Delaware Park
William DuPont, Jr., the designer of 23 racing courses designed Delaware Park, which opened June 26, 1937 with a 30-day meet. The original Delaware Park facilities consisted of an open-air, 7,500 seat grandstand with an innovative tiered Clubhouse/Turf Club on the upper level. The track itself was a one-mile dirt oval with a pair of steeplechase turf courses.
The backstretch contained stables for 1,226 horses. The features of Delaware Park were the exquisite architecture and the saddling and picnic grove areas.
The track was forced to close briefly in 1943 during World War II, but after reopening in 1944, Delaware Park became profitable, with a handle of more than $23 million from 288,000 customers.
In 1958, a $2.8 million expansion was completed, including the building of a new clubhouse and the enlargement of the grandstand, resulting in the doubling of the seating capacity. Televisions were added and the winner's circle was built.
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