One of the most picturesque racecourses in the United States was Prescott Downs in the state of Arizona. It opened in 1959 and at its peak it offered 28 racing days annually, but it also catered for quarter horse enthusiasts, and the crowds were boosted by attendances at the state fair. Indeed, in the late 1880's Prescott Downs was the first to offer cash prizes for rodeo success. The track was located in a prime position in the heart of the city of Prescott, but this was a mixed blessing as it sought land to expand its facilities, whilst developers eyed up the valuable land on which the racecourse stood. Ultimately a new 120 acre site was found in the beautiful Prescott Valley, and Prescott Downs closed its gates for the final time in September 2000. In 2001 the new racecourse was launched and rebranded as Yavapai Downs, attracting an impressive crowd exceeding 35000 at the inaugural meeting. Racing, in the form of both thoroughbred and quarter horse racing, continued until the programme lapsed in 2010. The site was sold for 5.5 million dollars in 2013 to Gary Miller, and he opened a speedway track on the site, although within 18 months the site had been relisted for sale. It took almost 4 years, and a lowering of the price to 3.22 million dollars, before it was sold to J&J Enterprises who set about the task of returning live racing to Arizona Downs in 2019. |
