Miami Club Scene Meets Pegasus

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.–Racetracks hosting parties and concerts to correspond with important days on the racing calendar is nothing new. There is an understandable desire to attract young people with disposable income to the racetrack and hope some of their social influence absorbs parts of the usual track experience. Whether or not those events create meaningful, long-term relationships with horse racing is up for debate, but the sport may have its greatest test case yet for that thesis Saturday at Gulfstream Park, when iconic Miami club/restaurant entrepreneur David Grutman hosts the LIV Boardwalk Village party at the Pegasus World Cup, featuring A-list performers Post Malone and Ludacris among others.

Grutman owns several popular destinations in the area, but the one that put him on the map is Miami Beach's LIV, the opulent nightclub in the Fontainebleau Hotel that regularly attracts some of the biggest names in music, sports and entertainment. He expanded the LIV brand to include a location in the Miami Dolphins' Sun Life Stadium and will try to bring some of that glitz and glamour to the world's richest horse race.

“I attended the Pegasus World Cup last year and thought it was great,” Grutman said. “Our whole team just knew we wanted to be part of it. Now we have the opportunity to bring this event to the next level and offer guests an experience they've never had before at a horse race.”

Unlike most other racetracks, Gulfstream is in a location and is built in such a way that it has the potential to attract a wide variety of partygoers and thrill seekers. Less than 20 miles from the vibrant late-night community of Miami and with myriad food and drink locations on its property bustling into the morning hours, the track has tried to build itself into an attractive entertainment hub for the greater South Florida area. The Pegasus, with its $16 million purse, serves as an opportunity for Gulfstream to solidify that connection. Grutman, for his part, is also trying to create that lasting association between the two.

“It is so important to leverage the social scene as much as possible,” he said. “We love bringing the fun factor to big events like this. The racetrack is always an exhilarating place to be. Everyone who comes out is looking for a thrill, whether you are betting or not, the excitement is in the air. That's why we want to bring LIV to Pegasus and offer attendees the chance to keep the fun going once the races are over. It's just going to be a good time.”

The main obstacle in building a harmony between track and party usually comes in getting the latter not to step on the former. But Grutman and his team are determined to be supporting players in the drama staged at the track Saturday.

“We don't want to take away from the traditions of the race,” he said. “It is important to us that the avid racing fans see us as an added experience and added amenity to the Pegasus World Cup. We want to offer guests a unique experience with the LIV Boardwalk pop-up and tasting village, but we also want to support the Pegasus World Cup in every way. That's why the concert goes on once the races are over.”

So can the spirit of Miami nightlife mesh with one of the biggest days in racing and enhance both experiences, perhaps making a long-term partnership viable? Time will tell, but Grutman is optimistic.

“We've gotten a great response,” he said. “People in South Florida love LIV, so seeing that we are bringing our pop-up to Gulfstream Park has been really exciting for a lot of our recurring guests. I think that those who are serious about the races are really excited too. This partnership with the Pegasus World Cup is going to be a great experience, so we look forward to recreating it and growing it for years to come.”