Pioneer Spirit

THERE ONCE WAS a horse race on Long Island bigger than the Kentucky Derby. It happened in 1823 and one historian wrote that it ``symbolized the onset of modern sport.'' There once was an automobile race on Long Island that outranked -- in fact, predated -- the Indianapolis 500. There once was a championship prize fight here, a storied affair in the bare-knuckle days that took 45 rounds and, in mid-fight, was moved 20 miles away when a rising tide flooded the outdoor ring.

By John Jeansonne