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Calder Closes out 2004/05 Tropical Meet

MIAMI, Florida -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Calder Race Course concluded its 33rd Tropical meet on Sunday, Jan 2. Each year, the Tropical meet signals the beginning of the winter racing season in south Florida while offering 55 days of quality Thoroughbred horse racing.

Average daily on-track attendance for the 2004/05 Tropical at Calder meet was 4,408, representing an 8.5-percent decrease from the previous year's average of 4,816. Average attendance on "dark" days - when the track offered full card simulcasting - was 836, down 10.7 percent from last year's average of 936. An average of 8.3 runners started each race, down from an average of 8.6 in the prior Tropical at Calder meet.

Total wagering, including all sources and all days, was $333,082,801, compared to $322,331,529 in 2003/04. Though on-track and total combined handle were down slightly for the meet, full card simulcasting handle on live racing days was up 10.5 percent, thus resulting in the overall increase. (Please refer to comparative data on page 2.)

"We're very proud of the horsemen's participation," said Calder President Ken Dunn. "It's always a challenge with the number of races we run, but the meet was well-supported. The quality of racing, especially the stakes, was top-notch and the Grand Slam series of stakes events continues to grow and get better each season."

The 2004/05 Tropical at Calder meet boasted an impressive stakes schedule worth $2,850,000 and featured long-standing turf fixtures such as the Grade II W.L. McKnight and La Prevoyante Handicaps, as well as five other graded stakes. The season was highlighted by successful racing promotions, Grand Slams I, II and III and the third annual Florida Million. The first "derby" of the year in the country, the Grade III Tropical Park Derby, was run on New Year's Day and was won by Lord Robyn.

The race for leading trainer of the Tropical meet was competitive, but in the end it was Dan Hurtak who secured his second title with 21 winners. Angel Salinas was second with 18 wins, while Manny Tortora finished third with 15.

Jockey Eddie Castro, the Eclipse Award winning apprentice of 2003, won Tropical meet honors for the second year in a row. His 83 wins were again just one shy of the all-time single season record for the Tropical meet, set by Cornelio Velasquez in 2002/03. (Castro also rode 83 winners during the 2003/04 season.) Manoel Cruz was second with 60 winners and Manuel Aguilar finished third in the standings with 39 victories.

Michael Sherman was the leading owner for the Tropical at Calder meet for the third year in a row with 17 winners. Dennis Punches was second with eight and J D Farms was third with seven victories.

Stand-out stakes winning horses at the meet included Aclassysassylassy, Weigelia, Supah Blitz, Dansetta Light and Personal Legend.

The 2005 Calder meet will run from April 25 through October 26. The Tropical at Calder season will be held from October 17 through January 2, 2006.

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