Calder adds dates to 2011-2012 meeting

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A day after Calder Race Course amended its shipping restrictions to allow horses based there to ship back and forth from Tampa Bay Downs, track vice president and general manager John Marshall said Calder plans to amend its dates request and run four days a week from July 1 through the first week of January 2012. In it previous dates application, Calder had requested a three-day race week during that period.

“We have decided to run four days a week out of respect to the owners needs and to sustain healthy participation for our racing program throughout the summer and fall,” said Marshall.

On Wednesday, Gulfstream Park amended its dates request, applying to open on Nov. 26, one week earlier than originally proposed, and offered to create extra stalls for horses who ship to race from Calder.

Final dates requests for the 2011-2012 fiscal year must be received by the Florida Division of Business Regulation before midnight on Monday.
On Tuesday, Calder informed its horsemen that effective Saturday it was placing restrictions on all horses stabled at the track from racing and returning from “any jurisdiction” without receiving permission from racing secretary Mike Anifantis. Calder management said they wanted to have a fresh and rested horse population when Calder opens what is scheduled to be a year-long meeting on April 25.

But late Wednesday, Calder opened the door for its horsemen to race at Tampa.

“Our issues at the moment are not with Tampa or the horsemen,” said Marshall. “And we just want to do the right thing with respect to both groups.”