Calder Casino is located just north of the Stadium. 21001 NW 27th Avenue, Miami Gardens, FL 33056. (305) 625 - 1311. Responsible Gaming Statement: Guests must be 21 or older to enter Calder Casino. Calder Race Track. Calder race track is a 220-acre thoroughbred racing facility in Miami, Florida that has two tracks - a dirt and a turf track. Calder race track has two racing meets or seasons each year - the Summer Meet, usually held from April to October - and the Fall / Winter Meet, usually from October to January. From slot machines & video poker to blackjack & roulette there's always a chance to win big rewards at at Calder Casino in Miami Gardens, South Florida! (305) 625 - 1311 Directions. View Calder Odds. Address: 21001 NW 27th Ave, Miami Gardens, FL. Calder Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racing track in Miami Gardens, Florida. It's located on the Miami-Dade/Broward County line, approximately 15 miles from the centers of Miami and Ft. On May 6, 1971 Calder Race Course. Calder Casino, located on South Florida's Miami-Dade / Broward county line, offers gaming action with nearly 1,100 slot machines and Thoroughbred horse racing in the fall.
5 tiger generals. Saturday’s opening day at the meet rebranded as Gulfstream Park West will truly mark the beginning of an end. Barring an 11th hour reprieve from the courts, the 40-day season will be the last ever run at Calder Race Course, the meat-and-potatoes South Florida track that has been operating since 1971.
Since 2014, the racing operation has been leased by Calder’s owner, Churchill Downs Inc., to Gulfstream Park’s owners, The Stronach Group, which renamed the track Gulfstream Park West. That lease expires at the end of the year and TSG is in the process of putting together a 2021 racing schedule that does not include a Gulfstream Park West/Calder meet.
Calder opened May 6, 1971 with 16,263 fans in attendance and the handle was $712,931. The New York Times reported that the meet “got off to a flying start” and that there were so many people looking to get into the track that they had to close the gates and turn some would-be patrons away.
Calder bridged the gap between the winter and early spring meets that were held at Gulfstream and at Hialeah and ushered in an era of year-round racing in South Florida. While Calder was never as glamorous as the other tracks in the area, it satisfied a need and was a starting point for many successful jockeys, trainers and horses. In 2000, Calder inaugurated the “Summit of Speed” program, which featured several major stakes races, all of them sprints.
“Calder was a workingman’s racetrack and a lot of fine horses came from there that competed on all levels, whether it was Spend a Buck to a horse I had, Three Ring, who went on to win all sorts of graded stakes races,” said veteran trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. “My father was the second one through the backstretch gates when it first opened. A lot of people did great there and Calder launched the career of a lot of horsemen. Calder was a great place for me and my family. It gave us a lot of stability and it gave me time to be with my family. I am going to sorely miss it.”
Calder’s future changed directions when it was purchased for $87 million in 1999 by Churchill Downs. Over the years, Churchill has become increasingly less interested in racing and has been focusing on gaming. Following the end of the 2015 meet, Churchill had the grandstand torn down, leaving little behind but the racetrack itself.
In 2010, a casino opened at Calder. Florida law required Churchill to run a live racing meet of at least 40 days in order to keep its casino license, but Churchill found a loophole in the law and argued that any form of pari-mutuel wagering would satisfy the requirements for a casino. In May, 2019, Churchill opened a jai alai fronton, which is far less costly to operate than a racetrack, on the grounds. Four months later, a Florida Court upheld a decision by the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering that allowed Calder to tie its casino permit to jai alai. Horse racing was no longer needed.
“I feel that Churchill Downs didn’t do its best for horse racing,” trainer David Fawkes said. “They’ve done the same thing in Chicago with Arlington and to Hollywood Park. It’s sad because we all got on board to help them get their casino and once they got what they wanted, they were done with us.”
The Florida HBPA and other industry groups have continued the battle in the courts, hoping to reverse the decision that approved the casino-jai alai marriage. But Gulfstream management is proceeding as if racing will no longer continue at Calder after the meet ends Nov. 28.
“It”s the end of an era,”said Bill Badgett, the executive director of Florida Racing Operations for The Stronach Group.
Though overshadowed by Gulfstream, the abbreviated Calder meets served a purpose. It is difficult for any track to operate year-round, especially one that relies so heavily on turf racing, like Gulfstream does. The two months when racing was conducted at Calder were used to give Gulfstream a break and to prepare the turf course for the Championship Meet.
Badgett said that the plan is to operate Gulfstream year-round in 2021, but said that not all the Calder dates will be made up.
“We’re in the process right now of creating the calendar for 2021,” Badgett said. “Most likely, we will lose about 20 days out of the 40. The two months when we race over there is the time we get things ready here for the championship meet, with the turf. It could be that in November we possibly could race over the Breeders’ Cup days and take the rest of the month off and then get ready for the Championship Meet. That would give us almost three weeks off for the turf course. Maybe in October we’ll only run three days a week. We will try to run a few less turf races during October. It looks like we have a pretty good plan we’re going to be putting into place. To lose just 20 days, that doesn’t hurt you that much in the long run.”
The other issue is stabling. Badgett said that there are 450 horses currently stabled at Calder. Gulfstream has reached an agreement whereby the horses can stay at Calder until Apr. 1. By that time, he said, an expansion project will have been completed at Palm Meadows to house the Calder horses and the backstretch workers who care for those horses.
Badgett is a former trainer who raced some at Calder before he went into racetrack management. Like so many others in South Florida racing, he has a soft spot for old Calder Race Course.
“When they tore the grandstand down, that’s when everybody said that it was the beginning of the end,” he said. “It used to be a lot of fun to race there and they had great racing. I even remember running on Christmas Day there. But the game has changed and those days are long gone. It’s sad.”
(Redirected from Calder Casino & Race Course)
Calder Casino | |
---|---|
Location | Miami Gardens, Florida |
Opening date | May 6, 1971 |
Owner | Churchill Downs Inc. Racing operations leased to Stronach Group |
Website | http://www.caldercasino.com |
Calder Casino is a casino located in Lake Lucerne, Miami Gardens, Florida. It includes slots, electronic table games, and bingo.
Game floor
The casino opened in 2010 and features a 100,000-square-foot (9,300 m2) gaming floor with 1,100 slot machines, including video poker, as well as electronic roulette and blackjack. Live entertainment[1] can be found at Calder Casino on a weekly basis as well as a popular ladies night.
A player's club,[2] VIP lounge, and dining options[3] such as The Buffet, Lucky's Restaurant and Center Bar can all be found at the location. It is a non-smoking casino, however the Backyard Casino, South Florida's newest[citation needed] and largest smoking friendly open-air casino, opened at Calder Casino on May 19, 2018. The Backyard Casino at Calder hosts 75 games.
Calder's horse racing operations were leased to the Stronach Group, operators of Gulfstream Park, in 2014. Since then, Calder's meet has been named Gulfstream Park West.[4] Calder Casino is a wholly owned property of Churchill Downs Incorporated and has kept its original name.
Exterior of casino
History[edit]
In the mid-1960s, real estate developer Stephen A. Calder envisioned summertime horse racing in Florida; in 1965, on the advice of Mr. Calder, the Florida Legislature approved a bill allowing for it. Prior to this time, a fall meet was held at Tropical Park Race Track in Miami and winter / spring meets at Hialeah Park and Gulfstream Park in Broward County. In 1970, Stephen Calder received a permit for summertime racing but the meet was run at Tropical Park because construction was not complete at Calder. On May 6, 1971 Calder Race Course held its first day of racing. When William L. McKnight became the new owner of Tropical Park, he stated his intentions of closing the track and switching the dates to the Calder track, of which he was one of the principal investors.[5] Racing ceased at Tropical Park in 1972.
The 1980s brought about renovations and expansions and two purchases. The first purchase was by Bertram R. Firestone and the second was by Kawasaki Leasings, Inc. In 1992 the 'Festival of the Sun' was introduced. By 1997, simulcasting was introduced (so bets could be placed on Calder races from other tracks and off-track locations). The handle increased significantly; the track increased purses. In January 1999, Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) purchased Calder Race Course for approximately $86 million. In the first years of the new century the track introduced the 'Florida Million' and the 'Summit of Speed'.
Calder's Summit of Speed has produced several Breeders' Cup champions and Eclipse Award winners since its start in 2000. (The Eclipse award is the highest honor bestowed in American racing). In its short history, the Summit of Speed attracted some of the country's top sprinters, including Cajun Beat and Orientate who both went on to win Breeders' Cup Sprint championship races (Orientate 2002, Cajun Beat 2003). In 2005, Lost in the Fog won at Calder, although was later defeated in the Breeders' Cup. The Summit of Speed turned out to be the single biggest day in the history of Calder. In 2004, over $10.8 million was wagered on the event.
It was previously in the Lake Lucerne census-designated place.[6][7] In 2003, the unincorporated area where Calder is located became the City of Miami Gardens, the third-largest city in Miami-Dade County.[8]
![Calder Calder](https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/property/sites/churchilldownsincorporated.com/files/TSTV%20ImageII.gif)
On June 4, 2005, jockey Eddie Castro set the North American record for the most wins in a day at one track, winning 9 races at Calder.
Calder Casino And Race Course
The world record for the most spent on a Thoroughbred at sale took place at Calder in 2006 when a two-year-old horse sold for $16 million. The horse was later named The Green Monkey.
In late 2009, Calder changed its official name to Calder Casino & Race Course. The grand opening of the Calder Casino was celebrated in January 2010.
On August 24, 2013, jockey Antonio A. Gallardo set the record for the most stakes wins in a day and in a row, winning 4 consecutive stake races in the Juvenile Showcase.
After head-to-head racing between Calder and nearby Gulfstream Park in 2013 and 2014, CDI and the Stronach Group announced an agreement where the Stronach Group would manage Calder's racing operations, and CDI would operate the Calder Casino.[9] After the agreement, Gulfstream announced it would operate a two-month meet at Calder in the fall under the name Gulfstream Park West.[4] Under the changes, the track's code for official racing programs was changed from CRC to GPW.[4]
In April 2015, CDI demolished approximately 1,400 stalls in an area marked for non-racing commercial re-development. In July 2015, Gulfstream Park was informed that the Calder grandstand – owned by CDI – will not be open to the public for the 2015 Gulfstream Park West meet except for racing officials, and that the seven-story structure will be demolished once the meet has concluded.[9] Demolition was completed in October 2016 and The Stronach Group recommended everyone watch and wager at Gulfstream Park.
Physical attributes[edit]
The length of the main track is one-mile (1.6 km) with 1/4 and 7/8 chutes. Under the bed game. Surface is 12-inch sand and marl (clay) base with 4.5 inches of sand and marl cushion. The turf course is 7/8 mile with a 1/4-mile chute. The surface is Tifton #419 Bermuda grass. The stable area has stalls for 450 thoroughbreds plus receiving barn, feed rooms, tack rooms, detention barns, and living quarters.
TV personalites[edit]
- Ron Nicolleti (1989–2008, 2014–present)
- Caton Bredar (1992–1994)
- Todd Schrupp (1991–1998)
- Bobby Neuman (1999–2014)
- Meredith Gleaves (2008–2010)
- Anthony Schweiker (2010–2011)
- Pete Aiello (2014–present)
- Chris Griffin (2016–present)
- Acacia Courtney (2016–present)
- Jason Blewitt (2017–present)
- Jason Beem (2018–present)
Jockey colony[edit]
Gulfstream Park West's jockey colony is reflective of the diversity of Miami. With the Gulfstream West oval serving as a launching pad for jockeys coming from Latin America and the Caribbean, many jockeys have gained valuable riding experience before success at other racetracks across the country. Top jockeys who started their careers at Calder include Javier and Abel Castellano (Venezuela), Eibar Coa (Venezuela), Rene Douglas (Panama), Shaun Bridgmohan (Jamaica), Edgar Prado (Peru), Pedro Rodriguez (Cuba), Alex Solis (Panama), José Ferrer (Puerto Rico), Jorge Chavez (Peru), José A. Santos (Chile), Cornelio Velásquez (Panama), Manoel Cruz (Brazil), Jacinto Vásquez (Panama-retired) and Eddie Castro (Panama) among others. In addition, Stewart Elliott of Smarty Jones fame and Gary Boulanger (retired) are a few Canadians who led the ranks at Calder early in their careers.
Winners of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey that hailed from Gulfstream West when they won – Rosemary Homeister (1992), Phil Teator (1997), Shaun Bridgemohan (1998) and Eddie Castro (2003). Jockeys whose careers started at Calder and went on to Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey: Javier Castellano (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016), Jerry Bailey (2000–2003; 1995–1997), Jorge Chavez (1999), Mike E. Smith (1993), José A. Santos (1988).
On December 28, 1978, jockey Niconar 'Nick' Navarro was killed by a direct lightning strike after completing the second race at Calder Race Course. According to Jon Roberts, in American Desperado:[10]
- At Calder, I had a jockey named Nick Navarro who worked for me. He was one of the good guys. He wouldn't hold horses or charge them or run them on dope. He was very skilled, and when I ran my horses clean, I used Nick.
- One day in 1977 [sic] he ran a race for me at Calder. I walked up to him after he finished. He put his hand up to wave, and there was a powerful explosion. A bolt of lightning came out of the sky and hit him.
Multiple news outlets report: the remaining eight races at the track that day were cancelled.[11][12]
Calder Race Course Hall of Fame[edit]
The Calder Hall of Fame was created in 1995 to honor those who have made history at Calder Race Course.
Inductees include:
- Princess Rooney (1995)
- Spend A Buck (1995)
- Frank Gomez (1995
- Stanley Hough 1995
- Gene St. Leon (1995))
- Fred W. Hooper (1995)
- José Vélez Jr. (1997)
- Cherokee Run (1998)
- John J. Tammaro Jr. (1999)
- Jacinto Vásquez (1999)
- James E. Bracken (2000)
- Miguel A. Rivera (2000)
- Mike Gonzalez (2001)
- Alex Solis (2002)
- Ocala Stud Farm (2002)
- John A. Franks (2003)
- Mary L. Russ (2003)
- Martin D. Wolfson (2003)
- Eibar Coa (2004)
- Rosemary Homeister Jr. (2006)
- Edward Plesa Jr. (2007)
References[edit]
Calder Hotel And Casino
- ^'Entertainment in Miami Gardens, Florida | Calder Casino'. CDI Calder. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
- ^'Miami Gardens FL, Players Club Rewards – Calder Casino – Calder Casino'. Calder Casino. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^'Dining in Miami Gardens, Florida | Calder Casino'. CDI Calder. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
- ^ abc'Renovations Noted at 'Gulfstream Park West''. bloodhorse.com. The BloodHorse. September 30, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
- ^https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pZIlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N_MFAAAAIBAJ&pg=903,1147974&dq=tropical+park+closes&hl=en
- ^'2000 Census Block Map: Lake Lucerne CDP'(PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. – Pages 1 and 2 – Compare this map to the address of the casino.
- ^'Home'. Calder Casino. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
21001 NW 27th Avenue, Miami Gardens, Florida 33056
– Compare with the CDP map. - ^'City of Miami Gardens: Demographics'. 2009. Archived from the original on October 10, 2015.
- ^ abFreer, Jim (July 27, 2015). 'CDI Plans to Demolish Calder Grandstand'. bloodhorse.com. The BloodHorse. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
- ^Jon Roberts and Evan Wright (November 1, 2011). American Desperado. Crown. ISBN978-0-307-45042-5.
- ^'Jockey Killed by Lightning'. St. Petersburg Times. December 29, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
- ^Post Wire Services (December 29, 1978). 'Jockey Killed by Lightning'. The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
External links[edit]
Is Calder Casino Open
Coordinates: 25°58′9.17″N80°14′26.3″W / 25.9692139°N 80.240639°W
Calder Casino Fl
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