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After 19 years, No Boxing Day Horse Races @ Ellis Thomas Downs
While for many people there are other pressing concerns, such as widespread homelessness, people living in houses that leak every time it rains, job losses, many out of money in a cash-only economy and business persons still not recovered from the looting of their enterprises, there are many who can still reminisce about the season’s traditions.
Sporting facilities took big Hurricane hit
Most if not all the sporting facilities in the Virgin Islands (VI) have been destroyed following the two Category 5 Hurricanes that wreaked havoc in September 2017. The famous Ellis Thomas Downs in Sea Cows Bay on the main island of Tortola, the government-owned racetrack, has also been destroyed.
Therefore, it means no horse races on Boxing Day December 26, 2017, a Territory’s pastime. This is the first time there will be no Boxing Day horse races since the ‘new track’ then Little A, reopened for races on August Tuesday 1998. However, many local horse racing historians told our newsroom that within the past 19 years they may have been one other boxing day races cancelled, but "they will have to research the year, but they remembered an Easter race being cancelled since the new track reopened in 1998, for lack of racehorses.”
Meanwhile, two racehorses were reportedly killed as a direct result of the September hurricanes and some two more died after.
There is no indication as to when the racetrack will be rebuilt, which could cost millions, as stables, grandstands, stalls, restrooms, other infrastructure surrounding a modern race track and the running surface itself must be rebuilt or refurbished.
The current racetrack with its new amenities was reopened on August Tuesday 1998 to one of the biggest crowds ever some 19 years ago.
Next race day is anyone’s guess
Residents on Tortola and the sister islands are not the not only ones faced with uncertainty over the next race date as the horse racing facilities in both St Thomas and St Croix in the United States Virgin Islands have also been destroyed by the powerful hurricanes, so no races there either.
One thing we know for sure is whenever Ellis Thomas Downs reopens for its first race day, post-Hurricanes Irma and Maria, it could be a crowd that tops the 1998 new track reopening.
In the meantime, many of the horse owners are living in hope, that at least the USVI will get something going soon, as most of the racehorses have been let loose to roam the land.
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11 Responses to “After 19 years, No Boxing Day Horse Races @ Ellis Thomas Downs”
Dog race sheep or goat race etc. think about this all so excited