Turf Paradise Race Course

Turf Paradise is a thoroughbred and quarter horse racetrack near Phoenix, Arizona in the United States.

History

In 1954 businessman Walter Cluer, a successful millwork founder and manufacturer from Phoenix, purchased convert|1400|acre|km2 of barren desert at what is now Bell Road and 19th Avenue. Cluer, who was also a horse owner, dreamt of building a first-class race track in Phoenix.

Many locals thought Cluer's ambitious project was ill-timed and destined to fail, given that the property was convert|25|mi|km from the hustle and bustle of the burgeoning metropolis of downtown Phoenix, and that the only way to get there was via a few badly maintained dirt roads, but he forged ahead and on January 7 1956, Turf Paradise opened its doors to great success. Cluer remained as head of the track for nearly 25 years.

In 1980, Herb Owens took over and Turf Paradise entered into a phase of renovation. A seven-furlong infield turf course with a one mile (1.6 km) and one-eighth chute was added. The Clubhouse was enlarged and a Turf Club with penthouse-style Directors’ Suite and outdoor patio was also added.

Turf Paradise’s third owner, Robert Walker of Scottsdale, Arizona had made a fortune with an aerospace company he had founded and sold. He purchased the track in 1989 and moved it into the gambling field of off-track betting. Walker’s formula seemed to be the right approach at the right time, as he retired the track’s outstanding debt and declared the first-ever dividend for Turf Paradise stockholders. In addition, Walker and a consortium of horse racing interests successfully lobbied the Arizona Legislature to legalize off track betting (OTB). The in-state OTB network is perhaps Walker’s most significant contribution to the track and Arizona’s racing industry. What started out as a single OTB site in little Cave Creek (pop. 4,000) in 1991, has now grown to over 45 in-state OTBs and over 900 out-of-state locales, located in six different countries.

Turf Paradise took on a corporate face in 1994 when the track was purchased in a stock acquisition by California-based Hollywood Park Racetrack under the chairmanship of R.D. Hubbard. Despite intense competition from a number of Native American in-state casino gaming interests, Turf Paradise continued to flourish and achieve record mutual handle numbers.

The new millennium provided Turf Paradise with a new owner in the person of Jerry Simms. The self-made multi-millionaire purchased Turf Paradise on June 16 2000 for $53 million. Simms immediately set out a $5 million renovation plan. Both the Clubhouse and Turf Club were completely renovated and re-styled. Two race book-style betting carrels, of 80 private terminals each, were added, one in the Clubhouse and the other adjacent to the Turf Club.

Simms also had the main track and turf course renovated, and in the summer of 2003, Simms built a $125,000 equine swimming pool in the stable area of the race track. The convert|30|ft|m|sing=on by convert|60|ft|m|sing=on pool provides advanced horse therapy for more than 2,200 thoroughbreds stabled on the backside. Containing over 140,000 gallons of water and measuring convert|12|ft|m in depth, the pool accommodates up to six horses at a time. The pool had an immediate effect, not only on equine health but on field size.

The track was on a healthy financial footing in 2004, and Simms purchased property at the busy 19th Avenue and Bell Road intersection adjacent to the race track. He made use of the land for commercial development and at the same time enhancing the racing operation.

Physical attributes

The track has a one mile (1.6 km) dirt oval and a seven furlong turf oval.

Racing

The following graded stakes are run at Turf Paradise:
*MBNA America West/Southwest Airlines Championship Challenge Quarter horses (QH-GII)
*AQRA Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Derby (QH-GII)
*AQRA Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Futurity (QH-GIII)

The following stakes are run at Turf Paradise:
*City of Phoenix Stakes
*Caballos Del Sol Stakes
*Turf Paradise 870 Challenge
*ATBA Fall Sales Stake - Colts and Gelding Division
*ABTA Fall Sales Stake - Fillies Division
*Ford West/Southwest Juvenile Challenge Quarter Horse
*AHW Atukee Express Stakes
*Saguaro Stakes
*Walter R. Cluer Memorial Stakes (Turf)
*Chandler Stakes (Turf)
*AQRA Futurity Quarter Horse
*Paradise Valley Stakes (Turf)
*Queen of the Green Handicap (Turf)
*The "Corona Cartel" Stakes Quarter Horses
*Arizona Breeders' Futurity - Colts and Geldings Division
*Arizona Breeders' Futurity - Fillies Division
*Black Mountain Handicap
*Turf Paradise Quarter Horse Championship
*Mesa Handicap
*Arizona Juvenile Fillies Stakes
*Arizona Juvenile Stakes
*Cactus Wren Handicap
*Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile (Turf)
*Swift Stakes
*Glendale Handicap (Turf)
*Sun Devil Stakes
*Rattlesnake Stakes
*Kachina Handicap
*G Malleah Handicap
*Princess of Palms Handicap
*Turf Paradise Derby
*Arizona Oaks
*Phoenix Gold Cup
*Turf Paradise Handicap (Turf)
*Sun City Handicap (Turf)
*Palo Verde Stakes
*Cactus Handicap
*Coyote Handicap
*Tempe Handicap (Turf)
*Scottsdale Handicap
*Arizona Stallion Stakes (Turf)
*Wildcat Handicap (turf)
*Cactus Flower Handicap
*Sandra Hall Grand Canyon Handicap
*Arizona Breeders' Derby
*Joanne Dye Stakes
*Ann Owens Distaff Handicap
*Dwight D. Patterson Handicap (Turf)
*Desert Sky Handicap (Turf)
*ATBA Spring Sales Stake
*Hasta La Vista Handicap

References

* [http://www.turfparadise.com/history.html History of Turf Paradise]