COMMODORE DOWNS RACECOURSE

Aintree racecourse;Ascot;Ayr;Bangor;Bath;Beverley;Brighton;Carlisle;Cartmel;Catterick;Cheltenham Festival;Chepstow;Chester;Doncaster St Leger;Epsom Derby;Exeter racecourse;Fakenham;Folkestone;Fontwell Park;Glorious Goodwood;Hamilton Park;Haydock Park;Hereford Racecourse;Hexham;Huntingdon;Kelso;Kempton Park;Leicester;Lingfield;Ludlow;Market Rasen;Musselburgh;Newbury Racecourse;Newcastle;Newmarket;Newton Abbot;Nottingham;Perth;Plumpton;Pontefract Racecourse;Redcar;Ripon;Salisbury;Sandown Park;Sedgefield;Southwell;Stratford;Taunton;Thirsk;Towcester;Uttoxeter;Warwick;Wetherby;Wincanton;Windsor;Wolverhampton;Worcester;Yarmouth;York Ebor

The Pennsylvania racetrack of Commodore Downs was situated at Fairview Township in Erie County and first opened its gates to racing in 1973. It had a racing surface of 6 furlongs, with racing being administered by the Lakeland Racing Association who offered low quality racing for relatively small purses. Within 7 years crowd sizes had depleted and the track was financially challenged. In January 1980 Franciszek Jarecki, a local Industrialist, purchased the track for $600,000 and had high hopes of bringing in a new team to manage the races. However, he was thwarted in the courts, and Lakeland continued to organise the racing. During the next 3 years the crowds continued to decrease and the track ran up losses of $1.8 million. This forced the track to close in 1983.
Although attempts were made to reopen the track for harness racing in 1984, and a renaming to Erie Downs in 1986, the track closed its gates for the last time in 1988. Today little evidence of the former track remains, with the land being covered by an industrial park.
Course today The racecourse closed in 1983
If you have photos, postcards, racecards. badges, newspaper cuttings or book references about the old course, or can provide a photo of how the ground on which the old racecourse stood looks today, then email johnwslusar@gmail.com

ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3

652 pages

774 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0

352 pages

400 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7

180 pages

140 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4

264 pages

235 former courses
Copies of the above books are only available by emailing johnwslusar@gmail.com stating your requirements, method of payment (cheque payable to W.Slusar) or Bank transfer, and the address where the book(s) should be sent.
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Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage    
Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage    
Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage    
Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage    
Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage    
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Email order form to johnwslusar@gmail.com