thirty day meet that year, but there seemed to be some bad karma brewing.
Brockton Fair-is WheelIn the fourth race on opening day an accident took out four of the seven starters in the race, two of which had to be humanely destroyed. Also in 2001 the Massachusetts Legislators passed a bill that granted Suffolk Downs three percent of the handle for any fair meet run in the state.
With the deck stacked against him, Carney declined racing dates for the 2002 season. He estimated that besides the three million dollar upgrade he lost another $400,000 in operating costs in 2001. He cited the Suffolk Downs tax and the unusually hot weather for the shortcoming. He did make one last ditch effort in 2009 to return racing to Brockton but couldn't get the deal with Suffolk Downs resolved.
As of 2012 there has been no further plans to attempt a return to racing. Finally no picture of fair horses thundering down the stretch without a Ferris Wheel in the background would be worth it's salt!
Brockton Fair AdOne of my regrets in my horse racing travels, was that I never made it to the Eastern Massachusetts Fairs. My plan was always wait till next year, but next year never came. Now it looks like there's a chance for next year, at least at Brockton.
George Carney is at it again, with the alleged closing of Suffolk Downs and looking to get his slice of the slot parlor pie, he has applied for 60 days of racing in 2015 at Brockton Fairgrounds, which he owns. Of all the fair tracks sites in Massachusetts, Brockton looks like it's the only one still fit for racing. It's probably a long shot, but who knows.