NEWS
Oak Tree’s location beyond ’10 still unresolved
Posted: Thursday, September 02, 2010 5:06 PM
by Larry Stewart
Reports of the Oak Tree Racing Association conducting future meetings as early as 2011 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club may have been premature.
Officials from Del Mar and Oak Tree met on September 1 and decided to wait to receive more feedback before taking any action.
“We want to make sure we have the support of the owners, trainers, and the racing board,” Del Mar President Craig Fravel said. “We are currently analyzing the issues. We have had a number of meetings and have more upcoming.”
Del Mar is located about 20 miles north of San Diego but 100 miles south of Los Angeles, but more Southern California horsemen live in the Los Angeles area, so there is some concern about the added travel and living expenses of two separate meetings at Del Mar.
An additional concern for Del Mar issues is that additional dates could dilute the cache of its live racing experience, which has enjoyed increased attendance during its summer meeting this year that concludes on September 8.
“If it is done right and at the right time of year, we think it could be a good deal for us and a good deal for horse racing,” said Fravel, who noted that the Oak Tree meeting would be separate and not an extension of Del Mar’s current summer meet.
Del Mar Chief Executive Joe Harper told the North County Times that the track only would move forward with the blessing of both horsemen and the California Horse Racing Board.
“We’re not in a vacuum,” Harper said. “Nothing will go forward until we’ve had discussions with them.
The CHRB will meet in September at Fairplex Park in Pomona to discuss 2011 dates.
Larry Stewart is a Southern California correspondent of Thoroughbred Times
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: sandy, glendale, CA on September 03, 2010 at 02:27 AM
I really don't understand why Oaktree is leaving Santa Anita at all. The problematic synthetic track will be gone by next fall and the largest fan population is in the L.A. area. Hollywood Park makes more sense than Del Mar but Indian Summer into Fall at Santa Anita is traditional and best.
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