Turf
Paradise Opens 50th Season
As reported by the East
Valley Tribune: "In an area where a 20-year-old
shopping mall nearly rates as an historical
landmark, Turf Paradise has everything beat.
The Phoenix track opens its 50th season of racing
today.
"That means the track dates back
to a sleepy time when the Valley's population
was about 500,000, not much more than present-day
Mesa.
"…The track claims live attendance
of more than 3,000 per day, and an average handle
(the amount wagered) of $2.1 million per day.
About 75 percent of the bets come from 1,200
off-track sites (including 60 in Arizona) that
carry the races on TV.
"About 2,200 horses are based at Turf,
where about 500 are employed during racing season,
not counting the hundreds of owners, trainers,
jockeys and exercise riders who congregate around
the track, according to Turf's literature.
"More than mere numbers, the track —
big enough to be recognizable in the industry
but small enough where regulars know each other
— seems to grab hold of people…"
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