Calder to Offer 40 Stakes Races in 2013

Calder Casino & Race Course recently announced its 2013 stakes schedule, which will have 40 stakes races all with purses of $75,000 or higher from April 6, its opening day, through Dec. 28. Ten of the stakes have graded status.

The lone stakes race April 6 at the Miami Gardens, Florida track will be the $250,000 Calder Derby, at 1 1/8 miles on dirt for 3-year-olds.

Calder announced  its 2013 stakes one day after it and Gulfstream Park, in Hallandale Beach, failed to settle their dispute over future racing dates in southeast Florida. The two tracks, just eight miles apart, currently are  scheduled to race head-to-head every Saturday and Sunday during  the 12  months beginning July 1.

The  first  day  of that overlap will be July 6. That day Calder will have its annual Summit of Speed, with four graded stakes in its regular spot on the schedule. Gulfstream can be expected to have multiple stakes races on July 6 as well.

That is one of several Saturdays from July through November when Calder's long established stakes schedule should help it in the competition for Miami-area fans as well as for off-track betting.

As in previous years, Calder's 2013 schedule will have several multiple stakes Saturdays:

July 6—Summit of Speed with four graded stakes including the Princess Rooney, Calder's only grade I stakes.

Aug, 23—Juvenile Showcase with six stakes for 2-year-olds.

Oct. 12—Festival of the Sun with four stakes, including the final legs of the three-race Florida Stallion Stakes divisions for 2-year-olds. The open division finale is the In Reality and the fillies division finale is the My Dear Girl.

Nov. 9—Florida Million with eight stakes races for Florida-breds.

"We're excited to offer a lucrative and lengthy stakes program that will give the top horses stabled at Calder, in all divisions, many opportunities to run," said Calder racing secretary Mike Anifantis. "Our stakes program offers nationally renowned events such as the Summit of Speed, which continues to turn out champion sprinters, along with events such as the Festival of the Sun, which have proven to be both popular and profitable for our Florida horsemen."