Gulfstream Park, located in Hallandale Beach, Fla. – just north of Miami – is one of the most scenic racetracks in America. The place is also an entertainment destination, offering horse racing, a casino, bars, restaurants and some high-end shopping.

If this weekend is your first trip out here, it’s always good to know where you’d like to spend the day; so I spent this afternoon wandering around the facility to help you get familiar with the scene here at Gulfstream.

Chris Aplin at opening day of the 2014 Del Mar fall meet. (Photo courtesy of Chris Aplin)

The first time I met Chris Aplin, I thought she was an angel. In 2010, I had wandered onto the backside of Oaklawn Park in hopes of finding Zenyatta. I found her, but her very handsome bodyguard was keeping me half a barn away. He did, however, agree to take a few pictures of Zenyatta with my camera.