Gulfstream Park West: Racing Shifts to Gulfstream West Wednesday, Oct. 4

By David Joseph —-

Racing Shifts to Gulfstream West Wednesday, Oct. 4

MIAMI GARDENS, FL – Live racing in South Florida moves eight miles west Wednesday, from Gulfstream Park to Gulfstream Park West for the Fall Turf Festival.

First race post for Wednesday’s eight-race program is 1:15 p.m. Gulfstream Park West, formerly Calder Race Course, is located on University Drive and County Line Road next to Hard Rock Stadium.

Once again, there will be no simulcast wagering at Gulfstream West, but Gulfstream Park will remain open for simulcast wagering the entire Gulfstream West meet. Gulfstream will also throw South Florida’s largest Breeders’ Cup Party the weekend of Nov. 4-5. Concession stands will remain open at Gulfstream during the Gulfstream West meeting.

There will be limited seating with some amenities at Gulfstream West, including the Adena Farms Food Truck and an increase in betting windows over the previous years. With a purse increase of 30 percent over last year, Gulfstream West is expecting to play host to competitive fields and lots of turf action as stables begin arriving in South Florida from New York, New Jersey, Kentucky and Illinois.

“We’re expecting the quality of racing to be very good during the Gulfstream Park West meet,” said Bill Badgett, General Manager of Gulfstream Park and Gulfstream Park West. “Stables from the north and Midwest starting shipping weeks ago to Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows, our training center in Palm Beach. We expect many more in the coming weeks. With a pristine turf course that has not been used in 10 months and the purses going up 30 percent, we’re expecting a great meet.”

Gulfstream’s opening-day program will include an allowance optional claimer for fillies and mares with a purse of $37,000 at five furlongs on the turf. Touch of Quality, a 3-year-old filly trained by Daniel Pita, will be attempting to win her fourth race in her last five starts. There’s also a maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up scheduled at five furlongs on the turf. Little Chesney, disqualified from first and placed second in his debut in March, will be one of the favorites.

Gulfstream Park West is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness, and Rosecroft Raceway. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; XpressBet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.