1962 Yonkers Raceway RIOT Marty Glickman

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

In the early 1980s, Ideal Wilco went from post 8 and was bet from 25-1 to 3-1, cleared the field by the first turn, and was booed all the way around to his five-length win in 1:57 against B-2 company. Supposedly, someone said he could have run three seconds faster and that someone else make 90k betting the race. He did it again six months later, and had another win at 12-1. He was a stakes horse at one point and became a sandbagger instead. Yonkers had the sharpest horseplayers in the world, mostly people who had day jobs and couldn't play the flats until OTB sprang up in 1970.

[@agustindejesus7398]

Yonkers was a lively track during those years. Today only few cats show up.

[@stewartberger7734]

Seems odd that they were trying to run the next race as scheduled

[@seangoodwin3046]

There were already bets on the race. They ended up refunding some 200 grand in bets on top of the 10 grand or so in damages they had to cover after this mess was done. I'm sure this was a ridiculous attempt to avoid part of that.

[@thomasjakum8799]

Needed a riot to get a refund

[@seangoodwin3046]

Exactly. Not the first time (or last) this stunt was pulled. There was a small one the next year and a bad one in 1971. The worst was at Roosevelt in LI. A collision mid race and one two horses finished. They counted the result and 23,000 people lost their minds.

[@branjustoc6675]

Why was there a bunch of people doing aerobics to the star spangled banner at the beginning ?

[@stewartberger7734]

Looks like they were trying to tear that fence down

[@cjb10350]

I had some relatives that worked there. Notoriously crooked.

[@stevesaratoga3787]

I am sure you have no idea what you are talking about

[@seangoodwin3046]

I don't know anyone and a google search will show Yonkers has had problems in the past with a few riots and at least one confirmed fix on a suspicious exacta after a state and federal investigation in 1971.

[@WaltGekko]

What exactly caused this?

[@harnessdom]

BETTORS RIOT AT YONKERS! PART 4 May 30, 1962 BETTORS RIOT AT YONKERS! Try to Burn Stands After Odds Drop Yonkers, N. Y., May 30 (M- Hundreds of spectators rioted for more than an hour at Yonkers Raceway last night in what police described as a "spontaneous uproar" over the last minute drop in odds on the winner of the eighth race. At least one man was injured. Four others were arrested. More than 70 Yonkers police responded to a riot call after scores of shouting spectators surged onto the track at the start of the ninth race. Hun- dreds more in the crowd of 31,054 followed within minutes. Several persons set small fires in the grandstand. These were quickly extinguished. One spectator was struck down by the arm of a starting gate atop a pacing car leading the horses down the track for the start of the race. The ninth race was called back and can- celed. A policeman said the specta- tors were angered because the odds on Miss Chief Moken, win- ner of the eighth race, dropped from 9 to 2 to 5 to 2 when the race got under way. The mare had been 10 to 1 in the morning line. Police said the riot, which broke out shortly before mid- night, was under control after an hour. However, thousands of persons still milled around the track at 2 a. m.

[@WaltGekko]

harnessdom Thanks. That makes sense. Someone obviously had a big bet on the winner at the last minute.

[@kimberlygalbraith8287]

Wow!

[@ryang3331]

Why were they even playing the national anthem during the riot?

[@harnessdom]

To appeal to their patriotic duty( stop & come to attention, show respect, etc.)

[@ryang3331]

harnessdom ok I was just curious

[@glenheinsohn2879]

The fans were not like todays fan. They called out the BS and the sport was shameful. Being a two dollars bettor all I wanted was longshots so I did not csre as long as i won now and again but hardcore bettors had a lot at stake.silly to bet so much after all Niatross lost races with minus pools

[@PaulBlomJr]

It was something done back then. Happened at a Jake LaMotta fight in Cleveland that turned into a riot if the opening scenes in Raging Bull were true.

[@seangoodwin3046]

The LaMotta fight was against Blackjack Billy Fox who was managed by the mob. Jake was supposed to tank but he refused to fall so he just covered up on the ropes while Fox tried to slap him to death. Everyone knew this was fixed going in. One writer talked about smelling the "Bronx Bouquet," as Jake negotiated with the gangster outside his fight club with reporter watching from a distance.