Hialeah Rises from Ashes with Quarter Horses
By Ben Baugh
Horse racing will make a triumphant return to a racetrack whose history and beauty influenced and impacted generations of horsemen, racing fans and enthusiasts.
The name, Hialeah Park and Race Course, evokes memories of Thoroughbred racing at its finest. The historic track last conducted live Thoroughbred racing on May 22, 2001. But a new era will allow horsemen and fans to create new memories as the legendary track, renowned for its flock of flamingos, is scheduled to reopen on Nov. 28 and marks the return of Quarter Horse Racing to the State of Florida. The last Quarter Horse Racing meet was conducted at Pompano Downs in 1991.
The race meet is scheduled to begin on Nov. 28, and John Brunetti’s Hialeah Park and Race Course will offer four days of racing featuring 8 races per day, and will race Saturday through Tuesday, with a 2:05 post time for the first race, according to Randy Soth, Hialeah Park and Race Course vice president and general manager. The scheduled meet will run through Feb. 2. The South Florida Racing Association was issued a Quarter Horse racing permit on March 16 by the Florida Department of Pari-Mutuel Wagering. The race meet will offer a full schedule, with a stakes race every weekend. There are two futurities and derbies scheduled and an invitational for the older horses on Feb. 2 as part of the calendar.
“Everyone is heads down and elbows flying,” said Soth. “We’re opening the barn area on Nov. 14 and the meet will commence on Nov. 28. We’re bringing back Hialeah Park, and we’ve put forth the effort to bring the facility back to the forefront of racing. It gives me goose bumps every time I walk into the facility. Everyone loves racing who’s working with this project.”
A great deal of interest has been expressed from horsemen nationwide and Canada who are committed to running their horses at the south Florida meet. Stall applications closed on Oct. 16. Hialeah Park and Race Course will pay the purses during the first meet. Hialeah Park and Race Course owner John Brunetti (Hialeah chairman of the board), John Brunetti, Jr., Hialeah Park and Race Course president, and Dennis Testa, Hialeah vice president of operations were among those who visited Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla. in late May with the trip being hosted by Dr. Stephen Fisch, Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association president.
“I’d like to commend everyone in the Quarter Horse world,” said Soth. “The horsemen are satisfied with the overnight purses and stakes races. Sam Abbey (racing secretary) has just completed a tour of Lone Star Park, Blue Ribbon Downs and Evangeline Downs and from his time out there received great responses from the horsemen.”
Hialeah Park and Race Course has a 3 year contract with the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association, and agreed to set up 1,000 temporary stalls that will be under clear span tents on the actual pads of the old barns. The facility has been working to get everything in place for the meet with local providers, so there will be a seamless transition when the meet commences.
On the pad of the old receiving barn, Hialeah is creating space for 40 RV’s, and in the event they receive more than 40 reservations, they’re looking at a potential additional site. They have received reservation requests from trainers, jockeys and jockey agents.
The racetrack, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is rich in history and tradition. Many legendary figures in Florida racing, including Joe Smoot, Jimmy Bright, Glenn Hammond Curtiss, Dan Chappell and Joseph Widener have left an indelible imprint not only on Hialeah Park and Race Course, but on the State of Florida and Thoroughbred racing. The first race was held at the racetrack on January 15, 1925. The track has been known as an industry leader and for its innovations that changed the complexion of the Thoroughbred industry, and as Hialeah Park and Race Course is set to reopen, it’s sure to make its mark with “America’s Horse” as a player in Quarter Horse racing. Brunetti purchased Hialeah Park and Race Course in 1977.
“I can’t say enough thanks to the City of Hialeah, they knew what our intentions were,” said Soth. “We’ve begun the process of revitalizing the clubhouse and it will be ready opening day.” Dennis Testa is Hialeah Park and Race Course’s vice president of operations and Jesus Perdomo is the building superintendant.
“They’re wonderful resources to have as we’re going through the construction phase,” said Soth. “They know every nook and cranny of the facility.”
John Lies will be the track announcer for the upcoming meet at Hialeah.
The dirt track at Hialeah has undergone an incredible transformation. “The racetrack looks like it did 10 years ago,” said Soth. “It looks fabulous. It will play a key role in attracting horsemen.”
The opening of the Quarter Horse racing meet at Hialeah marks both the beginning and culmination of the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association’s work, said Dr. Stephen Fisch. The organization was founded in 2005. In addition to directing their energies toward bringing back Quarter Horse racing to the state of Florida, the FQHRA is also developing a quality breeding program in the state that will attract more Quarter Horse racing owners and breeders to Florida.
“Hialeah is the beginning of the Quarter Horse racing circuit in Florida,” said Fisch. “Hialeah is giving us an opportunity to showcase what we can do for the state’s economy.”
The Florida-bred Quarter Horse breeding program (founded in 2005) will offer breeders incentives, and those horses bred in Florida will be valued and respected nationwide, said Fisch.
“This is also the beginning of our breeding program,” said Fisch. “We’re proud of our organization and the work we’ve done. The breeders of accredited Florida-breds will receive money awards based on how the foals they race perform. The owners of accredited Florida-breds will also get money awards for racing the Florida-breds.”
Fisch hosted a trip in late May to Remington Park for John Brunetti, Sr. and several other Hialeah officials.
“It was the final day of the meet at Remington Park, and Mr. Brunetti presented one of the trophies,” said Fisch. “He said the day of racing was the most excitement he had seen at a racetrack at any time. The Quarter Horse people are serious, and want a good product.”
Should Florida Senate Bill 788 pass it could mean great benefits for the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association, said Fisch. There are several tracks scattered around the state that have permits, he said. The tracks will be able to get Video Lottery Terminal machines after they conduct meets in two consecutive calendar years as Hialeah is doing in 2009 and 2010.
“Each horse in training brings in seven full-time jobs,” said Fisch. “The circuit is going to be year-round and affects the economy of the state in a tremendous way. Money that is being spent elsewhere will be spent in Florida. The industry will grow exponentially. Our aim is to have good purses. Fuel is getting expensive and it’s harder for horsemen to go out of state. Quarter Horse racing will bring in jobs and boost the economy. What’s better than watching the fastest horses on earth? Senate Bill 788 will make the purses such that Florida has a higher class of horse and more of them. The Breeders will be able to pay more salaries because SB788 will lead to a direct increase in purses.”
Several leading Quarter Horse trainers including Brad Bolen and perennially leading Quarter Horse racing trainer, Paul Jones, whose horses placed 1-2-3 (Inseperable, Fantastic Corona Jr. and Royal Proclamation) in the 2009 G1 All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs will also have stables based this winter at Hialeah.
A number of breeding operations are relocating to Florida, according to Fisch.
“Dan Lucas of Dan Lucas Racing, a leading breeder, is bringing his whole operation from Maryland to Ocala,” said Fisch. “Jim Helzer, who owns JEH Stallion Station, one of the leading Quarter Horse breeders, has three stallions standing at our place (AVS Equine Hospital). Chad Hart (Royston, Ga.), who has Hart Farm in Louisiana, will be shipping part of the operation to Florida.”
Among the trainers who will be racing at the meet include Thoroughbred conditioner Ron Potts, Jr.
“I’m slowly getting involved with Quarter Horses,” said Potts. “I’ll have a string of horses that will be running at Tampa Bay Downs. I do plan on running at Hialeah.”
Trainer Donnie Strickland, who won the 1996 All American Futurity with Southern Rose Ranch’s Streakin Flyer, will also be sending a string of horses to Hialeah.
“We’ll have a string of 18 to 25 horses,” said Strickland. “I think it will go over well. I’ve never raced in Florida. I race at Remington Park, where they have some of the best horses in the world. I race at Blue Ribbon Downs and have a few at Evangeline Downs.”
The projected cost of conducting the meet including the temporary structures, revitalization of the clubhouse and the entire grounds approaches upward of $15 million, according to Soth.
Hialeah Park and Race Course also has formulated a strategic marketing plan for the Quarter Horse racing meet. Hialeah Park and Race Course’s long-standing brand name should also help as a marketing tool and resource in its efforts to attract fans to the Quarter Horse meet.
“There will be a number of promotional items and the facility during weekends of the meet will feature something for everyone as there will be an emphasis on the family unit. There will be a definite Latino flavor as Hialeah Park and Race Course transforms into a country fair atmosphere”, said Soth.
“We’ve engaged the services of Mike Cronin,” said Soth, who worked with Cronin when Soth served as the vice president and general manager of Calder Race Course. “He’s a great student of the game. We’re planning major events that will highlight the weekends.”
Hialeah’s previous success as a leader in the Thoroughbred industry cannot be understated. The photo-finish camera, saliva test, tote board and pari-mutuel totalisator machines were all introduced at the racetrack in 1933. The first turf race conducted in the United States was also at Hialeah Park in 1933, and the first turf stakes race, the Miami Beach Handicap, was held Jan. 28, 1939 at the revered track.
The facility has begun the design phase of the building for the house card room. At the present time the card room will be in the Flamingo Pavilion.
A mixed Quarter Horse racing meet and Thoroughbred racing meet may very well be in Hialeah’s future plans.
“The Brunettis have been involved with racing all their lives,” said Soth. “Their comfort level is to have as much activity as possible at the facility. Someday we might see Thoroughbred racing in conjunction with Quarter Horse racing.”