Del Mar Fairgrounds and Sports Betting in California?

September 23, 2021 by Leave a Comment

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SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The Del Mar Fairgrounds could become a place to bet on professional and college sports, should California voters approve a measure allowing sports gambling in November 2022.

On Tuesday, the Del Mar Fairgrounds board voted 7-0 to adjust its operating agreement with the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, allowing it to run a “first-class” sports book at its off-track wagering facility, Surfside Race Place, as soon as 2023.

The proposal hinges on the passage of a statewise proposition that would allow licensed racetracks and Native American casinos to offer on-site wagering on professional, college, and amateur sports. Gambling on high school sports and games involving colleges in California would still be illegal. The thoroughbred club’s proposal would also need to be approved by the State Race Track Leasing Commission.

“Sports wagering will generate significant additional net revenues for DMTC which, along with the additional food and beverage revenues generated, will flow to the District and Race Track Authority,” Thoroughbred Club Chief Executive Josh Rubinstein wrote in a letter to the fair board chair on Wednesday, Sept. 8…  More from 10news.com on Del Mar and Sports Betting

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Horse racing returns to Pleasanton Today

June 18, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Racehorse Booked Up owned by Rich NilsenHorse racing will return to the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton on Friday with a new contactless payment system, fair officials said Wednesday.

Races will start at 2:45 p.m. at the fairgrounds at 4501 Pleasanton Ave. Races will be run Friday through Sunday each week through July 18 with an additional race on Monday, July 5.

Stakes races will be held June 26, July 3 and July 10 with $75,000 guaranteed each day. Trackside Terrace outdoor dining is $65 per person, Sky Lounge indoor dining is $75 per person, box seats are $18 per person and reserved grandstand seats are $15 per person.

Tickets must be purchased online and include the cost of parking. More information can be found at alamedacountyfair.com.

Horse racing in Alameda County, or more specifically at Golden Gate Fields, has received scrutiny recently. Horse advocates have raised the public’s awareness about horses dying at Golden Gate Fields and other tracks in California and nationwide.

“There’s no reason to believe the Alameda County Fairgrounds is any more humane than Golden Gate Fields,” said Samantha Faye, a spokesperson for Direct Action Everywhere, an animal rights group. “Horse racing is an inherently cruel industry,” she said.

Faye said the horses are “simply the profit-drivers” in the horse racing industry.

Fans devoted to the sport though can attend daily seminars to learn about the day’s schedule of racing and get tips and picks for betting. In addition to the new contactless payment system, the fairgrounds is launching a rewards program, which is meant to help small businesses and lift the…

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Racing at Golden Gate Fields Postponed till December 3rd

November 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Golden gate turf breakWith the continued regard for the safety and well-being of 1/ST RACING employees, those working on the backstretch and the community at large, and in following the best guidance from local health authorities, Golden Gate Fields’ leadership has decided to continue its suspension of live racing through November.

Since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Golden Gate Fields has implemented stringent health and safety measures including, strict social distancing, masking policies and regular COVID-19 testing with isolation requirements for any positive cases or identified close contacts.

On November 13, Golden Gate Fields announced a one-week temporary closure to address a COVID-19 outbreak. Since then, all track facilities have undergone thorough cleaning and track-wide COVID-19 testing has been administered to all 1/ST RACING employees and to all those who work on the backstretch. All testing data have been shared with the Berkeley Public Health Division (BPHD).

All positive cases are overseen by the BPHD through their case managers. Positive cases are required to isolate as per BPHD protocols and are not able to return to Golden Gate Fields until health clearance has been provided by the BPHD.

The 1,300 horses stabled onsite will continue to receive the daily care and exercise they require.

Golden Gate Fields will continue to monitor the situation in collaboration with the BPHD and will look forward to resuming live racing with the announcement of a reopening date as soon as possible.

For more information please visit www.goldengatefields.com or @GGFRacing.

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Santa Anita Postpones Due to California Fires

September 14, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Santa Anita San Gabriel

copyright Cheryl Ann Quigley

ARCADIA, Calif. (Sept. 14, 2020)– The opening day of Santa Anita’s Autumn season will be pushed back a week until Friday, September 25, due to the impact of Bobcat Fire on the air quality and surrounding community.

“Our local community has been deeply impacted by the Bobcat Fire burning for more than a week in the mountains behind us,” said Aidan Butler, Executive Director of California Operations for The Stronach Group. “The current weather pattern has kept the smoke in the valley and the air quality is quite poor right now. The Red Cross is using Santa Anita as the evacuation zone for people – including many of our horsemen – whose homes are less than two miles from here. As excited as we are to welcome back live racing, we are first and foremost committed to safety. This is the responsible decision to make at this time so people can plan accordingly.”

“The stakes races set for this weekend will be brought back next weekend,” said Steve Lym, Santa Anita’s VP – Racing & Racing Secretary. “The smoke has impacted some training schedules, so postponing until next weekend will allow everyone a chance to be ready to go. We are planning on filling extra races throughout the meet to give our horsemen the opportunity to run their horses.”

The Opening Week now will feature a blockbuster schedule of outstanding stakes action, offering over $2-million in purse money. The stakes schedule includes seven races which are “Win and You’re In” races for the 2020 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The stakes races originally slotted for this weekend will be run as follows: the Chillingworth on Friday, September 25, the Speakeasy on Saturday, September 26 and the Tokyo City Cup on Sunday, September 27.

Entries for Opening Day, September 25, will be drawn on Sunday, September 20, as scheduled. First post will be 12:30 p.m. PT.

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Weather may determine Santa Anita racing days for upcoming winter meet

November 23, 2019 by Leave a Comment
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Santa Anita Park racetrack has received a green light from the state to begin its winter-spring meet Dec. 26 under the condition that the track be shut down in the event of inclement weather.

The California Horse Racing Board conditionally approved the venue’s license Thursday without answers to key questions, such as what exactly constitutes “inclement weather” and who will make the call.

Those answers will be presented by The Stronach Group, Santa Anita’s owners, at the CHRB’s next meeting on Dec. 12 at Los Alamitos racetrack. At that time, if the board members aren’t happy with the process, they’ll be able to retract their approval.

“If these procedures and protocols are put into place and enforced, the governor has no reason not to allow racing to continue,” said Gregory Ferraro, new chairman of the CHRB .

Ferraro, a former racetrack veterinarian who was appointed to the board by Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this year, pledged the state board would be pursuing stricter regulations than it has in the past.

“The days of permissive medication are over,” he said. “We will gradually eliminate medications and keep them away from racing dates and training. We expect opposition, but we’re determined to carry this out in the best interest of horses and jockeys.”

Since last December, 37 horses have died while racing or training at Santa Anita. Initially, those deaths were believed to have …

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