Page 92 - November 2021

I In n t t h he e M Mi id d s st t o of f C C h h a ao os s: : ThThe Story of Terrazas Racetrack
By the early 1900s, America’s temperance movement had reached its climax. Since the previous century, prohibitionists and
temperance groups had been clamoring for
a national return to morality– as well as the elimination of gambling and alcohol con- sumption. Their ideas quickly took root. For example, on July 1, 1886, Georgia’s Atlanta and Fulton counties banned the sale of alcohol for two years– placing a pharmacist named John Pemberton in a difficult situation. The creator of a slew of patent medicines and other quack remedies (most of which contained alcohol), Pemberton was promptly forced to abandon his lucrative business. Faced with the prospect of financial ruin, he tinkered around in his home laboratory until he concocted an ideal “temperance drink”– a beverage he later christened “Coca-Cola.”
Horse racing didn’t derive similarly favor- able results from the national push for temper- ance. When moralists turned their attention
to the sport (and, more importantly, to the gambling that sustained it), America’s tracks were faced with an uncertain future. Although racing had enjoyed a wave of popularity during the late 1800s, it was still plagued by frequent
scandals and scams– giving the temperance groups plenty of ammunition with which to challenge it. Claiming that betting defrauded the public, moralists steadily convinced politi- cians to enact laws against it. By April 1911, only three states allowed spectators to gamble on horse races. These new regulations had a dramatic effect on the sport. As of 1890, the country had boasted 314 racetracks, crippled by anti-gambling laws, the majority of these venues had shuttered their doors by 1910.
At the same time as racing in the United States ground to a halt, an astute group of Mexican horsemen spied an opportunity. Led by Alberto Terrazas– a powerful industrial-
ist and politician– the Juarez Jockey Club
laid plans for an ambitious, $600,000 racing plant. Both their timing and location were ideal. Situated three miles south of El Paso– then a “major railroad hub”– Juarez could
be easily accessed by Mexican and American horse people alike. The area was also attractive because of its warm, dry weather– reducing the likelihood of muddy tracks (and the number
of flies). Finally, the financial stability of the region made it simple to raise funds for the expensive undertaking.
Despite being “vigorously condemned,”
by at least one temperance faction, Terrazas Racetrack opened its doors to the public on December 1, 1909. Predictably, it was an instant hit. “In Juarez,” one reporter asserted, “the followers of the sport of kings will be free from police interference or the criticism of moralists and may bet their heads off without any danger of forming an acquaintance with the minions of the law.” Racing fans were evidently overjoyed at the chance to escape the rigid temperance laws north of the border: “the freedom has attracted sporting men and owners of horses from all over the United States,” the same writer noted, “and... [Juarez] is today enjoying the time of its history.”
From the outset, Terrazas Racetrack developed into a “winter haven,” for all manner of racing enthusiasts. The prizes were nominal; the 1909 Navidad Handicap– a marquee event that attracted 40,000 spectators– featured a purse of just $1,500. By all accounts, racing at Terrazas was characterized by its lawlessness and no-holds-barred attitude. “If you didn’t learn, you didn’t eat,” recalled Ben Jones, a champion trainer who got his start in Juarez. “It was pretty rough at the start. I went away fearing those
90 SPEEDHORSE November 2021
by Andrew Hanna