Rosecroft Raceway Celebrates 70 Years
By Katherine O. Rizzo Nicknamed the “Raceway by the Belt-
way” for its close proximity to Interstate 495, Rosecroft Raceway has been home to top class harness racing since 1949. Built by Standardbred breeder, driver and trainer William E. Miller, the facility cost $800,000 to build and was originally the WE Miller Stables next to the Rosecroft Stock Farm. T e track, located in Fort Washington in Prince George’s County, quickly became a gathering place for politicians and socialites. At the time, T e Washington Post estimated a
crowd of 12,000 attended Rosecroft’s opening day on May 26, 1949. Sadly, rain throughout the day forced the cancellation of the races. T e track’s fi rst night of racing was May 27, 1949, and boasted a crowd of around 6,000. In addition to live racing, Rosecroft held an annual yearling sale during those early years.
By hosting the Maryland Sire Stake Races, at
promoting the best
aimed of
Maryland-bred Standard- breds, harness racing train- ers, owners and breeders started fl ocking to Mary- land. Rosecroft quickly be- came the harness track in Maryland and by the 1950s, saw attendance at some race days at almost 200,000. T e Mary- land Sire Stakes is still run to this day.
Opening day at Rosecroft Raceway on May 27, 1949
nover, Mary Ellen and Hillsota. He died of a heart attack while driving in a race in Delaware in 1954. Miller was elected into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame as an Immortal in 1976. After Miller’s death, his son John W. Miller
took over as Rosecroft’s owner. He retained ownership until his death in 1969. T e next in Rosecroft’s line of owners was Earle Brown, who ended up moving into a diff erent position at the track in 1980 when William E. Miller II, Wil- liam E. Miller’s grandson, took over operations. Real estate agent Mark Vo-
Rosecroft Raceway’s founder William E. Miller
gel purchased Rosecroft and Ocean Downs in 1987 for $6 million in cash and $5.5 mil- lion in debt. In 1989, Vogel bought Freestate Raceway, a third harness track in Mary- land but sold it to developers the following year. Vogel was successful in getting the state to grant Rosecroft year-round racing. However, by showcas- ing races all year long, the ex-
The Owners Born in 1876, Miller drove in his fi rst har-
ness race in 1907 at Brightwood Track near Washington, D.C. His love of the sport led to a 50-year career as he raced on the Grand Circuit, county fair meets and pari-mutuel tracks in Maryland and Delaware. He was 70 years old when the Universal Driver’s Rat- ing System named him the nation’s leading driver. He was the fi rst amateur driver to hold that title. At his farm in Fort Washington, Miller produced such top horses as Henry Volo, Pioneer Ha-
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citement of Rosecroft seemed to fade and with it, attendance. Vogel was arrested in September 1990 for possession of cocaine and his company fi led for bankruptcy protection. In 1991, a bidding war for the track was under-
way between California based businessman Fred Weisman and former NFL player Mark May. Weisman out-bid May and purchased Rosecroft out of bankruptcy for $18.2 million. T at same
year, on November 23, the grandstand caught fi re. A new grandstand was completed by 1993 and cost $3.6 million to construct. Under Weisman’s guidance, Rosecroft atten- dance and handle began to rise. In just the fi rst year with Weisman as owner, Rosecroft’s atten- dance saw an increase of 8.3% and the handle increased by 10.5%. Weisman died of pancreatic cancer in Sep- tember of 1994 and the track fell in the hands of his family who were uninterested in being track owners. Cloverleaf Enterprises, a horsemen’s or- ganization, purchased both Rosecroft and Ocean Downs mid-way through the 1995 season for $11 million. Cloverleaf accepted a $10 million loan from Bally Entertainment with the hope that a casino would be allowed at Rosecroft. Casinos at nearby Delaware tracks were
quickly pulling owners and spectators away from Maryland tracks.
Rosecroft’s heyday
seemed to have faded while its supporters con- tinued to lobby for slots and/or table games During the early 2000s, Cloverleaf tried to sell the track several times. Lawsuits over si- mulcasting rights scared away several potential buyers. By the time the lawsuits were resolved in 2006, only Penn National Gaming was still interested in the track. Maryland passed a slots bill the following
year but Rosecroft was not one of the locations granted a slots permit. Penn National pulled out from buying the track. Cloverleaf suspend- ed live racing at Rosecroft in 2009 and offi cially closed the track on July 1, 2010, after fi ling for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Penn National came back
The 2019 spring meet at Rosecroft concludes this month with live racing dates on some Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
into the picture in January 2011 when it bought Rosecroft for $10.25 million. T e plan was to push for table games and a ca- sino but the necessary enabling legislation failed. Penn Na- tional was able to reopen Rose- croft for simulcasting in August 2011 and the next year, live rac- ing returned to Rosecroft.
continued... MAY 2019 | THE EQUIERY | 17
Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame
courtsey of Rosecroft Raceway
courtsey of Rosecroft Raceway
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