That was the first half of the double.Īfter the race, I went to the jockey’s room and with help of a jockey’s wife, I was able to get Gary Stevens to sign a print of a Mucho Macho Man photo that I had brought with me to the track that day. Last year I scored a personal double on Sunshine Millions Day when I snapped my favorite photo of the year, Mucho Macho Man with Gary Stevens on board. But, to be honest, I find the free seating much more enjoyable and usually find myself hopping around from one location to another during the course of the day. There are reserved seats available on certain days in the grandstand/clubhouse area. In the center of the walking ring is a fountain, that after dark is illuminated with brilliantly colored lights.Īll of the seating in the paddock, huts, stadium, and tiki bars is free. It has substantial seating in a horseshoe shape around the walking ring, where horses can be observed close up after they are saddled in the covered saddling area adjacent to the seating. The paddock area is very unique, seemingly the center of construction in the middle of the entire facility.

It is also a great place to sit immediately after a race, to get a close up view of the horses walking by on their way to the paddock for the next race. There are TV screens mounted with video feeds from not only Gulfstream Park, but from other tracks around the country.Ī couple years ago they added a very large tiki “stadium” (pictured to the side) near the top of the stretch that is a terrific place to watch the horses make their final charge down the lane. For me, I save these activities until the end of the racing day.įront side at the track has the look and feel of a tropical resort, complete with beach sand, huts, and tiki bars. Or, if you’re so inclined, you can pop into a restaurant or pub for a cold draft while on a break. One of the fringe benefits to the GP village is allowing visitors (like my daughter) who need a break from the racing action during the day, to escape to someplace like the frozen yogurt store (like my daughter), and return unimpeded for more racing action. Click here to read more about the village, including a directory and photos.

Behind the race track is an entire “village” of stores, restaurants, and pubs. There are no admission gates, and you can enter and exit as you please.

The first thing very unique about Gulfstream Park, when compared to other race tracks, is the openness to the whole facility. After looking at some of my pictures and hearing a story, maybe you’ll understand why. Every year the length of my stay increases. This will be my 4th consecutive year returning to Gulfstream Park race track in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Gulfstream Park – Like Visiting A Tropical Resort

Gulfstream race track and casino