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Who says they never come back?
The time-honoured track at Hialeah reopens today after a gap of nearly 10 years, with the first of a planned 40 days of QH racing this winter.
A lot of hard work, plus support from racing fans and locals, has beaten the odds which looked very much against this particular phoenix ever rising from the ashes.
Of course, it’s not just sentiment and love of the sport – in order for the owners to eventually put in a casino they have to put on a minimum number of live horse racing days a year, but for many people it will bring back memories of the track’s glory years 50 or 60 years ago.
Hialeah may not be situated in the most fashionable neighbourhood these days, but it still looks to have retained a lot of its old charm – and the flamingoes are still there as well.
Here’s what the Miami Herald has to say about this gala day: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/other … 54935.html
Great news for sure Ven – now we just need TB racing back there and the Flamingo and Widener back
Quarter Horse racing is quite the thrill, even if it lacks the glamo(u)r of the Thoroughbreds. There’s several top trainers with strings at Hialeah, and a good stakes program. They’re also lucky that most of the other QH meets have ended. Eventually the Thoroughbreds will return.
Happily, it was a roaring success with a crowd double what was expected. It’s good to see this wonderful old venue come back to life so spectacularly.
A quote from AQHA…
An official crowd of nearly 27,000 people flocked to watch the opening day of American Quarter Horse racing at the historic Hialeah Park near Miami, Florida, on November 28, and when the gates clanged open for the very first race, the standing-room-only crowd roared in appreciation…The huge crowd was enthusiastic throughout the eight-race card, roaring its approval as the gates opened, and giving standing ovations to the winners as they returned.
This is the first race, you could say the crowd was enthusiastic!
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