Hialeah is back

[robfla]

Looks like a very nice crowd. Great to see Hialeah open again.

[Merlinsky]

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...source=twitter

Who's holding up the works? Crist or the Florida legislature?

[MISTERGEE]

nice crowd, but it looks like they didnt want to bet

[letswastemoney]

betting quarter horses is like throwing darts. one hiccup and the horse is done

[westcoastinvader]

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

betting quarter horses is like throwing darts. one hiccup and the horse is done

Yep, not only can I not handicap the quarter horses I really don't get much enjoyment out of watching their races.

Certainly there is merit to the sport. As their is to soccer.

I just really don't enjoy watching either one.

I have gotten into a couple pick up soccer games over the years and I will admit it is a fun sport to play.

All that aside, very glad there is life at Hialeah.

[SlewsMyHero]

The handle was pretty low as expected. Only about 10K - 14K in the WPS pool for each race, and 6K - 10K in the exotic pools. I was hoping one of the Miami stations would have some video from opening day on their websites, but I checked this morning and didn't find any. I wanted to see what kind of crowd they got, and how the place looked. I know they're looking at the Q'horse meetings as a means to an end, so the handle numbers aren't going to mean much.

[tector]

Wow, are you guys delusional.

Umm, does anybody remember how Brunetti ran this place a thoroughbred track? Among other things, the man was on the bleeding edge of extortionate takeout, WAY before anybody else. He has no interest in racing for racing's sake. I realize this is now more or less true of CDI and the ruins of Magna as well, but this whole farce is designed to get him a casino and nothing more. The idea of Hialeah as a "spa meet" is theoretically appealing (and well over a couple of decades old), but impossible as a practical matter. Brunetti cannot work with ANYONE, ever--he never has, over several decades. The only way it is even possible is if either (a) Hialeah and Gulfstream fall under common ownership, which is extraordinarily unlikely, or (b) the state of Florida "re-regulates" racing dates, which also seems unlikely and which would be a graft-filled invitation to disaster. You also cannot change the fact that Hialeah is located in an area where tourists--who would have to be the bread and butter of a "spa meet"--will not go. In truth there is nothing wrong with the area where Hialeah is located, other than pain in the ass traffic. But most tourists are your typical American (or Canadian) doughballs, who assume that if an area has most of its commercial signage en Espanol then it must be "dangerous".

Brunetti probably will get his "fig leaf" thoroughbred meeting so he can open his casino. It will be as of much significance to racing as the Atlantic City race meet, and that's it. The rest of this talk is just old farts living in the past.

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...source=twitter

Who's holding up the works? Crist or the Florida legislature?

Crist. He wants to sign a pact with the Seminoles that the legislature is not approving. The Seminoles are offering the State a large chunk of money and in return want gaming exclusivity.

Crist is being shortsighted on the deal. If they opened up the gaming to all of the state's parimutuel facilities and taxed those facilities accordingly, they will make the money that the Seminoles are offering and then some. Crist seems to be taking the bird in the hand approach which makes sense for him, he won't be Governor forever so why should he be thinking long term?

The Seminoles have a gold mine with their Hard Rock Casinos in Florida and desperately want to keep gaming away from other entities.

[tector]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

Crist. He wants to sign a pact with the Seminoles that the legislature is not approving. The Seminoles are offering the State a large chunk of money and in return want gaming exclusivity.

Crist is being shortsighted on the deal. If they opened up the gaming to all of the state's parimutuel facilities and taxed those facilities accordingly, they will make the money that the Seminoles are offering and then some. Crist seems to be taking the bird in the hand approach which makes sense for him, he won't be Governor forever so why should he be thinking long term?

The Seminoles have a gold mine with their Hard Rock Casinos in Florida and desperately want to keep gaming away from other entities.

Crist is being shortsighted if and only if the Legislature is willing to tell the Bible-beaters, Disney and the cruise ship tax evaders to piss off (finally) and allow more wide open gaming. IF they were to do that (and there have finally been some rumbles about allowing "local option" on open gaming), THEN the Crist deal is truly bad. Otherwise it is a much closer call.

The problems in this state regarding gaming are entirely self-inflcited--blaming the Seminoles, or the Feds, or anybody is a complete dodge. Florida has to come out of the Stone Age on gaming, or it deserves its fate.

[Bogey]

Originally Posted by SlewsMyHero

The handle was pretty low as expected. Only about 10K - 14K in the WPS pool for each race, and 6K - 10K in the exotic pools. I was hoping one of the Miami stations would have some video from opening day on their websites, but I checked this morning and didn't find any. I wanted to see what kind of crowd they got, and how the place looked. I know they're looking at the Q'horse meetings as a means to an end, so the handle numbers aren't going to mean much.

Slew, Here you go.

http://cbs4.com/Video/?id=87322@wfor.dayport.com

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by tector

Wow, are you guys delusional.

Umm, does anybody remember how Brunetti ran this place a thoroughbred track? Among other things, the man was on the bleeding edge of extortionate takeout, WAY before anybody else. He has no interest in racing for racing's sake. I realize this is now more or less true of CDI and the ruins of Magna as well, but this whole farce is designed to get him a casino and nothing more. The idea of Hialeah as a "spa meet" is theoretically appealing (and well over a couple of decades old), but impossible as a practical matter. Brunetti cannot work with ANYONE, ever--he never has, over several decades. The only way it is even possible is if either (a) Hialeah and Gulfstream fall under common ownership, which is extraordinarily unlikely, or (b) the state of Florida "re-regulates" racing dates, which also seems unlikely and which would be a graft-filled invitation to disaster. You also cannot change the fact that Hialeah is located in an area where tourists--who would have to be the bread and butter of a "spa meet"--will not go. In truth there is nothing wrong with the area where Hialeah is located, other than pain in the ass traffic. But most tourists are your typical American (or Canadian) doughballs, who assume that if an area has most of its commercial signage en Espanol then it must be "dangerous".

Brunetti probably will get his "fig leaf" thoroughbred meeting so he can open his casino. It will be as of much significance to racing as the Atlantic City race meet, and that's it. The rest of this talk is just old farts living in the past.

[Echo Farm]

Originally Posted by SlewsMyHero

I was hoping one of the Miami stations would have some video from opening day on their websites, but I checked this morning and didn't find any. I wanted to see what kind of crowd they got, and how the place looked. I know they're looking at the Q'horse meetings as a means to an end, so the handle numbers aren't going to mean much.

Here's another
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/ot...pe=html_module

[westcoastinvader]

Some good points, and perhaps one on the living in the past.

Ironic that as you typed that you had attained the "posting level" around here of "Tropical Park."


switching.....

My distant fond memories are of Hialeah in the Spring when the place was fat with snow bird tourists and their money.

Back when South Beach was still a warehouse district for the elderly AND a skid row.

I wouldn't give up entirely that some marketing and innovation might get tourists back to Hialeah in the future.

[SlewsMyHero]

"Bogey" and "Echo Farm", thanks so much for posting the video links. I wish I could have been there. When, if the T'breds come back, I plan to be there opening day.

[tector]

Originally Posted by SlewsMyHero

"Bogey" and "Echo Farm", thanks so much for posting the video links. I wish I could have been there. When, if the T'breds come back, I plan to be there opening day.

Being there, fine--sightseeing can be fun. If Brunetti revisits the takeouts of old, then you would be crazy to bet there, however.