Gulfstream To Run Year Around?

[TJ]

What no one realizes is this isn't about horse racing anymore. They run year round and offer horse racing as an extra. This is all about the casino's and drawing people there, where the overhead is less and the profits are high with all those machines waiting to take your money. Gulfstream has a real big mall right on the what was the race track grounds. The mall is top level, big stores and restaurants and draws an upper class clientel. Being right across the street from the Diplomat Golf Course and hotel which also brings well to do visitors to the casino's after golf as well. Many that come to the mall with friends and get their shopping done early go right to the casino (within walking range of the mall) and try their luck....most usually just donate, but Gulfstream is by far the best area in Florida to run year round. Calder is an ordinary track, very laid back and almost boring. Hialeah has lots of old world charm, but the area is totally shot. All they want over there is to secure their racing dates so they keep the slots alive. Unfortunately slots have saturated Florida, between Gulfstream, Calder, Hialeah, Pompano, Palm Beach Kennel Club, Hollywood Greyhound Club, The Hard Rock, Hi-Li and all the Indian Casino's the money made on the slots at the track has done little to help increase the purses. Don't get me wrong....they make money with it....but not like at other tracks that moved up their purses anf their racing product big time thanks to the slots.
Calder has quickly changed their attitude about their horsesman racing at Gulfstream......that all changed when GP started talking about opening year round. Now Calder know's their horseman will have another option, so they changed their strong arm tactics (concerning stalls) and now say they don't want to hurt their horsemans opportunity to earn. It will be interesting to see if Stronach will actually go through with year round racing.....if he does that means one thing, live racing brings enough people to their casino's to make it worth while to stay open year round for horse racing. TJ

[fastappy]

Nice to see no head to head racing conflicts and an amicable resolution to the problem. http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... ap-avoided

[jellac]

Well Los Alamitos (sp?) in S. California seems to do OK - having carved out a niche for itsself with a program of both QH and TBs racing there year round. (Admittedly the TBs run very short, one dimensional races over 4.5 furlongs with the one turn or 'curve' thrown in to make it at all competitive. They don't have a racino but because of the timing of their program they get full coverage for their races on TVG or HRTV (never sure which one it is) only occaisionally sharing the signal with the racing 'Down Under' or a late race held somewhere further east of the Sierras or at Emerald Downs/Hastings, etc. I don't think they have HUGE crowds but for their area/racing niche they seem to have a loyal following among their "Live" fans and a much broader appeal via simulcast if only b/c they're the only form of live flat racing to bet on at that time slot in this country.