Hialeah to Open QH Meet Amid Controversy

NOTE: On Wednesday night, we will  have  a report on today's racing and  will examine the issues at Hialeah Park.

Hialeah Park will open its 2017 quarter horse racing meet on Wednesday, with some significant changes. 

The historic track in Hialeah Fla., will have racing Wednesdays through Sundays from May 31 until June 25.   

There will be two race cards each day, both with eight races. and first post times of 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

The two-a-day programs and the racing will in some ways be similar to the low-budget match races now being run at the controversial Gretna Racing in the Panhandle town of Gretna, Fla.

Hialeah is running this year’s races under a contract for race purses and other track/horsemen issues with a new trainers/owners group.  That group has several organizers who also are part of the trainers/owners group at Gretna Racing.

Hialeah brought in the South Florida Quarter Horse Association to replace the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association, which had held the contract since Hialeah began quarter horse racing in 2009.

At this year’s meet, Hialeah will have smaller race fields, shorter races and much lower races purses than at its previous quarter horse meets.

Note—Hialeah Park has not held thoroughbred racing since 2001. The photo on the home page is of Hialeah Park during the 1930s.

--Jim Freer