Yonkers Raceway underwent some cosmetic changes in the late 1990s. In 1972, the Rooney Family acquired Yonkers raceway and has maintained live harness racing until the present. Its popularity having greatly declined since the 1960s (when crowds would occasionally reach 50,000), the entire property, according to some, had become an eyesore due to its owners leaving it in a state of disrepair. Cane, for whom the Cane Pace is named, headed a syndicate formed as the Algam Corporation which acquired Empire City and converted it to Yonkers Raceway. After the death of James Butler in 1934 the track continued to host 'the flats' until 1942 when it was converted back to being a harness track. Among the notable thoroughbreds who raced at Empire City, in 1936 Seabiscuit won the Scarsdale Handicap at Empire City. The facility was purchased by New York grocery store magnate James Butler who reopened it for Thoroughbred horse racing in 1907. Driving the Ford '999', he covered the distance in 55.54 seconds. One such event occurred in 1902 when Barney Oldfield set a one-mile (1.6 km) record in an automobile at Empire City Race Track. Clark died in 1900 and, with much litigation by his heirs over its proposed sale, the track remained closed for most of the next seven years except for special events. Yonkers Raceway, considered a city landmark, was first opened in 1899 by William H. DecemDecemDecemDecemDecemDecemDecember 13, 2023

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