The Year That Was


< This has been a most significant year for South Florida racing. Churchill Downs Inc. purchased Calder Race Course. Frank Stronach bought Gulfstream Park. Hialeah Park's 75th meeting is being held at Gulfstream, where the last Donn (Douglas) is stepping down.

< If you pardon the expression, who would have thunk it!

< While some trainers have professed concern about Gulfstream's turf course, I must point out that many of the complainers never stuck around for the Hialeah meeting anyway. And I'm sure April showers will bring greener grass and better conditions.

< I'm more sympathetic to those horses who relish coming from behind. Hialeah has always been a closer's track. While Gulfstream has been playing more to stalkers of late, the closers will continue to find it difficult to win.

< The unkindest cut of all for us journalists: And Hialeah officials saw fit not to produce a media guide. Oh, my!

< Boy, I'm really upset about the Hialeah Park meeting being switched to Gulfstream Park for several reasons, but mainly because you can't believe what John Brunetti Sr. tells the public.

< There were no building or fire code violations, he was quoted in one newspaper in the same paragraph that he said most of the fire code violations were corrected. Last year, the Hialeah press box was evacuated three times, according to several people who work both tracks, after smoke was detected. Faulty wiring, fire officials told them.

< The grounds have been in such disrepair that a study by the state a couple of years ago said it would take $8 million to bring up to par the track that opened in 1925. Much more today, I bet.

< Hialeah looks its age. Employees tell me that rats and other small animals have feasted on the innards of the main building. Termite shavings were evident every day they came to work, I was told. Repair? Replace is a better word, they all agreed.

< Two or three years ago, much tile was replaced on the ground floor because there were more cracks in it than Richard Nixon's Watergate story. Some bathrooms needed plenty of work, too.

< The deal was made with Gulfstream to improve business, Brunetti said. All these years he has extracted millions of dollars from Hialeah. And he has put back a pittance. Sure attendance has dwindled. Also on-track handle. But simulcasting has lined Brunetti's pockets with gold.

< He called the deal a new spirit of cooperation between the once feuding tracks. Balderdash! He needed Gulfstream, and it will make a buck on the lease. Gulfstream averaged more than 10,000 fans a day last meeting.
The copyright of the article The Year That Was in Horse Racing is owned by Greg Melikov. Permission to republish The Year That Was in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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