[1] On June 19, 1880 the Sheepshead Bay facility hosted its first day of Thoroughbred racing.
That race was won by Belvidere, a colt owned by the Preakness Stables of James Galway, a successful wholesaler of grocery store products and a Steward of The Jockey Club.
[3] After years of uncertainty, on June 11, 1908 the Republican controlled New York Legislature under Governor Charles Evans Hughes passed the Hart–Agnew anti-betting legislation with penalties allowing for fines and up to a year in prison.
[5] Racetrack operators had no choice but to drastically reduce the purse money being paid out which resulted in the Reapers Stakes being dropped from the 1908 schedule to enable a redistribution of funds to the most high-profile races.
[6] Further restrictive legislation was passed by the New York Legislature in 1910 which deepened the financial crisis for track operators and led to a complete shut down of racing across the state during 1911 and 1912.