Up to Triple Crown Articles

posted January 7, 2008 at 17:28 in Triple Crown Articles

FDR was in his second presidential term, the New York Yankees won a fourth consecutive World Series and Johnstown captured the 65th Kentucky Derby when Gulfstream Park staged its first meeting.

The South Florida track has come a long way since that four-day meeting in 1939, four years after I was born. Opening day attracted 18,000 racing fans and the mutual handle totaled $441,561.

In ’91, a record crowd of 1,096,404 turned out for the 88-day meeting. In ’01, the handle for 63 days averaged a record $10,642,046 daily. That was the same year Hialeah Park went belly up.

Do you remember where you were on that May 22? I do -- I was among 3,280 fans that attended the final day of racing at the historic track.

One of my favorite sports trivia questions: “Who captured the 10th and final race? You might make a buck or two if you know the winner was Cheeky Miss.

In ’03, Gulfstream’s total handle for the 89-day meeting was a record $825,343,874. The numbers have been disappointing despite several more weeks of racing the past several years, refurbishing of track surfaces in ’05 and implementation of casino games the following year.

For example, total attendance has failed to exceed half a million the past three years.

So Gulfstream has added quite a few new wrinkles that include a revised horse betting racing schedule, more indoor seating, a huge, ultra-comfortable simulcast room and more dining options.

Departing from recent seasons, there will be racing six days Wednesdays through Mondays until mid-March during the 89-day meeting.

In addition, the takeout on straight wagers was raised from 15 percent to 17 percent. The Pick 6 rate was lowered by 5 percent to 15 percent while all other exotic bets stay at 20 percent.

Outdoor saddling returns unless weather becomes inclement. More cameras have been added throughout the complex to give on-track viewers and patrons at simulcast centers a better look at the racing.

“Maximizing field sizes is going to be our top priority this winter,” said new racing secretary Bill Couch, who holds the same job at Thistledown in Ohio.

Last year, Gulfstream averaged 8.6 horses per race. Couch is hoping for 9.2 to 9.5 per race this meeting. One ploy is offering one race each afternoon restricted to Florida-breds to attract more Calder-based horses.

“If field size is strong and business is good,” Gulfstream President-General Manager Bill Murphy said, there is no reason why purses couldn’t increase before the meeting ends April 20.

When casino revenue failed to come near original projections, purses ended up being overpaid by several million dollars.

New racing manager Bernie Hettel and Couch had to deal with that overpayment from the 2007 meeting when overnight purses were increased 17 percent. That forced Gulfstream to rework its stakes schedule, spacing out graded events rather than featuring four or more on Saturdays except on Jan. 26 -- Sunshine Millions Day.

Florida Derby Day features three stakes on March 29 that include the 57th running of the track’s premier race worth $1 million.

The Florida Derby debuted in 1952 when Sky Ship defeated Handsome Teddy by a head when the purse was worth $24,750.

Five years later, I saw my first Florida Derby a year after graduating from the University of Miami with several classmates when the purse was worth $123,600. It was a beautiful, memorable Saturday afternoon on March 30, 1957.

Only five horses were entered, the smallest field along with ’69, and that included two coupled horses, Calumet Farm’s Gen. Duke and Iron Liege.

The late, great Bill Hartack guided Gen. Duke to victory from off the pace, wearing down Bold Ruler to prevail by 1 ½ lengths. The runner-up, ridden by equally famous Eddie Arcaro, edged Iron Liege by a head.

Fifty-one years later, Gen. Duke’s winning time of 1:46 4/5 for the 1 1/8 miles still stands as the stakes record

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