| The Mobile Jockey Club | |
| Foundation: | 1836 |
| Location: | Mobile, Alabama |
| Coordinates: | 30.6699°N -88.0658°W |
The Mobile Jockey Club was an American sporting organization founded prior to 1836 in Mobile, Alabama.
As early as 1836 Major Kenan's "Birmingham" raced Col. Johnston's "Joe Swiler" for $5,000.[1]
In 1837 the Club built the Bascombe Race Course. The first race was held Monday, April 3, a closed competition between two local Mobilians, Col. Vance Johnson's Scarlet and P. B. Starke's Birminghand, four-mile heats, $5,000 aside. Tuesday featured The Colt Sweepstakes: five entries of $500 each, and closed; that same day the Jockey Club purse of $500, two-mile heats. On Wednesday three mile heats, on Thursday four mile heats, on Friday mile heats, best 3 of 5, and Saturday the Proprietors Purse of $350, at two-mile heats. In attendance were Col. Garrison of Virginia, who would go on to found the Metairie Course in New Orleans, Louisiana with Richard Adams; and Col. Langford of the Canebrake.[2]
The Fall Meeting of The Mobile Jockey Club commenced Tuesday, Nov 27th, with a sweepstakes race for colts and fillies, being 2 years old in the Spring of 1838, $250 Entrance Fee, $100 Forfeit Fee. There were six entries, three forfeited. J. S. Garrison (C. Robinson's) Martha Robins, D. Stephenson's Amazon, and Doctor Wither's Pulaski, raced.[3]
The Fall Meeting began Wednesday, Dec 14, with the Jockey Club Purse, two mile heats, $250, and a sweepstakes race for four year olds, two mile heats, $300 Enterance Fee, $100 Forfeit Fee, to name and close the Dec. 1, three or more to make a race. Thursday, Dec 15, Jockey Club Purse, three mile heats, $400. Friday, Dec 16, Jockey Club Purse, four mile heats, $700, of which $100 goes to the second best horse. Saturday, Dec 17, Mile Heats, best three in five, Purse $200, and a Sweepstakes race for three year olds, mile heats, $200 Enterance Fee, $100 Forfeit Fee, three or more to make a race, to name and close the Dec. 1. D STEPHENSON Proprietor.[4]
There is a note in the Times Picayune announcing the Spring Races to begin March 8, with an allusion to a newly elected board of governors.[5] This is when Richard Ten Broeck, proprietor of the Metairie Course in New Orleans, became involved in The Mobile Jockey Club as its Treasurer.