Crowd Flocks to Reopened Hialeah Park
November 28, 2009
A record crowd heads to Hialeah Park to see American Quarter Horse racing.
American Quarter Horses race at Hialeah Park.
A crowd of nearly 27,000 people flocked to watch the opening day of American Quarter Horse racing at the historic Hialeah Park Race Track 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. It was one of the largest opening days in American Quarter Horse racing history.
The track, which originally opened in 1925 and is the site of many legendary Thoroughbred races. For decades, it was the place for the rich and famous to see and be seen. Hialeah Park, famous for its flock of flamingoes, closed in 2001. With the summer announcement of the upcoming American Quarter Horse meet, workers began repairing the track which had fallen into disuse. Owner John Brunetti often had workers pulling double shifts to get the track ready in time. According to a city of Hialeah study, the track will directly and indirectly create 11,000 new jobs.
At 1:07p.m., the gates flew open for the opening race, and Jose C. Angel’s Definatly Maybe shook loose of the field halfway through the 300-yard event, winning by three-quarters of a length. The black gelding was trained by Manuel Mata and ridden by Jose Ranilla.
The reopening was the first that featured American Quarter Horses. American Quarter Horses are short distance sprinters, usually running a quarter of a mile or less, and reach top speeds of approximately 50 mph. Hialeah Park officials originally estimated an expected crowd of 10,000-12,000 people.
“We are excited to see the response and the enthusiasm of the crowd,” said Trey Buck, the American Quarter Horse Association’s executive director of racing. “American Quarter Horse racing is an exciting sport to watch, and I believe the fans have really seen that.”
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. The track sold out of its 10,000 souvenir t-shirts within hours. After the races, they held a live concert featuring Willy Chirino and Los Primeros.
The American Quarter Horse racing season at Hialeah Park will run 40-days, closing February 2. The track will run Saturdays through Tuesdays.
Comments
4 Comments on “Crowd Flocks to Reopened Hialeah Park”
Add a Comment
December 1st, 2009 at 8:25 pm
I think it was a great idea reopening hialeah park I’m hopes best for the track.
December 1st, 2009 at 8:25 pm
I think it was a great idea reopening hialeah park and hopes best for the track.
December 4th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
I think it is the best place for vacations the sea and horses
December 20th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Hey! Great idea… I was beginning to worry that we might run out of unwanted ex-race horses. No worries about filling the illegal slaughterhouses with “new meat”. Or with shipping the “retired” horses to get butchered in Mexico.
Really? 27,000 people can’t find something better to do than to watch an enslaved animal “perform” for them? This place should have remained shut down… Brings nothing but crime to the neighborhood – And the very first “crime” is breeding & using these animals to begin with.
With “racing animals” everyone’s a LOOSER!