The hopes of Northern California racing and breeding interests were once again dashed when the California Horse Racing Board refused to license short racing dates to the Tehama District Fair and the Humboldt County Fair on Thursday.
Rather than a discussion about how to grow the sport, the two-agenda, 2-hour 45-minute meeting was mostly about how bad the current state of racing is in the state and that the future of Southern California racing is in jeopardy if it isn’t given every advantage that is available.
That advantage is the amount of money that goes to the host track from advance deposit wagering (ADW) and computer assisted wagering (CAW). If Tehama and Humbolt were racing, then money bet through any means in Northern California would stay in Northern California, the way it was since the start of ADW until shortly after the closing of Golden Gate Fields.
That money is now being sent to south, meaning Santa Anita, Del Mar and Los Alamitos, to increase purses. California is in a huge national deficit because it receives no additional income from other forms of gambling. So, its purses are small compared to other large racing jurisdictions such as Kentucky and New York.
Bill Nader, executive director of the Thoroghbred Owners of California (TOC), said that a month of fair racing, costs the south $2 million.
Nader summed up the state of the industry this way:
“We would all agree these are the most difficult and challenging of times. And we can further agree that the California racing industry, not Southern California, not Northern California, but the whole California racing industry is fighting desperately to remain relevant and sustainable.”
Both votes were 4-2 to oppose granting race dates, with CHRB vice chair Oscar Gonzales and commissioner Brenda Davis voting to give the fairs racing dates. They were only voting on the racing part of the fairs and have no jurisdiction over the fair itself.
The highlight of the meeting is when CHRB commissioner Dennis Alfieri seemed to contradict everything that was said in the previous two hours, with his comment: “We’re finally doing so well in the South.” He tried to defend the statement by saying things are fragile.
Gonzales challenged Alfieri, after Alfieri already said he is voting against the dates, saying: “Last year you said let’s give it [Northern California racing] a year off. But you keep moving the goalposts.”
The Tehana discussion was dealt a severe blow when the CHRB sent a track management expert to check on the track and found it not currently acceptable. The track said it can quickly make the improvements.
But the deed was done when CHRB chairman Greg Ferraro spoke.
“The point is, we’re right at the tipping point,” Ferraro said. “And by furthering funds away in the north, it has no chance of success.
“As much as I would like to see them do well, they have no chance for success. There is just no market for them up there. So, you’re going to end up destroying all of racing in California to bet on a no-chance situation in the north.”
Humboldt seemed to have little chance after Terry Lovinger, a prominent California owner and breeder spoke.
“We’re better off as breeders if you don’t do these dates,” Lovinger said. “We are a purse driven industry and a breeders worth is determined by those purses. So, by granting these dates you are going to lower to everyone what they would get.”
Both measures were opposed by Southern California tracks and the Caifornia Thoroughbred Trainers and the TOC.
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