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Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 26. Chapters: Jamaica Racetrack, Washington Park Race Track, Withers Stakes, Wood Memorial Stakes, Excelsior Handicap, Paumonok Handicap, Demoiselle Stakes, Roosevelt Raceway, Jamaica Handicap, Garden State Park Racetrack, Frizette Stakes, Remsen Stakes, Prioress Stakes, Morris Park Racecourse, Bed O' Roses Handicap, Sheepshead Bay Race Track, Bay Meadows Racetrack, Brighton Beach Race Course, Ak-Sar-Ben, Latonia Race Track, Kentucky Association, Gravesend Race Track, Good Time Park, Tanforan Racetrack, Suffolk Meadows, Chicago Motor Speedway, Jerome Park Racetrack, Grey Lag Handicap, The Woodlands, Havre de Grace Racetrack, Parole Hunt Club, Tropical Park Race Track, Wawaset Park, Wilmington, Delaware, Narragansett Race Track, Bowie Race Track, Wilson Stakes, Raceland, Cumberland Race Track, Foxboro Raceway, Liberty Bell Park Racetrack, Cahokia Downs, Longacres, Detroit Race Course, Shenandoah Downs. Excerpt: Washington Park Race Track - a.new,#quickbar a.new/* cache key: enwiki:resourceloader:filter:minify-css:5:f2a9127573a22335c2a9102b208c73e7 */ Washington Park Race Track Grandstands at original track, c. 1900Each June, the track sponsored the American Derby, which had a purse ranked among the highest in the country. When Washington Park Race Track first organized the American Derby in 1883, General Philip Sheridan served as its first President. By 1893, the American Derby was the 2nd richest American race in 19th century. Both The American Derby and Opening Day (the first race of the season) became important social calendar dates. Residents of elite late 19th century neighborhoods organized a number of related public activities outside the track grounds, including the annual Washington Park Race Track opening day parade. Horse racing was not the only draw of the track. In 1900, a race was staged at the track between a gasoline-powered automobile and an electrically-powered automobile. At the time, there were more electric cars in the country than gasoline powered ones. The race in Chicago was the first time a gasoline-powered car beat an electric-powered one in a race. The track ran into difficulties when Hempstead Washburne was elected Mayor of Chicago in 1892. In 1893, he began a gambling reform campaign, which included a goal of closing all race tracks in Chicago. His campaign eventually resulted in the 1894 closure of Washington Park Race Track, although the track reopened in 1898. It remained open until 1905, when the state of Illinois banned gambling and stopped all horse racing. By that time, the prestige of the club had declined, independently of Washburne's reform movement, because more modern and spacious golf courses drew the members to other locations, and the residential dispersion of elite members from the community area made the club less important. However,