Gulfstream Sets Dates for Summit Substitutes
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Gulfstream Park has released its stakes schedule for July through early October, including seven races that are substitutes for stakes that had been scheduled for Calder Casino & Race Course's Summit of Speed on July 5.
The schedule Gulfstream released June 20 shows that five of those races will run July 5 and two will be held July 12.
Four of Gulfstream's July 5 races will be non-graded substitutes for the graded stakes that Calder had scheduled for that date. Gulfstream vice president of racing P.J. Campo previously said that Gulfstream plans to add those graded stakes to its schedule starting in 2015.
Calder announced June 16 that it is cancelling this year's Summit of Speed "because of the pending racing-dates deal with Gulfstream Park." (Related story)
That agreement remains pending as the two Miami-area tracks are still waiting for the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering to complete a review of their agreement that would allow Gulfstream to lease Calder's racing operations.
If the Florida DPMW approves the deal, the tracks would move as quickly as feasible to halt racing at Calder until this October, thus ending the head-to-head weekend racing between Gulfstream and Calder that began last July. They have been hoping to gain that approval soon enough to make June 29 Calder's final race day for three months. But they could be running out of time for reaching that target date.
Officials of the Florida DPMW, Gulfstream, and Calder were not available for comment over the June 20-22 weekend concerning the race dates issue.
Early in the week of June 16 horsemen and other industry officials were hearing reports that the tracks were hopeful of receiving the required regulatory approval within several days. Sources familiar with the complex agreement said the Florida DPMW might still be reviewing issues that include whether and how the lease arrangement is permissible under Florida laws and regulations.
The agreement extends through 2020. Gulfstream and its parent The Stronach Group would lease and run Calder's racing operations. Churchill Downs Inc. would continue to own Calder and run its casino.
Calder is in Miami Gardens, Fla., eight miles east of Gulfstream, which is in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
Gulfstream Stakes
Gulfstream will have at least one stakes race each Saturday from July 5 through Oct. 4, all ungraded and most with $75,000 purses. Gulfstream likely will add other stakes races on some Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays through the period.
The highlight of the season will be the Florida Sire Stakes series, with two races each on Aug. 9, Sept. 6, and Oct. 4. The Florida Sire Stakes races are for 2-year-olds and are restricted to Florida-bred sons and daughters of Florida-registered sires that have been nominated for the program. The series was known as the Florida Stallion Stakes when it was held at Calder from its inception in 1982 through last year.
Gulfstream's stakes races for July 5, all with $75,000 purses, are:
—Paseana, 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up; substitute for $300,000 Princess Rooney Stakes (gr. II).
—Housebuster, 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 3-year-olds and up; substitute for $300,000 Smile Sprint (gr. II)
—Cherokee Run, 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 3-year-olds; substitute for $150,000 Carry Back Stakes (gr. III)
—Cash Run, 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 3-year-old fillies; substitute for $150,000 Azalea Stakes (gr. III)
—Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint, five furlongs, 3-year-olds and up; the race was scheduled with the same name at Calder with a $100,000 purse.
Each of the five races offers a $15,000 bonus if the winner is a registered Florida-bred.
The Gulfstream stakes for July 12 are:
—Birdonthewire, $75,000, 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 2-year-olds; substitute for $80,000 Frank Gomez Memorial
—Cassidy, $75,000, 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 2-year-old fillies; substitute for $80,000 J.J.'s Dream.
Both races also will divide an additional $25,000 among first to fifth place finishers that are Florida-breds and whose sires are Florida-registered with the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association.