For those of you who listened to the show tonight, you heard a discussion about about Hialeah Park. More importantly, and for those of you who didn't listen, there was a disucssion about an effort to save Hialeah Park and restore it to its days of glory and grandeur. It was an interesting and educational discussion to say the least. As I was driving home, I began to remember -- much of which I had forgotten -- all my days at Hialeah.
The huge effort to save this once great racetrack is being headed up by a gentleman named Alex Fuentes. He is part of The Citizens of South Florida for the preservation of the Hialeah Race Track.
I urge everyone to visit the the below websites and remember. The first one --
http://www.savehialeahpark.com/
is not fully functional yet, however, the myspace one below is -- and it is truly great!
www.myspace.com/savehialeahpark
Now, I am completely unfamiliar with the political aspects of this situation, who is to blame, the legislative aspects -- all of that! I really have very little knowledge of this. However, here is what I do know -- we all know Hialeah Park. I am sure we all have fond memories of this once great racetrack. It is time for people to set aside their differences. It is time to set aside the greed. It is time to set aside the factionalization that is so prevalent today in this industry. The industry has not been able to work together on so many of the important issues that confront us today -- drugs/medication, jockey insurance, simulcasting, wagering/rebates, VLT's, and so many more -- however -- THIS is something the industry MUST work on togtether.
Hialeah Park was not the first racetrack I ever went to. It certainly wasn't the last. But I remember it was the first and last racetrack I ever went to with my grandfather. I remember I had my first beer at a racetrack -- at 13 -- with my grandfather at Hialeah. I remember how worried he was that my grandmother would find out and throw us both out of the house. And I remember it was my grandfather who introduced me to the greatest sport I've ever come to know. So, my grandfather died some years later, right before I was going to see him in FL, and probably go to Hialeah. He never got to hang out with me at the track in my ownership years. Years later, the first time I won a race and stood in the winners circle, I lit up a cigar and blew some smoke toward heaven. Laugh if you want, and I am not a religious person by any standard, but I felt him there with me.
I remember years later, after my grandfather died, going to Hialeah with my friends, all of them knew my grandfather. I remember telling them the stories of my grandfather and me at the track. I remember all of us having a drink and toasting my grandfather. He wasn't there that day, but he was, I felt him there with me. I remember the same friends 20 years later at my wedding toasting my grandfather. He wasn't there either, but I felt him there with me.
One time my grandfather and I went to Hialeah and he took me on a tour of the entire grounds. He showed me all the statues and the plaques of the greatest horses our sport has ever known. He told me stories of all the great horses he saw and never saw. He took me onto the backstretch and showed me barns where Kentucky Derby winners and champions walked and were bedded down. He introduced to me Woody Stephens -- who my grandfather told me was the greatest trainer in the world. And he told me that if I doubted it, all I had to do was ask Mr. Stephens and he himself of course would tell me he was in fact the greatest trainer.
As I viewed that website I thought of all my days at Hialeah.
I respectfully ask all of you to visit these websites and remember. Now is the time for this industry to remember!
Thank you everyone for the opportunity to have me remember -- and one other thing -- a quick thank you to my grandfather. He introduced me to something that I have a passion for that I never thought I could have about anything. How can you thank someone for that. Well, many times words are hopelessly inadequate, and in trying to thank you, now is one of those times. Doesn't matter -- thanks pop!
Eric
http://www.savehialeahpark.com/
www.myspace.com/savehialeahpark