History
The Metropolitan Jockey Club opened the one-mile track in April 1903, and it became part of the New York racing circuit, hosting stakes such as the Wood Memorial, the Remsen and the Frizette. Native Dancer made his winning debut there in 1952.
After the Greater New York Association took control in 1955, it closed Jamaica in 1959 to concentrate racing at Aqueduct and sold the land to pay for improvements elsewhere. The plant was torn down in 1960, and the Rochdale Village housing cooperative was built on the site.
Why it matters: For more than half a century it was one of New York City's principal Thoroughbred tracks.
Timeline
- April 27, 1903
The track opened with the Excelsior Handicap.
- 1945Attendance record[1]
A Memorial Day crowd of 64,679 set the track record.
- April 19, 1952
Native Dancer won his first race here.
- August 1959
The track closed after its 1959 meeting as racing was consolidated at the rebuilt Aqueduct.
- 1960
The facilities were razed.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Rochdale Village housing cooperative (completed 1963)[1,2,3] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Venue facts
| Other names | Jamaica Racetrack |
|---|---|
| Location | New York (Jamaica, Queens), New York |
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Horse racing |
| Level | Thoroughbred |
| Opened | April 27, 1903[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | August 1959[1,2,3] |
| Demolished | 1960[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Surface | Dirt (1-mile oval) |
| Owner / operator | Metropolitan Jockey Club; Greater New York Association from 1955 |
| Closure | Consolidation of New York racing at Aqueduct and Belmont; the land was sold to fund those tracks. |
Sources
- Jamaica Race Course, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use, demolished, events, opened
- Jamaica Racetrack, Keeneland Library. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use, demolished, opened
- Rochdale Village, Queens, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use
- Latitude and longitude of Jamaica Race Course, Latitude.to. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: coordinates
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.
Where sources disagree (1)
- Final day: Wikipedia says operations ended August 1, 1959; the Keeneland Library gives August 2, 1959 as the last race.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.