The Hialeah thing is dead

[Mag]

http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/monday-morning-quarterback-hialeah-back-to-hibernation/

[Bobzilla]

Thanks for the update Mag.

I guess I should have known better than to get my hopes up. I've been to so many of the major tracks around the country but never did have a chance to get to Hialeah. It always seemed like a track that one with a passion for the sport had to make a pilgrimage to go see. It doesn't seem too long ago when hurricane, I believe it was Andrew, hit south Florida in 1992 and there was concern for not only the BC site that year which was at GP, but also concern for the hallowed grounds of Hialeah racetrack and its beautiful denizens the pink flamingos. As it turns out there was only minor damage to the toteboard.

I shall remain hopeful, however, that I'll enjoy the races trackside at Hialeah before I eventually kick the bucket.

[oddsmaven]

Thanks for the update Mag.

I guess I should have known better than to get my hopes up. I've been to so many of the major tracks around the country but never did have a chance to get to Hialeah. It always seemed like a track that one with a passion for the sport had to make a pilgrimage to go see.

Bobzilla,

A shame you didn't get to see it. I went down there just for Hialeah in the winter of 1975 (it's 50th anniversary) and attended every racing day for about 6 weeks. Breathtaking place then. Drive entrance lined on either side with impressively tall Royal Palm Trees. There was the statue of Citation, owner colors of past Widener winners on each column, the Flamingo Fountain with plaques of all the winners of that esteemed 3 yr old stake. Once a day, they'd shoo 100's of flamingos into the air for the "Flight of the Flamingo" and they'd circle majestically for a few minutes before landing back in the infield.
It was such a beautiful place and the racing was top class.

[point given]

You forgot about the playing of "Summer Wind", with Sinatra singing . Monmouth has now taken to the song, playing it after the final race of the day, but no flamingo's.

I went to Hialeah its final year and walked the shed rows, sat in the finish line seats and thoroughly enjoyed the day . The facility was showing its age and i could only imagine what it was like in its glory days.


Bobzilla,

A shame you didn't get to see it. I went down there just for Hialeah in the winter of 1975 (it's 50th anniversary) and attended every racing day for about 6 weeks. Breathtaking place then. Drive entrance lined on either side with impressively tall Royal Palm Trees. There was the statue of Citation, owner colors of past Widener winners on each column, the Flamingo Fountain with plaques of all the winners of that esteemed 3 yr old stake. Once a day, they'd shoo 100's of flamingos into the air for the "Flight of the Flamingo" and they'd circle majestically for a few minutes before landing back in the infield.
It was such a beautiful place and the racing was top class.

[Bobzilla]

Bobzilla,

A shame you didn't get to see it. I went down there just for Hialeah in the winter of 1975 (it's 50th anniversary) and attended every racing day for about 6 weeks. Breathtaking place then. Drive entrance lined on either side with impressively tall Royal Palm Trees. There was the statue of Citation, owner colors of past Widener winners on each column, the Flamingo Fountain with plaques of all the winners of that esteemed 3 yr old stake. Once a day, they'd shoo 100's of flamingos into the air for the "Flight of the Flamingo" and they'd circle majestically for a few minutes before landing back in the infield.
It was such a beautiful place and the racing was top class.


As always it sounds so nice, especially the Flight of the Flamingo. Was the Flight of the Flamingo done at the same time each day, kind of like a 7th inning stretch? It really sounds like a Racing Paradise.

[oddsmaven]

As always it sounds so nice, especially the Flight of the Flamingo. Was the Flight of the Flamingo done at the same time each day, kind of like a 7th inning stretch? It really sounds like a Racing Paradise.

Yes, as I recall maybe after the 5th race or so...the maintenance crew would wander through the bushes & plants and as discreetly as possible start waving at them enough to make them take flight...they circled high above and approximately equivalent to the perimeter of the infield...a huge swarm of pink, slowly flapping wings...the length of the song was such that they were starting to tire as it ended, so they'd start fluttering down gradually in droves and take up where they left off strolling about the impeccably landscaped infield lakes.

There was also a small zoo near the paddock, where people could look at flamingos and other floridian creatures up close.

[alhattab]

Good. Now maybe Minor can focus on buying Monmouth Park. Monmouth fits some of the characteristics Minor seeks in a racing establishment. Getting someone like Minor, who has both a passion for the game and the financial and ego-driven incentive to improve the game and facilities, would be a great shot in the arm for Monmouth. Monmouth really suffers from being a ward of the state, and the related lack of incentive and entrepreneurship that goes along with state-run enterprises. Someone like Minor could really help.

Now, about those purses....

[takeout]

So much for THAT fairy tale. Can’t help but think that Minor got saved from himself on that one.

[jeebus1083]

Brunetti is an old, ignorant, stubborn bastard. Nuff said.

[onefast99]

Good. Now maybe Minor can focus on buying Monmouth Park. Monmouth fits some of the characteristics Minor seeks in a racing establishment. Getting someone like Minor, who has both a passion for the game and the financial and ego-driven incentive to improve the game and facilities, would be a great shot in the arm for Monmouth. Monmouth really suffers from being a ward of the state, and the related lack of incentive and entrepreneurship that goes along with state-run enterprises. Someone like Minor could really help.

Now, about those purses....
Minor wouldnt be interested in MP as we all know NJ racing needs the slots and Minor is not one who believes they should be mixed together. I think NJ will eventually sell out the racing biz to a private company as it has begun to deteriorate, in fact it would be in a worse state right now if not for the Breeders Cup last year. Amazing how 26m dollars went into that facility and a lot of the cosmetic work still looks as if it was never touched up. Gotta wonder where the money really went!

[alhattab]

Minor wouldnt be interested in MP as we all know NJ racing needs the slots and Minor is not one who believes they should be mixed together. I think NJ will eventually sell out the racing biz to a private company as it has begun to deteriorate, in fact it would be in a worse state right now if not for the Breeders Cup last year. Amazing how 26m dollars went into that facility and a lot of the cosmetic work still looks as if it was never touched up. Gotta wonder where the money really went!

The easy solution to this would be to have slots at Club Med for benefit of MP and Fhld- the industry in general.

In the immortal words of Barney Frank, "good luck with that one".

I had a letter published in the Asbury Park Press expressing same sentiments as yours about the $26 million (I thought it was $30). Where the hell did it all go?!!

[joanied]

Thanks for that link, mags...

My reaction:( :mad: :(

John Brunetti is a total ass**** why would he want Hialeah to fall into further disrepair, to stand empty, abandoned...it's f**%##@* pathetic...Brunetti is pathetic, greedy and has to be sitting on what ever brains he has.

I am very sad about this development...not surprised, but totally bummed anyway...

I can only be grateful that I was at Hialeah during it's best days...to go down there from Belmont every winter was a blessing that I treasure now more than ever...what a palace it was... pink marble, grand staircases, fountains, flowers, neat, clean, gorgeous...they had the Flying of the Flamingos every afternoon, but those Flamingo's also flew over the barn area every morning...like clockwork, there would be a pink cloud overhead, often accompanied by an early morning rainbow...what a site to behold.
After work in the morning we'd go over the the grandstand and just sit up there, quiet, beautiful, put you totally at peace with the world...

heavy sigh:faint:

[onefast99]

NJSEA must sell the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park. No other options are available!

[Endsweep24]

Brunetti is an old, ignorant, stubborn bastard. Nuff said.


You said it alot nicer than I want too

[DanG]

We all knew in our hearts it was just hyperbole, but not one of us who has been there wasn’t wishing for it.

It’s on the short list of great race tracks in the world imo.

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/9666239.jpg

[joanied]

You said it alot nicer than I want too

Yes he did...look at my reaction:eek:

[joanied]

Dan G...
Gorgeous photo... post more if ya got 'em. All my photos are old and were taken with a cheapo instamatic...but I treasure them, the place & the memories I have of it.

[Endsweep24]

Anyone that is interested Halsey Minor will be on the Bloodhorses "Talkin Horses Live Discusion" On Thursday Oct 2nd at 12 noon

You can go to the Bloodhorse web site and submit questions now I know I did I will be very interested to see how he answers all questions concernng Hialeah.

[Endsweep24]

Not so sure the Hialeah thing is completely dead I figured most of the Questions to Mr Miner today Would Concern Hialeah And they were.
If anyone is interested you can read the transcript on the Bloodhorse's website under talkin horses live discussion

[joanied]

Not so sure the Hialeah thing is completely dead I figured most of the Questions to Mr Miner today Would Concern Hialeah And they were.
If anyone is interested you can read the transcript on the Bloodhorse's website under talkin horses live discussion

Guess nothin' is really over....til the fat lady sings;)

I remain hopefull:ThmbUp:

[onefast99]

Guess nothin' is really over....til the fat lady sings;)

I remain hopefull:ThmbUp:
His best bet is Gulfstream, it is a track that can be expanded if needed and the slots can still remain as a minor portion of the facility. Hialeah sounds great but reality is GP may be a much better buy right now as Magna continues to spiral out of control.

[Bubba X]

Dan G...
Gorgeous photo... post more if ya got 'em. All my photos are old and were taken with a cheapo instamatic...but I treasure them, the place & the memories I have of it.

Here's a couple links with some good photos:
http://www.savehialeahpark.com/Gallery.html

http://icuban.com/hialeah_park.html

http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/memories_hialeahpark

[Tampa Russ]

His best bet is Gulfstream, it is a track that can be expanded if needed and the slots can still remain as a minor portion of the facility. Hialeah sounds great but reality is GP may be a much better buy right now as Magna continues to spiral out of control.

The history that was GP is gone forever. I can't see Minor having any interest a concrete box. He wants Hialeah, and my bet is he's going to make it happen. I'll be there on opening day, as long as I'm still vertical.

[onefast99]

The history that was GP is gone forever. I can't see Minor having any interest a concrete box. He wants Hialeah, and my bet is he's going to make it happen. I'll be there on opening day, as long as I'm still vertical.
GP can be changed to bring back the bettors who once frequented the track before the renovation. Minor will have a marketing team that will sell fun instead of Franks sex beach and other BS unrelated to racing and more related to strip clubs.

[Tampa Russ]

GP can be changed to bring back the bettors who once frequented the track before the renovation. Minor will have a marketing team that will sell fun instead of Franks sex beach and other BS unrelated to racing and more related to strip clubs.

Renovation....now that's funny.

[joanied]

I agree...Minor loves retoring historical places, and after what Frank S did to GP, it'd take a miracle to restore it back to what it once was...but, ya never know...if that fat lady does sing, maybe Minor would be open to making an offer on GP...but, she hasn't sung yet:ThmbUp:

[joanied]

Here's a couple links with some good photos:
http://www.savehialeahpark.com/Gallery.html

http://icuban.com/hialeah_park.html

http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/memories_hialeahpark

Great links, Bubba X (by the way...MY 'nickname' at home is Bubba...or for short, Bubs:))
Liked the ones from icuban...I have a photo of myself in front of that fountain...and glad I still have a few cherished photos of Hialeah...including one of my ex jogging a horse down Sunny Jim Fizt's bridle path.
Great memories being stabled there every winter.