Racetrack Closures Serve as a Monumental Loss to the Sport

re: Racetrack Closures Serve as a Monumental Loss to the Sport

merrywriter — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 23:26:03 GMT

You know how much I love this article and am glad to see that Bloodhorse had the sense to publish it. You are right about a fund to help tracks if needed. Tory

re: Racetrack Closures Serve as a Monumental Loss to the Sport

PomDeTerre — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:59:09 GMT

Are you forgetting Hialeah? I am glad that someone finally came to their sense before this landmark was trashed to make way for condos.

re: Racetrack Closures Serve as a Monumental Loss to the Sport

johnaugustwest — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:20:25 GMT

Ms. Wirth-Ice's article brought back many fond memories, including being at the Swaps-Nashua match race at old Washington Park. I was all of eight years old at the time, but to this day, I well remember the electricity in the air generated by the enormous crowd. And needless to say, I wish the place was still around. I'll have the same feelings, too, about Hollywood Park if it closes. I'll never forget standing three feet from Affirmed there and having him look me right in the eye.

But, as is said (because it's true), things do change and nothing lasts forever. So while I applaud Ms. Wirth-Ice's sentiments and her obvious respect for the history of the game, I hope she doesn't expend too much time and energy in trying to resist the inevitable. If the land a given racetrack sits on will be worth far more to its owners with houses or a shopping mall on it instead, more often than not, it will sooner or later be "Goodbye, racetrack."

re: Racetrack Closures Serve as a Monumental Loss to the Sport

Texohky — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 22:37:15 GMT

Thank goodness Hialeah hasn't closed and been demolished yet. Quarter horses are currently keeping it open; perhaps soon, Thoroughbreds shall return. Since Breeders' Cup has made it clear that they won't return to the "remodeled" Gulfstream, wouldn't it be something if they could return to South Florida at Hialeah, with those flamingos in the infield!!! I hope Brunetti, or whoever is running it, succeeds in doing just that. Naahh!! CDI and Magna would never let that happen.

re: Racetrack Closures Serve as a Monumental Loss to the Sport

fuzzbert — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 19:40:25 GMT

It is a shame to see such wonderful and historical tracks close and than, literally be wiped clean in place of new development. Horse racing has faced many major issues in recent years: unsoundness,drugs,purchase prices to name a few. We the fans need to do something to increase our fan base. Queen Z and RA really did help, but now they're gone and it will be several years before we see the foals. Not only have the tracks disappeared, but the breeding institutions as well. The Meadow where Secretariat hailed and Glen Riddle where the mighty Man O'War once trained. I guess most "non fans" would say it's progress - I say differently. I can only hope that what once was will be again...

re: Racetrack Closures Serve as a Monumental Loss to the Sport

Mary Zinke — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:01:46 GMT

Ms. Wirth-Ice. Why wonder? You could set up that foundation for the retirement and/or retraining of Thoroughbreds. You have a lovely manner of writing which if it is reflected in your speech would be a great asset in starting such a project. Just be sure to get some old-timey horseman or horsemen, maybe from Kentucky to back you.

re: Racetrack Closures Serve as a Monumental Loss to the Sport

Mufasa Thedog — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 17:37:38 GMT

Two of the closures you mentioned happened because of hair-brained ideas. Bay Meadows closed because of the requirement to convert the track to synthetic. Sportsman's closed because the owners thought that an auto track could co-exist with a horse track. When the car track went bust, it took the horses down with it.

re: Racetrack Closures Serve as a Monumental Loss to the Sport

savvora1 — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 15:30:52 GMT

I can not believe that Hollywood Park will be no more. It seems hard to fathom that the horsemen in California, as well as elsewhere would allow this to happen. Don't we have enough shopping malls, many standing half empty and enough housing developments with foreclosures and short sale signs in front of them without destroying a place of beauty, history and just plain pleasure to the eye to behold. I had the good fortune to have a filly I bred race there. It was a thrill. How can even the general population of the area allow this to happen?

re: Racetrack Closures Serve as a Monumental Loss to the Sport

Needler in Virginia — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 03:28:10 GMT

Jennifer, while not demolished, the closure of the wondrous Hialeah broke my heart. Even now the fate of that track and many others hang in the balance, and the scales are tipping toward the next mall, parking lot or condo development. Now God knows we need more parking lots, but MUST they be where dreams lie? The recent disinterment of magical Noor and his subsequent transfer to a permanent home at Old Friends in Georgetown shows that if Charlotte Farmer can get the job done (and by golly! SHE DID), others can come along with the dreams remembered and do a small bit for racing, its' horses and heroic jockeys. Since horses have been the partners of men far longer than cars have been, and will be long after the last drop is drilled and the last barrel refined and sold, they will be again. So all you mall and parking lot and condo developers might rethink what to do with all that green space. Just maybe there's a small spot in Heaven for all those who pull back from the brink just before it's too late. We can only hope!

YE GODS! HOLLYWOOD PARK CONDOS??? I give up; the thought is too tragic to contemplate. All we have left of the Bay Meadows and Washington and Sportsmans and Jamaica are old photographs in an old book, but there is still time and after all, that's what your column is all about right?

Thanks for your lovely, nostalgic words. Maybe there's a good guy with a white hat just waiting for a new mountain to climb and by reading this that guy just MIGHT have found his new mountain.

Cheers and safe trips.