A Brief but Curious History of Horse Racing in Panama – Part II

The thrill and power of horse racing.

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Colon

The City of Colon, naturally, was not excluded from the fascination of this sport and during the same period of time, around 1913, Colon’s streets became the venue for races involving two, and up to seven horses per race. The jockeys, especially in the case of Colon, normally traveled in anonymously from Kingston, Jamaica,  arriving first in Bocas del Toro on the United Fruit Company boats and later transferred to Colon on cargo boats. This highlights another fact that many of the first imported race horses seemed to have been brought into Panama in the same way.

A Brief But Curious History of Horse Racing in Panama – Part I

This is Juan Franco Racetrack back in 1953 during a special 50th Anniversary Commemoration Race (50 years of independence from Colombia). It would later be renamed Presidente Remón Cantera Racetrack after President Remón Cantera who was brutally assassinated in 1955 while watching the races.

by Lydia M. Reid

Panamanian horse racing has traversed a unique and colorful history to arrive at the point that it occupies today in Panama as well as the world.  This history has had varied, albeit intriguing, venues filled with color and enthusiasm over different tracks, roads, streets, meadows, and even the sands of some of Panama’s beaches.  Throughout its history however, the role of the West Indian has been outstanding in every facet of its exceptional development.