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[MJC922]

If I could go back in time to visit one track it would probably be Hialeah. In the early to mid 70s was the first time I ever set foot in Florida, my parents were still married then and took me down to Hollywood Florida to visit some relatives. I was still much too young to go to the tracks but there was always this magic in the air with my mom and others in our family when it came to horseracing and that enthusiasm rubbed off on me.

Except for the passing of a relative I never really made it back down to Florida again for an actual vacation until I had kids of my own. My wife and I took them to Disney World. Hialeah was long finished by then and the kids would've been too young anyway. I do think back though to the 70s and the Florida racing scene as if it were a magical time to be a gambler. Heck even the greyhounds were everywhere. I don't know where the time has gone. Seems like it's on fast-forward and covid ain't helping matters.