Horse racing has long captured the Texas imagination, linking the state’s frontier heritage to its modern entertainment industry. In this session, two presenters chart the history of Texas horse racing across two centuries.
Dr. Anne J. Bailey examines the nineteenth-century “Golden Age” of Texas racing, when settlers from the United States formalized local sprint and Thoroughbred competitions into organized events. Her research follows the rise of jockey clubs, the popularity of both short quarter races and longer Thoroughbred heats, and the eventual ban on gambling in 1903 that brought formal racing to a halt—even as Texans’ love of horses endured.
Jason S. Sullivan then turns to the twentieth century, highlighting Arlington Downs, the racetrack that briefly made small-town Arlington a hub of national attention. Built by rancher and oilman W. T. Waggoner, the track flourished between 1929 and 1937, drawing thousands of visitors and reshaping local identity. Sullivan’s presentation explores the track’s rise and decline, the impact of legalized pari-mutuel betting, and the enduring civic legacy of this short-lived but transformative era.
Together, these papers reveal how Texans across generations embraced the thrill of the track, blending sport, culture, and community identity in the story of Texas horse racing.
Session Chair: Donald S. Frazier, Texas Center at Schreiner University
