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Gulfstream Park opened in 1939 and the meeting ran four days. Opening day attracted 18,000 and the total handle was $441,561.
The South Florida track was closed during most of World War II from ‘40 through ‘43. It reopened in ‘44 and attendance for the 20-day meeting was 290,688 while the total handle exceeded $5.6 million.
Gulfstream continued to grow throughout the decades, setting lofty records starting in the ’80s: highest opening day handle, more than $2.4 million in ‘84, and largest single day attendance, 51,342 in ‘89.
Various wagering records were established from ‘95 through ‘03 B.C. – Before Casinos. Most attendance for any of the 65 meetings came in ‘91 when nearly 1.1 million turned out over 88 days.
This year’s meeting, which begins Saturday, runs 79 days through April 23. Several changes have been made, including a five-day schedule, Wednesday-Sunday, which is aimed at producing larger fields. Tuesdays were dark in ‘08.
“Mondays have not been as successful as we hoped, and we expect this year’s change will enable the horse population to be used more efficiently,” said Doug Bredar, Gulfstream’s new racing secretary.
Fields last year averaged 8.65 horses a race for 88 days as only 35 stakes were held, with 29 graded, and purses plummeted to $5,275,000.
Back in ‘02, fields averaged 8.2 horses over 90 days. In ‘03, that jumped to 8.9 thoroughbreds per contest during the 89-day meeting that saw a record $8,605,000 in purses for 45 stakes, including 21 graded.
“Getting larger fields and carding races with quality horses should make the meet very attractive to horsemen and horse players as well,” Bredar said.
Purses were hiked during the 21st Century often exceeding $8 million while the number of stakes ranged from 41 to 47, with more than 30 graded contests annually.
In ‘07, the stakes program featured 45 events, one less than the previous year, but purses exceed $1 million over ‘06. Total value: a record $9.25 million.
This year there’s a record 48 stakes while the $8.5 million in purse money was restructured. All but six stakes is worth $100,000 or higher. Last year, only 33 matched that amount. Average daily purses, including stakes, average $22,000 more than in ‘08.
The Florida Derby, one of three Grade 1 events, remains at 1 1/8 miles and will be staged five weeks before the Kentucky Derby for the fifth consecutive year. However, its $1 million purse was trimmed by $250,000 to allow more money shifted to overnight races.
Another change has Gulfstream featuring stakes on three Fridays while reducing the number of Saturdays and Sundays with multiple graded stakes.
Track officials expect the three-day stakes weekends starting Jan. 30, Feb. 20 and March 27 will be popular with many horsemen and racing fans vacationing in South Florida during the winter, Bredar said.
Prospects for large stakes-day handles increased when Gulfstream and the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association agreed in December to an advance deposit-wagering (ADW) contract for ‘09.
Lack of contracts with most major ADWs was a major factor in Calder’s sharp decline in this year’s handle and other problems.
“Fans throughout the country will know that they can bet on Gulfstream races from their homes,” said Mike Mullaney, director of media relations. “This (ADW agreement) eliminates the possibility of a distraction going into the meet.”
Bredar added: “We hope our cards will be eye-opening and too good for people too pass up, whether they are betting at the track or from home.”
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