History
The track opened on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1895, with a 5,000-capacity grandstand and a dedicated rail line. A 1899 wagering ban closed it two days after taking effect, and racing resumed only intermittently from 1901; in 1900 it hosted California's first automobile race.
After the 1906 earthquake the grounds became a refugee camp and racing never returned. The land was sold in 1910 and became Ingleside Terraces, where Urbano Drive follows the old oval.
Timeline
- November 28, 1895
The track opened on Thanksgiving Day 1895; 12,000 attended despite heavy rain.
- March 13, 1899Wagering ban[3]
Wagering was banned and the track closed two days later; racing resumed intermittently from 1901 to 1905.
- 1900First California auto race[3]
The track hosted the first automobile race in California.
- 1906
After the 1906 earthquake the track served as a refugee camp and never reopened.
- 1910
Urban Realty Improvement Company bought the track; Ingleside Terraces had opened by 1912.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
|---|---|
| Current use | Ingleside Terraces residential neighborhood[2] |
| Surviving remnants | The track's oval survives as Urbano Drive, with a sundial at its center on Entrada Court.[2] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Venue facts
| Other names | Ingleside Race Track |
|---|---|
| Location | San Francisco, California |
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Horse racing |
| Level | Thoroughbred |
| Opened | November 28, 1895[2,3] |
| Last used for sports | 1906[2,3] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 5,000[3] |
| Capacity notes | Thoroughbred Racing says a 5,000-capacity grandstand was built. |
| Closure | Anti-wagering measures cut racing after 1899, and the 1906 earthquake closed the track for good. |
Documented details
- The Southern Pacific Railroad built a special line to the track's front door.[3]
Sources
- OpenHistoricalMap/Projects/Ghost Tracks/US/CA, OpenStreetMap Wiki. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: coordinates
- Ingleside Terraces, San Francisco, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use, events, opened, remnants
- Looking back: Lost tracks of the San Francisco Bay Area, Thoroughbred Racing. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, events, opened
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.