RACEALONG 359 



Point Breeze became a public park during the Civil 

 War. A number of meetings were held there from 

 that time until the early eighties. The first race at 

 Point Breeze that attracted national attention was 

 trotted September 9, 1869, the starters being Gold- 

 smith Maid, Lady Thome and American Girl. Lady 

 Thorne won in 2:19%. It was reported that over 

 $20,000 was taken in at the gate. 



Belmont Park was opened in 1876. It was located 

 at Narberth on the main line of the Pennsylvania 

 Railroad. This park had a large club membership and 

 hastened the decline of Point Breeze but the latter 

 did not pass out until the beginning of the World 

 War. 



Goldsmith Maid equalled her record of 2:14 over 

 Belmont Park the year it was opened. In 1881 when 

 Mike Goodin was lessee of the park he booked Maud 

 S. to start to beat that record. At that time the peer- 

 less daughter of Harold was owned by W. H. Vander- 

 bilt of New York and managed by George N. Stone 

 of Cincinnati from whom he purchased her. Her 

 driver was W. W. Bair, who was formerly a resident 

 of Philadelphia. W. H. Vanderbilt and a party of 

 friends ran over from New York on a special train 

 to see the mare go and for a time it looked as if half 

 of the population of Philadelphia was just as anxious 

 to see Maud S. They were in such a hurry to get into 

 Belmont Park that part of the fences were torn down. 

 The receipts from the gate and club house that day 

 put Mike Goodin in the Bingham House where he re- 

 mained until the Adelphia was built. 



