Los Alamitos Race Course officials are in preliminary meetings this month with the City of Cypress to expand their track and barn area to accommodate thoroughbred racing set possibly for early next year. “It’s a 50-50 percent chance that Los Al will host thoroughbred racing. We’ll know quite a bit more in the next 30 days as to if this will move forward,” said Track Consultant Brad McKinzie.
“We don’t’ know even if we are going to apply for permits. This project is still a proposal,” said McKinzie. If thoroughbred racing comes to Los Alamitos’ owner, (Dr. Edward C. Allred), and if he wants to do it, Los Alamitos will move forward, according to McKinzie. “Right now we are just laying down basic plans. It’s all very preliminary,” he continued. “Dr. Allred is very committed to making sure Cypress is up to speed on how we should move forward, if we want to move forward.”
City of Cypress Mayor Prakash Narain, M.D., was unavailable for comment but Mayor Pro Tem Leroy Mills said, “All that’s going on right now is typical exploratory conversations.” “As far as tax revenues, I cannot comment on that because the developer and owner hasn’t submitted finalized plans.” “I’m receptive (to the expansion), but I have to wait to see what all the facts are with the project.” The City of Cypress currently receives one third of one percent on whatever is wagered at Los Alamitos as well as sale tax from all activities that go on at the race course, according to McKinzie.
The Los Alamitos now hosts nationally known, year-round quarterhorse meetings, and should the expansion be approved, will host two three-week meetings in summer and fall, replacing Hollywood Park’s dates. The racetrack, which currently employs approximately 700 people, would be considered a second thoroughbred venue in the Los Angeles area.
In January to the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), Hollywood Park officials said the track would race through 2013, but are not committed to hosting thoroughbred racing beyond this coming December. Los Alamitos would be a leading option to replace Hollywood Park, whose owners have stated a desire to tear down their racetrack, and possibly utilize the land for commercial and residential development.
“If Hollywood Park goes away, it will create quite a hole in the industry, so they (the industry) will probably decide fairly soon about Los Alamitos,” said McKinzie. “Should Hollywood Park decide not to run in 2014, the vast majority of the race dates will be split up between Santa Anita and Del Mar,” he said. “But Los Alamitos might host a couple 3-week or 4-week meets, which is fine with us. We think it would be just perfect for our facility.”
CHRB Public Relations Officer Mike Marten said, “It (Los Alamitos’ proposed expansion) is all industry conversation at this point, and that it hasn’t been presented to the CHRB.” Oak Tree Racing Associates, who have raced for the last 40 years at Santa Anita, have been looking at Los Alamitos, according to Oak Tree Racing Association’s Vice President Sherwood Chillingsworth. But he said it’s really an industry decision to create year-round training at Los Alamitos, and that the final decision is up to the CHRB. “If Los Alamitos is one of the possibilities, we would like to see the expansion happen. It’s good for the industry,” said Chillingsworth.
The proposed expansion of Los Alamitos would include taking its current five-eighths mile dirt track and bring it up to a circumference of just less of a mile while also adding approximately 1,000 stalls to accommodate thoroughbred training and racing. “There will be no synthetic race track. We have a dirt track and we plan on keeping it this way,” said McKinzie. “We’re looking at a budget of about $12 million to improve the grandstand, barn area and lengthen our track.”
Currently, Los Alamitos has handles that average about $1.3 million at night. There was $105 million betted last year on thoroughbred satellite racing at Los Alamitos for races at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park or Del Mar, or whoever was racing, according to McKinzie. “We feel Los Al would be a vibrant and live prospect for betting on thoroughbred racing. We will handle more than $2 million on satellite races for the Kentucky Derby Day,” he said. “The three richest horse races in California are run here, with one race having a purse of $2 million.” “But Los Alamitos isn’t big enough for a Breeder’s Cup to be held here.”
“We feel horse racing is still a vibrant endeavor, “ said McKinzie. “Dr. Allred has a passion for it. We feel thoroughbred racing here would be very success for the industry.”