A man of vision, Isadore Hecht is credited as one of the individuals who made Greyhound racing popular throughout the United States.

He developed the major stake race in Greyhound racing by conceiving the idea of the International Classic with a purse in the $100,000 range. This race attracted the public’s attention and Hecht continued to make the awareness of the Greyhound industry commonplace through strong promotions and by giving the customer what they wanted. He introduced the quiniela tote board, he made dining at a track a lavish experience, and he developed the racing theatre concept.

Hecht purchased the Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track and developed it into a leading facility for the development of top Greyhounds and a leading tourist attraction in southwest Florida. He was a man of the people and seemed comfortable walking among the crowd and talking with the patrons, employing his sense of humor and treating all with respect.