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BloodHorse.com Articles by Jim Freer

Gulfstream Banking on 2009 Meet Changes

Gulfstream Banking on 2009 Meet Changes

Gulfstream Park is hoping that a move to a five-day race week will help produce larger fields and attract more live fans and other bettors on days that have proven more popular than its newly-dark Mondays.

 Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Gulfstream Urges Legal Action on Tribe

Gulfstream Urges Legal Action on Tribe

Gulfstream Park on Dec. 18 asked the Supreme Court of Florida to issue an order that would give law enforcement officials authority to shut down blackjack and baccarat tables at the Seminole Tribe of Florida's casinos in the state.

 Friday, December 19, 2008
Florida DPMW: 27 Days Total for Lopez

Florida DPMW: 27 Days Total for Lopez

The Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering has ordered jockey Pascacio "Paco" Lopez to serve 27 days of stewards' suspensions, including seven days at Gulfstream Park's 2009 meet that begins Jan. 3.

 Monday, December 08, 2008
Overnight Stakes Latest Cuts at Calder

Overnight Stakes Latest Cuts at Calder

Calder Race Course will not hold any overnight stakes through the rest of its meet that ends Jan. 2, 2009. Five have been cut from the next condition book, which runs through Dec. 14.

 Monday, November 24, 2008
Jockey Lopez Barred From CDI Tracks

Jockey Lopez Barred From CDI Tracks

Churchill Downs Inc. said Nov. 14 that it has barred Pascacio "Paco" Lopez, this year's leading jockey at Calder Race Course, from riding at Calder and other CDI-owned tracks through Jan. 2, 2009, which is the end of the Tropical at Calder meet. The prohibition also includes current meets at Churchill Downs and Fair Grounds.

 Saturday, November 15, 2008

Florida DPMW Postpones Lopez Hearing

The Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering has postponed a hearing that was scheduled for Nov. 5 on a possible 30-day suspension of Paco Lopez, who leads Calder Race Course jockeys in victories this year.

 Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Handle at Recent Calder Meet Drops 20%

Handle at Recent Calder Meet Drops 20%

Handle at Calder Race Course's recently-concluded Calder meet fell 20% compared with 2007, according to the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering.

 Monday, November 03, 2008

Letters Critical of MEC's Economic State

San Francisco-based institutional investor Farallon Capital Managment and technology entrepreneur Halsey Minor are separately asking MI Developments Inc. for a major financial shake-up of racing conglomerate Magna Entertainment Corp. MID is the controlling shareholder of the debt-laden racetrack owner.

 Monday, October 20, 2008
Big Drama Looks For Sweep in Florida

Big Drama Looks For Sweep in Florida

Harold L. Queen's homebred colt Big Drama will seek a sweep of the Florida Stallion Stakes' open division Oct. 18 when he faces 11 other juveniles in the $400,000 In Reality at Calder Race Course.

 Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Lopez Appeal Hearing Set for Nov. 5

Lopez Appeal Hearing Set for Nov. 5

The Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering has scheduled a hearing for Nov. 5 on jockey Paco Lopez's appeal of a 30-day suspension from Calder Race Course stewards.

 Friday, October 10, 2008

Two Miami Pari-Mutuels Set Casino Plans

The two other pari-mutuels in Miami-Dade County, Florida, have moved ahead of Calder Race Course in announcing plans for casinos that would have Las Vegas-style slot machines.

 Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Brunetti Rejects Minor's Hialeah Offer

Brunetti Rejects Minor's Hialeah Offer

John Brunetti has rejected technology entrepreneur Halsey Minor's first official offer to buy Hialeah Park.

 Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Order Sought to Halt 'Compact' Gaming

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum on Sept. 19 asked the National Indian Gaming Commission to issue a temporary order to shut down the blackjack and baccarat tables and Class III Las Vegas-style slot machines at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

 Friday, September 19, 2008
Minor Sends Brunetti Plan for Hialeah

Minor Sends Brunetti Plan for Hialeah

Technology entrepreneur Halsey Minor has sent Hialeah Park owner John Brunetti a plan on the potential cost of rebuilding and operating the race track.

 Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Inside Track: A Natural Rider

Inside Track: A Natural Rider

Walk around Calder Race Course and you'll keep hearing the word "Paco" from the lips of trainers, bettors, stewards, and other track officials.

 Monday, September 15, 2008

FL Supreme Court Denies Tribe's Request

The Supreme Court of Florida Sept. 11 denied a request by the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Gov. Charlie Crist for a re-hearing on its July 3 ruling that blackjack and baccarat are illegal at the tribe's Hollywood, Fla., casino.

 Friday, September 12, 2008
Slots Revenue Agreement OK'd for Calder

Slots Revenue Agreement OK'd for Calder

Churchill Downs Inc. and the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association announced Sept. 10 that they have reached an agreement on a contract for future slot machine revenue at CDI-owned Calder Race Course.

 Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Calder Slots Deal Signed by CDI, FTBOA

Churchill Downs Inc. and the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association announced on Sept. 10 that they have reached an agreement on a contract for future slot machine revenue at CDI-owned Calder Race Course.

 Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Juveniles Showcased Saturday at Calder

Juveniles Showcased Saturday at Calder

Calder Race Course will hold its sixth annual Juvenile Showcase on Sept. 6, with six non-graded stakes races for 2-year olds.

 Thursday, September 04, 2008
Florida Steroid Rules Forthcoming

Florida Steroid Rules Forthcoming

The Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering is preparing new rules on anabolic steroids and plans to issue them before the end of this year.

 Friday, August 29, 2008

State Grants Calder Additional Dark Days

Calder Race Course got state permission to run four days a week instead of five for an 11-week period beginning Sept. 1. The South Florida track has lost horses due to reduced purses that were caused by a lingering dispute over simulcast signal distribution.

 Thursday, August 28, 2008
'Realities' Force Calder Date Cuts

'Realities' Force Calder Date Cuts

Calder Race Course has asked the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering for permission to hold live racing four days a week, rather than five, during 11 weeks beginning Sept. 1.

 Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Minor Active in Pursuit of Hialeah Park

Minor Active in Pursuit of Hialeah Park

Prospective Hialeah Park buyer Halsey Minor has sent consultants and accountants to examine the closed racetrack, and Minor and Hialeah owner John Brunetti say they are planning more talks on a possible sale.

 Thursday, August 21, 2008
Leading Calder Jockey Appeals Suspension

Leading Calder Jockey Appeals Suspension

Pascacio "Paco" Lopez, this year's leading jockey at Calder Race Course, has appealed a 30-day suspension for careless riding.

 Monday, August 18, 2008

Testa Leaves Gulfstream After 14 Years

Dennis Testa has left Gulfstream Park, where he has served as director of operations since 1998.

 Friday, August 15, 2008

Hialeah's Brunetti Meets With Minor

Hialeah Park owner John Brunetti and prospective buyer Halsey Minor held their first meeting Aug. 6, with Brunetti later saying "we will have another meeting to see if our common interests are strong enough to continue going forward."

 Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Hialeah Redux: Beyond Brunetti, Minor

Hialeah Redux: Beyond Brunetti, Minor

Hialeah Park owner John Brunetti is looking forward to meeting with prospective buyer Halsey Minor about what he calls multiple "hurdles" to returning racing to the historic track that last held a meet in 2001.

 Thursday, July 31, 2008

FL Governor Seeks Re-Hearing on Gaming

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and the Seminole Tribe of Florida July 17 asked the Supreme Court of Florida for a re-hearing on its July 3 ruling that declared blackjack and baccarat illegal at the tribe's casinos in the state.

 Friday, July 18, 2008
Calder Exporting Signal, Taking Others

Calder Exporting Signal, Taking Others

Calder Race Course resumed sending its signal to racetracks outside Florida July 10, and started receiving its full regular menu of simulcast signals from other tracks.

 Thursday, July 10, 2008

Shippers Target 'Summit of Speed' Races

Calder Race Course posted entries July 7 for its July 12 Summit of Speed, a card with a quartet of six-furlong graded stakes that has become the highlight of the year at the South Florida track.

 Tuesday, July 08, 2008

CDI Announces Deal With Calder Horsemen

Churchill Downs Inc. announced July 7 that it has signed contracts with the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association on 2008 purses and on potential future slot machine revenue at CDI-owned Calder Race Course.

 Monday, July 07, 2008

Horsemen Say Calder Issues Resolved

The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association announced July 5 it has reached an agreement with Churchill Downs Inc. on purses and slot machine revenue for Calder Race Course. If the contracts are signed, Calder could export its July 12 "Summit of Speed" program to tracks around the country.

 Saturday, July 05, 2008
Calder Announces 'Summit' Nominations

Calder Announces 'Summit' Nominations

Sixty-three horses, including IEAH Stable's Benny the Bull, have been nominated.

 Thursday, July 03, 2008

Court: FL Governor Exceeded Authority

The Supreme Court of Florida ruled July 3 that Gov. Charlie Crist exceeded his authority last November when he signed a compact that has permitted the Seminole Tribe of Florida to have Class III Las Vegas-style slot machines, blackjack, and baccarat.

 Thursday, July 03, 2008
CDI, Florida Horsemen Still at Impasse

CDI, Florida Horsemen Still at Impasse

With two weeks left before Calder Race Course's July 12 Summit of Speed, Churchill Downs Inc. and the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association remain deadlocked in contract talks for the Miami Gardens, Fla., track.

 Thursday, June 26, 2008

Horsemen's Request on Purses Denied

A federal judge in Louisville on June 16 denied the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association's request for a preliminary injunction to require Churchill Downs Inc. to consult with it before cutting purses at Churchill Downs.

 Tuesday, June 17, 2008

FL Tracks Wary as Tribal Gaming Expands

The Seminole Tribe of Florida is preparing for the June 22 launch of blackjack and baccarat at its Hollywood, Fla., casino located 10 miles from Gulfstream Park, one of the racetracks that filed suits to stop the Seminole gaming expansion.

 Friday, June 13, 2008

Calder Meeting: Considerable Progress

The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association's general counsel said June 10 his organization could sign agreements "in the very near future" on 2008 purses and future slot-machine revenue at Calder Race Course.

 Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Calder Impasse: Let's Meet Tomorrow

Following a June 9 meeting, officials of the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and Churchill Downs Inc. plan to meet again June 10 in an effort to resolve a costly contracts dispute at CDI-owned Calder Race Course.

 Monday, June 09, 2008
Calder Zapped by Ongoing Contract Fight

Calder Zapped by Ongoing Contract Fight

The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and Churchill Downs Inc. are planning to meet June 9 to discuss contracts for CDI-owned Calder Race Course, where the financial impacts of a dispute are worsening each week.

 Friday, June 06, 2008
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