The Eclipse Race Course was the third formal

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

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 in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

, founded in 1837 by Captain Yelverton Oliver, who owned the famous thoroughbred ''Richard of York;'' a native

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

n, who organized

The New Orleans Jockey Club ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

History

The first race course in New Orleans as laid out in 1820 by Francois Livaudais on his Live Oak Plantation, near the intersection of St. Charles and Washington Avenues. Then followed the Jackson Course in 1825, established a few miles below the city. The New Orleans Jockey Club announced its Spring Race Schedule at the Eclipse Race Course on January 17 in the Mississippi Free Trader Newspaper, then in New Orleans on Jan 31, 1837 in the

Times Picayune ''The Times-Picayune , The New Orleans Advocate'' (commonly called ''The Times-Picayune'' or the ''T-P'') is an American newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ancestral publications of other names date back to January 25, 1837. The cu ...

Newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

. The proprietor was

emigrant Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...

Captain Yelverton Oliver who would later go on to purchase Oakland Race Course in

Louisville Louisville is the most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeast, and the 27th-most-populous city in the United States. By land area, it is the country's 24th-largest city; however, by populatio ...

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

1837

The Spring Meeting of The New Orleans Jockey Club began Tuesday, March 14. The First Day consisted of the Jockey Club Purse of $500, One Mile Heats, Entrance Fee $50. The Second Day, Jockey Club Purse of $700, Two Mile Heats, $70 Entrance Fee. The Third Day, Jockey Club Purse of $1,000, Three Mile Heats, Entrance Fee $100. The Fourth Day,

The Louisiana Jockey Club The Louisiana Jockey Club was an American sporting association founded in 1837 with the completion of the Carrollton Race Course, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Today this is the only remaining Thoroughbred Race Course of the ''old-line'' tracks, t ...

Purse of $2,000, Four Mile Heats, Entrance Fee $150. The Fifth Day, Mile Heats, best three in five for the entrance money of the preceding days, $1,200, Entrance Fee 10%, free for any horse. The Sixth Day, ''The New Orleans Plate,'' consisting of Silver Tea Service valued at $1,000.

1838

The Fall meeting of the New Orleans Jockey Club began Tuesday, Dec 4th, with the Jockey Club Purse, $1,500. three mile heats. Results: Henry A. Tayloe's ''Zelina,'' 5 y.o. by

Leviathan Leviathan ( ; ; ) is a sea serpent demon noted in theology and mythology. It is referenced in several books of the Hebrew Bible, including Psalms, the Book of Job, the Book of Isaiah, and the pseudepigraphical Book of Enoch. Leviathan is of ...

beat

Thomas W. Chinn Thomas Withers Chinn (November 20, 1791 – May 22, 1852) was a member of the U. S. House of Representatives representing the state of Louisiana, serving one term as a Whig from 1839 to 1841. He was also U.S. minister to the Two Sicilies. Bio ...

's ''Brown Elk.'' On the Second Day of racing, Friday, Dec 7th, Jockey Club Purse $1,200, two-mile heats. Results: W. J. Minor's ''Britannia,'' beat Minor Kenner's ''The Jewess,'' a descendant of

Sir Archy Sir Archy (or Archy, Archie, or Sir Archie; 1805–1833) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse considered one of the best racehorses of his time and later one of the most important sires in American history. He was inducted into the National M ...

, and Sosthene Allain's ''Wren'' by

. Day Three, Saturday, Dec 8th, Jockey Club Purse, $2,500, four-mile heats. Results: J. S. Garrison's, proprietor, ''Wagner,'' defeats A.L. Bingaman's ''Sarah Bladen'' by

. The Fourth Day, Sunday, Dec 9th, Jockey Club Purse, $1,000, two-mile heats. Results: Henry A. Tayloe's ''Zelina'' beats Thomas J. Wells' ''Linnet'' by

, W.J. Minor's (John Ruth's) ''Marchesa'' and Minor Kenner's ''Richard of York.'' On the Fifth Day, Monday, Dec 10, Proprietors Purse, $600, 1 Mile Heats, best 3 in 5. Results: W.J. Minor's ''Telie Doe'' beat J.S. Garrison's ''Kleber,'' and William R. & B.H Barrow's ''Dick Haile.''

Gallery

File:Eclipse Race Course Announcement The Mississippi Free Trader Tue Jan 17 1837.jpg, Eclipse Race Course Announcement The Mississippi Free Trader Tue Jan 17 1837 File:Eclipse Race Course Announcement The Mississippi Free Trader Tue Jan 17 1837 (1).jpg, Eclipse Race Course Announcement The Mississippi Free Trader Tue Jan 17 1837 File:Eclipse Race Course Announcement The Mississippi Free Trader Tue Jan 17 1837 (2).jpg, Eclipse Race Course Announcement The Mississippi Free Trader Tue Jan 17 1837 File:Eclipse Race Course Opening Announcement.png, Eclipse Race Course Opening Announcement Jan 31, 1837, The Times Picayune File:Results of the 1837 Spring Races at the Eclipse Course, New Orleans.png, Results Spring Races Day 1, published 18 March 1837, the Eclipse Course, New Orleans File:Eclipse Race Course Results, Day 2, Published The Times Picayune Sun Mar 19 1837.jpg, Eclipse Race Course Results, Day 2, Published The Times Picayune Sun Mar 19 1837 File:Eclipse Race Course Results, Day 2, Published The Times Picayune Sun Mar 19 1837 (1).jpg, Eclipse Race Course Results, Day 2, Published The Times Picayune Sun Mar 19 1837 File:Eclipse Race Course, New Orleans, The Times Picayune, Published Wed Mar 22 1837.jpg, Eclipse Race Course Results, New Orleans, The Times Picayune, Published Wed Mar 22 1837 File:Eclipse Race Course New Orleans Fall Meeting 1838 The Mississippi Free Trader Wed Dec 19 1838.jpg, Eclipse Race Course New Orleans Fall Meeting 1838 The Mississippi Free Trader Wed Dec 19 1838 File:Eclipse Race Course New Orleans Fall Meeting 1838 The Mississippi Free Trader Wed Dec 19 1838 (1).jpg, Eclipse Race Course New Orleans Fall Meeting 1838 The Mississippi Free Trader Wed Dec 19 1838

References

{{Reflist Defunct horse racing venues in Louisiana 1837 establishments in Louisiana Defunct sports venues in New Orleans Sports venues completed in 1837 Year of disestablishment missing

History

1837

1838

Gallery

See also

References