Maumee Downs was a
horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
track located in
Maumee, Ohio
Maumee ( ) is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Maumee River, it is a suburb about southwest of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo. The population was 13,896 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Maumee was declared an Al ...
, near the
Ohio Turnpike
The Ohio Turnpike, officially the James W. Shocknessy Ohio Turnpike, is a controlled-access toll road in the U.S. state of Ohio, serving as a primary corridor between Chicago and Pittsburgh. The road runs east–west for in the northern sect ...
. Opened in 1902 as Lucas County Fairgrounds, then later renamed Fort Miami Fairgrounds, the facility gained national notoriety in 1929 when it became the first track in the country to install a lighting system and hold night sessions of harness racing.
The track was renamed Maumee Downs after a major renovation in 1958. However, competition from nearby tracks quickly led to its demise. Maumee held their final race in 1961 after the Ohio Racing Commission awarded their dates to other tracks, effectively prohibiting racing at Maumee.
[Racing Dates Bid Dropped, Steubenville Herald Star, August 31, 1961]
The site is now the location of the
Lucas County Recreation Center.
References
Defunct horse racing venues in the United States
{{Ohio-sports-venue-stub