The California Horse Racing Fee rejected requests from Tehama County Race Course and Humboldt County Race Course for race dates at a particular assembly Thursday, dealing one other blow to efforts to revive Thoroughbred racing in Northern California.
Each purposes had been rejected by a vote of 4-2.
There was no Thoroughbred racing in Northern California since Golden State Racing disbanded following the financially disastrous finish of the competitors on the Alameda County Honest in Pleasanton in December 2024. Golden Gate Fields, which had been the middle of Northern California horse racing since Bay Meadows closed in 2008, was closed by 1/ST Racing in June 2024. A number of makes an attempt to safe a 2025 date within the north had been beforehand rejected by the CHRB.
Tehama, which had not held horse racing in additional than 40 years, requested to carry horse racing at Pink Bluff for 9 days, from April 29 to Might 26. CHRB security commissioners who inspected the ability in late January discovered it was lacking fundamental required components, such because the rear housing and oval rails for the bullring, and failed to finish a typical inspection report. Honest officers estimated it could price $55,000 to carry the ability into compliance, however CHRB estimated the precise price to be nearer to $1 million.
The Humboldt County Honest in Ferndale, which has been held on the Northern California fairgrounds for greater than 100 years, has utilized to carry the truthful for 12 days, from Aug. 5 to Sept. 1. CHRB workers cited lacking contract documentation and unresolved agreements with business gamers as considerations.
On the heart of the dialogue was simulcast income. Underneath California legislation, racetracks that conduct reside races within the North should retain all simulcast and pre-deposit wagering income from Northern California residents through the occasion. Tehama’s date would have allowed it to seize simulcast income from the week of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, whereas Ferndale’s date coincided with the favored summer season tournaments of Saratoga and Del Mar. With out reside horse racing within the North, that income flows to Southern California racetracks Santa Anita, Del Mar and Los Alamitos, serving to to spice up slots, on line casino income and the state’s purse with out state subsidies.
Thoroughbred horse homeowners in California estimated that purses in Southern California would drop 5 p.c if Northern California racing returned. Each the TOC and California Thoroughbred Trainers objected to setting a date for the present.
Corridor of Fame coach Richard Mandela and CTT president John Sadler had been amongst those that opposed the applying.
CHRB Vice Chair Oscar Gonzalez and Commissioner Brenda Davis voted in favor of each purposes. Gonzalez was vocal concerning the schedule, sparring with opposing colleagues and at one level telling commissioner Dennis Alfieri he wanted to go to the steady space extra typically. Gonzalez is anxious that the variety of Thoroughbred foals being born in California is declining and urged that Northern California racing may assist reverse this pattern.
Commissioners Dennis Alfieri, Damascus Castellanos and Peter Stern additionally voted in opposition to each purposes. Commissioner Thomas Hudnutt was absent.
