Hazel Park, Michigan's Last Thoroughbred Track, Closes

After 69 years, Hazel Park Raceway—the last Thoroughbred racetrack operating in the state of Michigan—closed April 5.

The racetrack, which was scheduled to open for training Thursday for its opening day May 4, announced on its website that the track is "effectively closed," but did not provide further details.

"We want to express our heartfelt appreciation to our employees, visitors, supporters, and long-standing community partners," the announcement said.

Hazel Park's director of racetrack operations, Mike Stommen, declined to comment on the closure but said a public relations firm hired to handle media inquiries would answer questions at a later time.

A release from the Michigan Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association indicated Thursday the owner of Hazel Park, Hartman and Tyner, Inc., had sold the property and that horses stabled on the grounds have until April 15 "to vacate the barn area."

"Given these circumstances, horsemen who intended to stable at Hazel Park for the upcoming Hazel Park meet are urged to contact tracks (in) surrounding states for stall applications," the Michigan HBPA statement said. "The HBPA will also contact tracks in Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, etc., to explain the predicament for Michigan horsemen and will request whatever helpful accommodation that can be made for those horsemen with stall assignments at Hazel Park.

"This is an exceptionally sad day for Michigan horsemen and our racing fans, our suppliers, farmers, and agriculture providers. Before there were casinos, state lotteries, charity poker rooms, and internet betting, there was horse racing. Since 1933, Thoroughbred horse racing has played a vital role in Michigan's equine-agricultural environment."

A Hazel Park staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said preparations for the upcoming meet have been going on for a month.

"We just spent the last 30 days getting the barn area ready, and the horsemen were allowed to bring in everything they needed for the meet," the staff member said. "They brought in sawdust and feed this week, horses came in yesterday, and training was supposed to start today. How this was done is beyond my brain cells."

First developed as an auto racing facility in 1948, Hazel Park operated as a Thoroughbred and Standardbred racetrack from 1949-1984. It conducted harness racing exclusively from 1985-2013 and converted to an exclusive Thoroughbred racetrack in 2014.