CHRB Tables NorCal Fair Dates Vote Until February

Expressing concerns that it could not responsibly approve Northern California fair race dates amid unresolved legal, regulatory, and logistical issues, California Horse Racing Board commissioners agreed Jan. 14 to reconvene next month to consider allocating race dates for several fairs. Their decision came during the CHRB's regularly scheduled monthly meeting in Sacramento, Calif.

A February meeting is an addition to the CHRB schedule; the regulator had planned to meet bimonthly in 2026. But a meeting in March was deemed too close to the proposed start of the Tehama District Fair, which wishes to host its first race date May 1. 

Racing in California has been consolidated in the southern part of the state over the past year. Due in part to a redirect of simulcast revenue from the north to the south, purses are up in Southern California, and track business has improved. 

But the consolidation has not suited many horsemen previously based in Northern California, according to statistics presented by Northern California representatives. Adding races for former Northern California runners on Southern California programs has not offset the loss of racing in Northern California, they say.

The overwhelming majority of trainers that have relocated their horses to the tougher Southern California circuit have earned lesser amounts than when racing in Northern California, organizers from Northern California fairs and horsemen told the board. Other trainers have moved horses out of state to compete at smaller tracks such as Emerald Downs in Washington and Turf Paradise in Arizona.

The loss of racing in Northern California has also impacted the California breeding industry. California-bred Thoroughbreds racing outside the state do not earn breeder awards except for those racing in graded stakes races. 

"I lay awake at night, every night, figuring out how we're going to keep our business going in Northern California," owner/breeder Justin Oldfield told the board.

In 2024, numerous fairs in Northern California conducted racing during the summer, as they had customarily done. However, after an unsuccessful fall meet at Pleasanton under operator Golden State Racing, racing ceased in Northern California. Golden Gate Fields, which Santa Anita Park's operator, 1/ST Racing, shuttered in 2024, previously had been the key track in Northern California with horses stabling at Golden Gate for much of the year.

Commissioners Wednesday heard pleas from Northern California organizers, urging the board to renew racing in the north, noting that racing at the fairs serves as a catalyst for attendance, community support, and viability.

Several commissioners expressed sympathy for those goals but warned that timing posed a serious challenge, as did late updates to the applications and materials provided to the board by fair organizers and Bernal Park Racing, a group that had hoped to renew racing in Northern California.

Logistical Challenges

CHRB executive director Scott Chaney told the board staff had not been given adequate time to evaluate revised materials, some of which arrived less than 24 hours before the meeting.

David Elliott, CEO of Bernal Park Racing, said the group pivoted its proposal after receiving a late letter from the California Department of Food and Agriculture that declined to approve a combined fair meet structure.

Northern California organizers wish to race at the Tehama, Alameda, and Humboldt county fairs during the spring and summer months.

Commissioners emphasized that fairs seeking to conduct race meets must take ownership of their applications, paperwork, and financial plans. Bernal Park Racing would provide operational details and financial support.

Representatives from Humboldt and Alameda county fairs, Andy Titus and Frank Imhof, told the board their fairs had local government support. Fair representatives also included in their documents support from state officials. A major horsemen's organization, the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, also backs Thoroughbred racing in Northern California.

The meeting closed with a blunt reminder from CHRB chair Dr. Greg Ferraro.

"It'll be a single-subject meeting in February, and we'll see what we can do," he said. "Trying to be fair to y'all—I hope you understand that—but you know, you realize that failure is not an option. If you fail, you could bring the whole state of California racing to an end."

In other CHRB developments:

• Commissioners tabled advancing a rule that would prevent maidens aged 6 and up from racing and those 11 and up from overall competition after hearing concerns raised by some horsemen during a public comment period and in person Wednesday. They plan to discuss it at a future meeting after examining more data.
• The CHRB approved a proposal from Los Alamitos Race Course meant to curb Quarter Horse racing fatalities that creates a first-of-its-kind policy intended to more tightly regulate when horses that receive intra-articular injections may enter and compete. It establishes that intra-articular injections will not be allowed within 30 days for trial races and 14 days for finals and stakes. A spike in Quarter Horse fatalities has brought negative attention to the entire horse racing industry in California.
• Chaney reported that handle in California for the entire calendar year in 2025 "was down 7%, night racing was actually up 6%, and total handle was down 5% compared to total handle for calendar year 2024. While there are many ways to interpret handle only being off 5% when compared to a year that included an entire Northern California circuit at the very least demonstrates resilience on the part of horse racing in our state." Quarter Horses race at night in California, while most Thoroughbreds race during the day.