I made my first trip to Gulfstream since it was torn down in 2004 and rebuilt this month for the Fountain of Youth Stakes weekend. This is the inaugural meet for the new facility and it was obvious that things are still not quite finished, but they are getting close. There are signs of ongoing or unfinished work everywhere with wires still hanging out of the wall in places, but enough of it was finished to hold the meet there this year.

The first thing you notice is the grandstand is tiny compared to the old one. It is a very short walk to go from one end to the other, although there is a temporary picnic type area next to it with a tent for shade to give added space. There are lots of seats around the walking ring, but only one breezeway for all the people to pass through from there to the apron, making for a very crowded walk if you want to watch the horses there and then go to trackside for the races. On each side of the breezeway are rooms for simulcasting with desks for rent, while above are the fancy areas for the more well heeled patrons. Seats on the apron were free this weekend while the seats on the second level were $50 each. There are current only 900 reserved seats available which seems like far too few, so hopefully more seats are part of the unfinished construction.

People who have visited Gulfstream in the past will notice more than the building has changed. The Cigar statue and the Garden of Champions are gone as are the large photos of Florida Derby winners that used to hang in the old grandstand. The whole look of the place is more Las Vegas than race track, which is what Frank Stronach intended, and it will change even more that way when the shopping, entertainment, and condo complexes on the grounds are finished. He feels this is the new age of racing and how all tracks should be in the future. Not everyone appreciates this view of the future, but it is here to stay.

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Seen at Gulfstream Park