Calder Race Course History

Stephen A Calder thought to start a summertime racing in Florida during the 1960's. The Florida Legislature, on the advice of Mr. Calder, approved a bill allowing it in 1965. A fall meet was held at Tropical Park in Miami, and a spring meet at Gulfstream Park in Broward County during this time.

After receiving a permit for summertime racing in 1970, Stephen Calder organized a meet at Tropical Park. He took initiative in 1970 to start summertime racing at Calder Park in that season. As the construction work at Calder Park was still going on, that horseracing event had to continue at Tropical Park.

On May 6, 1971 Calder Race Course held its first day of summertime racing and from 1972 onwards racing ceased at Tropical Park. Bertram Firestone purchased the land in 1980’s followed by Kawasaki Leasings, Inc. By 1997, simulcasting was introduced at Calder Park. Churchill Downs Incorporated purchased Calder Race Course for approximately $86 million in January of 1999.

Calder Park introduced the ‘Florida Million’ and the ‘Summit of Speed’. Calder’s Summit of Speed has produced several Breeders’ Cup champions and Eclipse award winners since it’s start in 2000. Country's top sprinters, including Cajun Beat and Orientate took part in Breeders' Cup Sprint championship races (Orientate 2002, Cajun Beat 2003). In 2005, ‘Lost in the Fog’ won at Calder, but was later defeated in the Breeders’ Cup. In 2004, over $10.8 million was wagered on the event. However, ‘Hurricane-Dennis’ postpone the ‘2005 Summit’ by a day leading to a drop in handle to $7 million. The unincorporated area of Calder became the City of Miami Gardens in 2003 and made it the third largest city in Miami-Dade County.

Calder opened a card room on the premises in 2004 and it was relocated to Gulfstream Park in 2006. On June 4, 2005, jockey Eddie Castro set the North American record for the most wins in a day at one track, winning 9 races at Calder. Calder hosts Florida Stallion Stakes program, which had record nominations that year. The world record for the most spent on a Thoroughbred at sale took place at Calder in 2006 when a two-year-old horse sold for $16 million. The horse was later named The Green Monkey.