Hialeah money overdue

MIAMI - Calder horsemen and their owners are unable to obtain approximately $5.3 million earned during the recently concluded Hialeah Park meet.

According to Linda Mills, president of the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, Hialeah did not transfer any of the horsemen's money to Calder on Thursday, the day after the meet ended, as is the normal procedure after the close of a meet. Hialeah sent $4 million shortly after noon Friday, according to Mills. She was still waiting late Friday for a document from Hialeah comptroller Tom Cliburn that would both guarantee and state exactly when the remaining $1.3 million would be sent.

"The only answer I got from Hialeah as to why the money was late coming was that they just received final figures and confirmation on the purse accounts this morning," said Mills.

Ken Dunn, president of Calder, said that legally the track could not release the $4 million into the horseman's accounts.

"If we accept and release the $4 million then legally we become responsible for the remainder of the money if Hialeah ultimately decides not to release it," said Dunn. "If we can get a letter from either Hialeah or the horsemen assuming responsibility for the remainder of the money, we'll release the $4 million into the appropriate accounts first thing Saturday morning."

"We need a document from Hialeah to trigger the process and right now I'm not very confident it will come tonight," Mills said late Friday.

A call to Cliburn at Hialeah Friday afternoon was not returned.