Horses return, prepare for opening as Fla.’s historic Hialeah Park welcomes new racing fans

Horse races to return to Fla.’s historic Hialeah

HIALEAH, Fla. — The once battered and broken Hialeah Park, the fabled horse racing track in Florida, is ready to show off its new luster when it reopens for its first race day in eight years.

Track owner John Brunetti says he expects 10,000 to 15,000 people to walk through the park’s gates for quarter horse racing on Saturday.

The track was built in the 1920s, but slipped into a state of disrepair after it closed. Saturday will be the first live race day in Hialeah since 2001.

Hialeah Park was previously a destination for thoroughbreds, but the track lost its permit for that type of racing in 2004. It was given a quarter horse permit, which is easier to obtain, earlier this year.

Those familiar with the park’s history hope thoroughbreds could one day return to the park.