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Park Jefferson In 1955, South Dakota's first and only commercial pari-mutual race track opened in Jefferson, South Dakota. It was aptly named Tri-State Raceway, as it was tucked into a little piece of South Dakota, between Iowa and Nebraska.

Park Jefferson The track itself larger than most fairgrounds, it also had a grandstand that could accommodate 1,800 and a separate clubhouse that could hold 300 more fans. The track itself was a half mile oval, thoroughbreds seemed to be the featured breed, but there was some quarter horse racing.

In 1958 the track was renamed Jefferson Downs, and for all you exotic players, if you can believe this, it looks like they had sort of a pick-six called the four through nine, back in 1958.

In 1968 a rare riding feat was achieved at Park Jefferson. On July 27, the Schoepf brothers, Ken, Doug and Brad finished one, two, three in a race.

My only memory of Park Jefferson, was one day at Green Mountain Park, in Vermont, a horse showed up who had been running there. I had never seen a Park Jefferson horse in the Racing Form before, or even after that. A few years back I did drive past it at two in the morning. It is now just another place that I would have liked to visit, but probably never will.

In 2014 what used to be Park Jefferson still appears to be standing, it looks like it may have been converted to a dirt car racing track. Some bleachers were built on the track apron were built in front of the grandstand, but the old clubhouse looks the same.