Frustrations resulting from the betting breakdown Saturday at Hialeah Park produced a shouting match between Raul Martinez, the mayor of Hialeah, and a Miami radio sports talk show host.

Hank Goldberg, of WQAM radio and a horse race commentator for ESPN, said Martinez struck him in the throat during the argument. "It was not really a punch," said Goldberg."He just brushed me."

"I didn't hit him," responded Martinez , a member of the track's board of directors. "I did call him a slob."

Following the shutdown of the track betting machines in the fifth race, Goldberg said he went to the track's Director's Room because he had been told he could place a bet there.

Unable to bet, he said to Martinez , "They should put this place mercifully to sleep."

"Why don't you get out of here?" Martinez said to Goldberg. An exchange of shouts followed.

"He definitely swung at me," said the radio announcer. "He made contact. I wasn't going to fight with him. He would have beat me up. He is a moose."

- John Crittenden