The Wyoming city of Evanston, with a population of about 12,500, is the county seat of Unita County and the home of Wyoming Downs Racetrack. The railroad arrived in the region in November 1868 and the surveyor of the Union Pacific Railroad was John E Evans after whom the city is named. The 7 furlong oval track, with separate 6 ½ furlong chute, share a 320 metre home straight, and benefit from a 5000 seater grandstand and stables for up to 850 horses, and held its inaugural meeting on 24th May 1985. It hosted quarter horse and thoroughbred races, with the principal races being the Silver Dollar Futurity, the Bettie Bullock Memorial Derby and the Diamond Classic Futurity. It ceased racing after the meeting on 19th July 2009 and its future looked bleak. However, it returned to the ownership of Eric Nelson in 2012, having initially purchased it in 1998 before selling it in 2006. The track survived for just three years under that new owner before the track closed. It now operates as the only privately owned horse racing track in Wyoming, hosting 16 days racing annually. |
