 CALDER
RACE COURSE
 Calder Race Course is a 220-acre thoroughbred racing facility in Miami, Florida
that has two tracks – a dirt and a turf track.
Calder 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 is one of the more important racing venues in the Sunshine State and
as such, regularly hosts major horse racing events. These include the Summit
of Speed, Festival of the Sun, The Florida Million and the Grand Slam.
Calder Race Course Track Facts
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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 rock sand
- Distance from the start of a 6 furlong race to the first 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 1/4 mile (diagonal
straightaway), which allows for races of two turns to be up to 1
1/8 miles. 1½ miles races begin on the backstretch, pass the stands
and go around 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
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Important Records
Calder / Tropical Track
Records
|
DIST
|
HORSE
|
AGE
|
WGT
|
DATE
|
REC
|
2 Furlongs
|
Lifeisawhirl
|
4
|
122
|
Jul 15, 2000
|
:20 4/5
|
|
Puma
|
4
|
122
|
Jul 14, 2001
|
:20 4/5
|
|
Baby Shark
|
4
|
122
|
Jul 13, 2002
|
:20 4/5
|
4 Furlongs (880 yards)
|
Diamond Studs
|
6
|
123
|
Jul 14, 2001
|
:46 1/5
|
4 1/2 Furlongs
|
Gold Phantom
|
2
|
118
|
Sep 16, 2001
|
:51 4/5
|
5 Furlongs
|
Honest
|
3
|
117
|
Jul. 1, 1996
|
:57 3/5
|
|
Groomstick Stock's
|
6
|
115
|
Jul 13, 2002
|
:57 3/5
|
|
Flying Birdie
|
4
|
122
|
Sep 9, 2002
|
:57 3/5
|
5 1/2 Furlongs
|
Bernard's Candy
|
3
|
118
|
Aug 9, 2002
|
1:04 1/5
|
6 Furlongs
|
Forty One Carats
|
4
|
116
|
Oct 7, 2000
|
1:08 4/5
|
6 1/2 Furlongs
|
Tour Of The Cat
|
4
|
119
|
Aug 17, 2002
|
1:15 4/5
|
7 Furlongs
|
Constant Escort
|
4
|
114
|
Sep 28, 1996
|
1:21 4/5
|
1 Mile
|
High Ideal
|
3
|
118
|
Sep 15, 2001
|
1:36 1/5
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1 Mile 70 Yards
|
Medieval Mac
|
3
|
113
|
Jul 10, 1993
|
1:41 3/5
|
|
Halo's Image
|
4
|
115
|
Oct 31, 1995
|
1:41 3/5
|
1 1/16 Miles
|
Castlebrook
|
4
|
118
|
Sep 15, 2001
|
1:42 2/5
|
1/8 Miles
|
Jumping Hill
|
6
|
117
|
Dec 30, 1978
|
1:50
|
1 3/16 Miles
|
Arctic Honeymoon
|
4
|
114
|
Jan 3, 1987
|
1:59 3/5
|
1 1/4 Miles
|
Wicapi
|
4
|
114
|
Jun 24, 1996
|
2:05
|
1 1/2 Miles
|
Lead'm Home
|
3
|
111
|
Dec 31, 1977
|
2:32 3/5
|
1 5/8 Miles
|
Timberlea Tune
|
5
|
111
|
Oct 16, 1971
|
2:50 1/5
|
1 3/4 Miles
|
Detective II
|
7
|
113
|
Oct 23, 1971
|
3:03 1/5
|
2 Miles
|
Detective II
|
7
|
130
|
Nov 11, 1971
|
3:30 1/5
|
DIST
|
HORSE
|
AGE
|
WGT
|
DATE
|
REC
|
5 Furlongs
|
Heckofaralph
|
5
|
118
|
Aug 1, 1998
|
:54 4/5*
|
7 Furlongs
|
Carterista
|
4
|
119
|
Jun 19, 1993
|
1:22 1/5
|
7 1/2 Furlongs
|
Court Lark
|
6
|
115
|
Jul 16, 1994
|
1:26 2/5**
|
1 Mile
|
Mr. Explosive
|
4
|
115
|
Oct 17, 1992
|
1:33 3/5
|
|
Robyns Tune
|
3
|
114
|
Jun 15, 1998
|
1:33 3/5
|
|
Copy Editor
|
6
|
116
|
Aug 2, 1998
|
1:33 3/5
|
|
Dillonmyboy
|
3
|
119
|
Oct 30, 2000
|
1:33 3/5
|
|
Mr. Livingston
|
4
|
115
|
Sep 3, 2001
|
1:33 3/5
|
1 1/16 Miles
|
Spendable
|
5
|
117
|
Jul 30, 1999
|
1:39 1/5
|
1 1/8 Miles
|
The Vid
|
5
|
120
|
Nov 25, 1995
|
1:44 4/5
|
1 3/8 Miles
|
King's Design
|
3
|
114
|
Jul 23, 1999
|
2:13
|
1 1/2 Miles
|
Flag Down
|
5
|
116
|
Dec 16, 1995
|
2:24
|
2 Miles
|
Skate On Thin Ice
|
6
|
117
|
Jan 2, 1996
|
3:21 4/5
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Milestones
- In the mid-1960s, real estate businessman Stephen A. Calder and architect
Stefan Zachar shared the vision of holding summertime horse racing in Florida.
- In 1966, the two gentlemen applied for race dates with the Florida horse
racing 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.
Calder Race Course
Miami, Florida
- In 1970, Calder obtained a racing permit and held his first summer thoroughbred
racing meet at Tropical Park.
- On May 6, 1971, the all new Calder Race Course opened and featured a track
designed by 3M.
- On January 15, 1972, Tropical Park held its last race day.
- From 1980 to 1984, Calder Race Course invested $10.5 million in improvements.
- In 1988, Bertram Firestone purchased Calder Race Course.
- In 1992, the Festival of the Sun, one of Calder’s marquee events,
was introduced.
- In 1996, Calder was able to offer full card simulcasting on a limited
schedule.
- In 1999, Churchill Downs Inc. purchased Calder Race Course. 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’s
second marquee event.
- From 2001 to the present, records in both handle and attendance sky-rocketed
as Calder-hosted events met with unprecedented popularity.
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