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Story by MC_Excelsior "The Stick" After a quick drive up US-1, The Stick and staff have visited the future showplace of racing in the United States, Gulfstream Park. Even while they are not completed with consturction, you can see this will not be your parents racetrack anymore. I was very impressed..... *Note - If you turn on your sound and speakers, you should hear pleasant Stick News Music in this article !* 1/14/06, The Stick Studio, FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA *THE FUTURE OF RACING* When I first pulled into the parking lot area of Gulfstream Park through Gate B, I thought to myself they probably will not have enough construction done to make it reasonable to go for the day. Boy, was I wrong ! While the second level continues to be built, and only one restaurant and some conessions stands are open, you can see this place is going to be a jewel when they finish it. The first thing you notice when you pull into the parking lot in front of the track, is 2 enourmous jumbotrons facing the parking lot !!! I guess its like a drive in for Horse Racing fans. Once you walk towards the track, you notice the walking ring right there in front of the building. With its beautiful fountains and palm tree's, they have seating for about 200 people. Once you walk through to the trackside apron, you notice another giant jumbotron on the infield, and get this ... multiple light posts and high beam lights hanging from the front of the track. Night time racing appears to be a very strong possiblity for the future. After experiencing the limited simulcast menu's at other South Florida facilities, it was a pleasure to see the Las Vegas style and sized simulcast room on the first floor. $10 admission to this area seems pricey, but perhaps once they open all the other floors and restaurants, the entry fee will drop. *IMPRESSIONS OF THE PEOPLE* This was a happy and excited group of Horse Racing fans. Everyone I could see was smiling and talking horses like it was Belmont Stakes day. What a wonderful and pleasant feeling versus the sad and tragic feeling I had when I sat in the empty dining room at Belmont Park on a Summer Saturday before we moved our offices. This is not to say that Gulfstream could ever match the sheer beauty or size of Belmont Park. However, it does say that if you want people to be interested in Horse Racing, you have to constantly renovate and improve the facility and way in which you package the game for the fans. Scott Savin and I had a very short discussion on my selling selections sheets on track. To say he looked like he needed a tylenol and a good nights sleep, would be an understatement. Mr Savin must feel the weight of the world on his shoulders with the unveiling of this wonderful new track. To his credit, he gave me the time of day and a phone number of the marketing department before rushing off to handle the pressure and responsabilities of his day. Robert Johnson, a track employee, was an absolute pleasure to talk to on the track apron side. Mr Johnson was a very enthusiastic and happy employee. We talked some horses and about the new facility, and just like I mentioned in my Belmont Stakes Articles, I really like to talk to people who are the regular straight forward working guys at the track. As he ran up and down the steps making sure the people had the correct clearance for the reserved seating in the stands, he told me how much he liked working at Gulfstream and how they are making racing exciting again. Im with you Robert, they are making racing exciting again. The lady in the reserved ticket sales was another friendly face and voice to talk to for a few minutes. You know, once I start talking to people, I tend to want to talk to everyone who wants to talk to me too. The ladies in the reserved seating department had me smiling and we also talked about how nice the track looked and was coming along. I asked about buying reserved tickets on line, and how I would pick them up. The very pleasant manager told me, you can either request to pick them up on track or not. I looked at her and with the logic of a sunstroke victim said..."or not ?, or not what ? If I dont want to pick them up on track....how would I get them ?" Well, I must have sounded like a surfer dude as she and two of the girls sitting all looked at me confounded. She responded, "well sir, you can have them mailed to you if you dont pick them up" I thought about that for 5 or 6 seconds and responded, "ohh......" Then I told them all I had gotten too much sun and my brain was not working. They all laughed with me and we talked about the best strategy for buying reserved tickets ahead of time for the weekend or big racing days. According to them, last Saturday was a sold out day for reserved seating. Thats not hard to believe with all the wonderful things planned for Gulfstream. JOCKEY MIKE SMITH ! Remember how we always told you that Mike Smith would smile and say hello to us at Belmont Park in the past ? Well, he gave me a recognizable look as he made his way into the walking ring. He did not say hello, but we both nodded at each other. What a great pleasure to see Mike ride in person. He was my favorite jockey at Belmont Park. When he moved his tack to Southern California, I was one of the most unhappy people on the planet, as I had a great Summer meeting playing his horses one season. I hope Mike rides the entire Gulfstream meeting, and I want to be the first to wish him success and tell him to "WIN BIG MIKE Best Regards from MC !" *CASINO-HOTEL-RACING* As with all South Florida gaming venue's, Gulfstream will offer Poker and Slot Machine. Now if you have played Poker anywhere else in the world, the stakes are unlimited. In South Florida, ALL Poker gaming is limited to $2 maximum wagers, with three raises per three rounds. In other words, $8 total bet from each player staying in a a round assuming the players raises 3 times. This can generate a total pot of $360 maximum if everyone plays and all three rounds are pushed to the limit. They also have tournament play which offers higher stakes, but you have to defeat a large number of opponents to make any money. The slot machines should be normal Las Vegas, Atlantic City machines. The only downside for the tracks is a 50% tax from the state on winnings. However, im sure everyone will make out like bandits once they get those machines. Jai-Lai, Harness, and Indian Casino's will all have the same machines. Currently, Indian Casino's have an unusual "bingo" style slot machine that looks like the real thing, but is actually a bingo card payoff system with the slot machine giving you symbols that coorespond to your winning on a bingo card at the top of the screen. A hotel at and Condo's at Gulfstream Park ? How about night time entertainment until 2 am ? This is all planned for the future of Gulfstream Park. Once completed, Gulfstream will be as Vic Stauffer announced yesterday, "a one of a kind jewel, unique in American Racing" Frank Stronach certainly has a vision for the future of racing, and while you might love him or not, he has given racing a vital infusion of cash and excitement that is not present at the vast majority of other racing tracks in the United States. Its long overdue and about time someone cared enough to make an honest attempt to make people interested in Horse Racing. Well done Mr Stronach, well done. We will start offering Gulfstream Park selections on a daily basis as part of our Instant View Selections at the lower section of our entry page. Also, Gulfstream Park FREE Selections will be posted in our Free Selections pages. Best Regards and Racing, MC_Excelsior ___________________________
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