Venerable racetrack Hialeah Park will be reopening on Saturday after an absence of eight years from competition. The track will be running a 40-day meet exclusively of quarter-horses.

"This really marks the rebirth of Hialeah Park as a place to race horses," said Vice President and General Manager Randy Soth. "We look for this to propel us forward."

Hialeah Park first opened in 1925 and became one of the premier racetracks in the country. The Flamingo Stakes for three-year-olds was an important prep race leading to the Kentucky Derby and the Widener Handicap for older horses regularly drew some of the top thoroughbreds in training.

Among some of the great thoroughbreds to compete at Hialeah were Assault, Buckpasser, Citation and Spectacular Bid.

In March, 1979 Hialeah was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Declining interest in horse racing, and Hialeah's loss of the favored winter- season racing dates, forced owner John Brunetti to cease operation in 2001. The Florida State legislature approved a bill giving the track the ability to install slot machines after holding races for two calendar years.

Hialeah will be holding one 20-day race meet in November and December, and another in January and February.

The reopening of the track on Saturday will have a first post-time of 1:05 P.M. (et). Succeeding race days will have a first post-time of 2:05 P.M. (et) Quarter-horse racing will take place Saturday through Tuesday with free admission and parking.