Hippodrome de Montreal will welcome the largest crowds in its 100-year-plus history this weekend
.
Unfortunately, it won't be for a horse race.
The grounds of the shuttered racetrack are now occupied by a massive temporary stage and bleachers for open-air concerts by Irish rock band U2, expected to draw crowds of 80,000 both Friday and Saturday.
The largest previous crowd at the track was about 42,000.
Mike MacCormac remembers it well.
It was the 1960s and he was director of racing at the track formerly known as Blue Bonnets.
"We had a special promotion that night: hot dogs for a nickel, glasses of beer for 10 cents. We were supposed to open at 6 but by 3:30, there were already long lines, so we opened early. It was incredibly hot, probably 95 F., and they had us wearing period costumes. Mine was a grey top-hat and tails outfit made of pure wool; I was so overheated I couldn't wait to get out of it."
MacCormac recalls that the late Joe O'Brien and his great mare Fresh Yankee raced, and won, that night.
"I remember Joe in the winner's circle, looking at the large crowd, and saying with a straight face, 'I never realized Fresh Yankee was so popular in Montreal.'"
(A Trot Insider exclusive by Paul Delean)
It never ceases to amaze how
It never ceases to amaze how people continue to flock to see, and listen to, groups and group leaders who change their tune to suit the occasion at hand.
World famous U2 leader Bono, long commended for humanitarian endeavours,regulary articulates how everyone should contribute to the cause of supporting impoverished countries.Yet, when it came to a question of U2 paying their fair share of taxes in the various countries where they perform and are so highly compensated,they chose instead to opt for tax avoidance by way of havens in The Netherlands. This is the same Bono who had the temerity to openly berate a former Prime Minister of this great country for what he, Bono, believed to be Canada's insufficent funding to poorer nations.
Go Figure, as you pay exhorbitant prices to listen to Bono and his ilk.
I'm sure the horsemen of
I'm sure the horsemen of Quebec don't feel bad enough with the racing status so we might as well remind them of the days when there were crowds at Blue Bonnets--- maybe give them all free tickets to the show!!!!!!!!!
En 1980, Monsieur Jean
En 1980, Monsieur Jean Drapeau, Maire de Mntréal me demanda à son bureau de l'Hôtel de ville de Montréal.
il me dit:UNE GRANDE VILLE, ...UN GRAND THÉÂTRE,...UN GRAND STADE,... ET UN GRAND HIPPODROME.
À SA DEMANDE, J'AI TRAVAILLÉ 5 ANNÉES À PRÉPARER CE PROJET QUI DEVAIT DOTER LE QUÉBEC DE SON HIPPODROME PHARE
ET PLUS DE 14 HIPPODROMES SATELLITES.
EN 1985, À LA DEMANDE DU MINISTE MARTEL. ENDOSSÉE PAR LE PRÉSIDENT DE L'ASSOCIATION DES ÉLEVEURS, DE L'ATAQ, LE PROJET DU: LE GRAND HIPPODROME DU QUÉBEC À MONTRÉAL, FUT RENDU PUBLIQUE, AVEC PLANS, MAQUETTES, 1250 COPIES DE 125 PAGES, EXPLIQUANT LA POLITIQUE AGRICOLE, SON FINANCEMENT COMME LE PMU FRANÇAIS, ÉCOLE DE FORMATION, CENTRE D'ENTRAÎNEMENT, ET SES HIPPODROMES SATELLITES EN PROVINCE POUR DÉVELOPPER NOTRE SPORT COMME EN 1900.
POURQUOI LES MEMBRES DE NOTRE INDUSTRIE N'ONT PAS COMPRIS?
pOURTANT, C'EST FACILE À COMPRENDRE ET MAINTENANT LA VILLE DE MONTRÉAL N'EST PLUS UNE GRANDE VILLE.
MONSIEUR DRAPEAU DOIT EN PLEURER
RICHARD LAVIGNE