Gulfstream’s Rainy Day Woes

To paraphrase that famous song from "My Fair Lady," the rain in South Florida falls mainly on Gulfstream Park. Especially in early January during the dry season.

And accompanying the downpours the last couple of years have been the professional bashers in the media who, according to their writings in Miami-Dade's and Broward's most influential dailies, apparently have a death wish for Florida's top track.

The touchy subject is the condition of Gulfstream's turf course. The bashers say the grass is crass, unfit for racing. Did they bother to ask Gulfstream officials what the problem was? Nope!

"It is in excellent shape," said racing secretary Robert Umphrey. "But opening day weekend we had more than five inches of rain." Showery conditions continued the following Monday.

Bumping races off the grass, as they had been for a bit, is no guessing game. Umphrey, track superintendent Ted Malloy and the stewards meet after a device called the probe determines the condition of the turf.

"Our primary objective," Umphrey stressed, "is not to get anyone hurt."

When races are run on a turf rated good, Umphrey explained, "good means a bit of moisture still remains."

When the course is soft, "horses throw clods as big as your head," he said. "Yielding mean the horses get into it somewhat."

A firm course needs no explanation.

Umphrey, also Calder Race Course racing secretary, pointed out that Gulfstream's clay-based grass course doesn't drain as well as Calder's sand-based turf.

Last year, however, Mother Nature was less sympathetic. The first '98 race on the grass didn't occur until Jan. 11.

You can't blame Gulfstream for unseasonable showers. Blame Lady Luck.

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