Calder Horseracing Track
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Calder Horseracing Track is a 220-acre thoroughbred racing facility in Miami, Florida that has two tracks - a dirt and a turf track.
Calder Horseracing 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.
Calder Horseracing Track is one of the more important racing venues in the Sunshine State and as such, regularly hosts major horseracing events. These include the Summit of Speed, Festival of the Sun, The Florida Million and the Grand Slam.
Calder Horseracing Track Facts
- Main Track Data
- One mile oval with 1/8 chute for 7 furlong and 1¼ miles races
- Soil: Sandy clay cushion with clay base
- Base: 9" compacted marl base on top of 8" lime rocksand
- Distance from the start of a 6 furlong race to thefirst turn: 1,436 feet
- Distance from final turn to finish line: 990 feet
- Width of stretch: 80 feet
- Width of backstretch: 75 feet
- Turf Course Data
- Distance: 7/8 mile oval, with one chute of a 1/4mile (diagonal straightaway), which allows for racesof two turns to be up to 1 1/8 miles. 1½ miles racesbegin on the backstretch, pass the stands and goaround the track again for a total of three turns.
- Distance from 1 mile start to first turn: 662 feet
- Distance from 1½ mile start to first turn (7/16 pole):1,322 feet
- Distance from final turn to finish line: 986 feet
- Width of course: 67 feet
Calder Horseracing Track Milestones
- In the mid-1960s, real estate businessman Stephen A. Calder and architect Stefan Zachar shared the vision of holding summertime horseracing in Florida.
- In 1966, the two gentlemen applied for race dates with the Florida horseracing authority. They leased Tropical Park to run the races on until they could build their own track. They enlisted the help of William L. McKnight of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M) for the project.
- In 1970, Calder Horseracing Track obtained a racing permit and held his first summer thoroughbred racing meet at Tropical Park.
- On May 6, 1971, the all new Calder Horseracing Track opened and featured a track designed by 3M.
- On January 15, 1972, Tropical Park held its last race day.
- From 1980 to 1984, Calder Horseracing Track invested $10.5 million in improvements.
- In 1988, Bertram Firestone purchased Calder Horseracing Track.
- In 1992, the Festival of the Sun, one of Calder Horseracing Track's marquee events, was introduced.
- In 1996, Calder Horseracing Track was able to offer full card simulcasting on a limited schedule.
- In 1999, Churchill Downs Inc. purchased Calder Horseracing Track. The acquisition was valued at approximately $86 million.
- In 2000, the inaugural "Summit of Speed"; was held. It featured $1 million in sprint races. The "Summit of Speed"; is Calder Horseracing Track's second marquee event.
- From 2001 to the present, records in both handle and attendance sky-rocketed as Calder Horseracing Track-hosted events met with unprecedented popularity.