NEWS
Fairplex overcomes slow start but handle still down
Posted: Tuesday, October 01, 2002
After a 20% drop in handle during its three-day opening weekend, Fairplex Park rebounded during its final two weeks but still fell 5.5% short of last year's handle figures.Handle for the 17-day meet totaled $98.4-million for an average of nearly $5.8-million daily. Last year, Fairplex handled more than $6.1-million per day. After the initial drop on opening weekend, Fairplex handle increased 1 1/2% over the final 14 days.
Martin Pedroza won the jockey title with 27 wins and $616,498 in mount earnings; Tyler Baze finished second with 21 wins. Doug O'Neill won a close trainer's race, saddling nine winners from 24 starters; Jeff Mullins and Juan Garcia saddled seven winners each.
The Fairplex meet faces an uncertain future. The Pomona, California, track is seeking to again become a fully funded year-round training facility. Fairplex had received $2.2-million to remain open all year, but when San Luis Rey Downs received funding as a training facility, Fairplex's budget was cut by $700,000.
"San Luis Rey might be a great training facility, but that doesn't mean the Los Angeles County Fair needs to lose what it has done traditionally in serving this industry as a training facility," Fair Chief Executive Officer Jim Henwood told Daily Racing Form. "[San Luis Rey] is not a racing association. We'd like to see the race meet be here forever. I'm hopeful that we can hold another race meet next year."
