Musings: Final day at 'Big A' gets an 'F'

My husband and I knew we could not miss the final day of racing at Aqueduct Racetrack after 132 years. Like many New Yorkers, we shared a deep personal connection to the track through our fathers and grandfathers before them.

I can still remember standing in the paddock as a 5-year-old, feeling the soft nuzzle of one of those magnificent horses taking a sugar cube from the palm of my hand. I remember the camaraderie among the jockeys, trainers, owners, and their families. Aqueduct was more than a racetrack; it was a family tradition and a cherished part of our history.

We made the drive to Aqueduct in South Ozone Park, Queens, on Sunday, June 28, filled with excitement and anticipation. But as we pulled into the parking lot, that excitement quickly gave way to sadness. The condition of the grounds, parking areas, and building itself was disheartening. I understand that the facility is slated for demolition, but surely, for one final day, a greater effort could have been made.

That sense of disappointment only grew as we approached the entrance. There were no flowers, no commemorative displays, no tribute to the generations who had walked through those gates. Instead, there was a crowd pushing to obtain a souvenir bottle of dirt that likely would soon appear for sale online.

There was no slideshow celebrating the great moments in Aqueduct’s history, no merchandise honoring its legacy, and the official program itself failed to do it justice. I overheard people asking who appeared on the cover, unaware that it was Secretariat and Hall of Fame jockey Ron Turcotte — perhaps the greatest horse and one of the most iconic partnerships in the history of the sport. That such an important image appeared without explanation seemed symbolic of the day’s shortcomings.

As we said goodbye to Aqueduct, I could not help but notice that it was reported that around 6,800 people attended the final day at a facility built to accommodate 50,000 spectators with seating for 17,000. That lack of attendance was not a reflection of the importance of Aqueduct’s legacy. Rather, it is a reflection of how little effort was made to honor it.

Horse racing has endured for centuries and has remained a constant through generations of American life. Aqueduct deserved more than a quiet closing. It deserved a proper farewell worthy of its remarkable history.

— Concetta DeGiovine, Shoreham