ShareThisBy DEBBIE ARRINGTON
For half a century, State Fair horse racing was an annual tradition for Ernie Hughes. The longtime fan from Carmichael always went to see the thoroughbreds run during their August visit to Sacramento.
"We got some top jockeys like Russell Baze and great racing," Hughes said. "The grandstand was packed. But now, it's just not the same. It makes me very upset, and I'm scared we'll never get the thoroughbreds back."
Hughes is among the many thoroughbred racing fans _ some who planned their vacations around the fair and thoroughbred dates _ still disgruntled over the State Fair's decision to host harness racing for a second summer instead of the traditional mix of running breeds.
"We did this for the health of the harness industry," Cal Expo racing director Dave Elliott said. "It's in much better shape now and that was one of our goals."
Harness horsemen are thankful to be able to keep racing during the State Fair.
"It means the world to us," said trainer Jim Perez, executive director of the California Harness Horsemen's Association. "It allows us to continue racing all year round. There's no moving around. We have more of a family life. It's a big, big help to all of us."
The association estimated that the State Fair's economic impact on its horsemen last year was close to $2 million. Harness racers use Cal Expo for an extra four weeks besides the State Fair time.
"This affects hundreds of people who make their life here, from the drivers down to the grooms and vendors who sell us our feed," Perez said. "This gives us two months of pay when we used to have nothing."
Cal Expo officials will review attendance and wagering after the fair closes Labor Day. Last summer, the fair netted $200,000 from racing, thanks mostly to $400,000 paid by Bay Meadows to Cal Expo for not running thoroughbreds.
This year, Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields, which opened Friday, split up the traditional State Fair dates. Cal Expo is expecting another impact fee from both tracks.
In Sacramento, the door remains open for thoroughbred racing's return, Elliott said.
"This is an experimental program. The dates have not been decided for 2007. Perhaps the thoroughbreds will be back."
Racing handle _ the total money bet _ and attendance for the trotters and pacers do not come close to what Cal Expo used to draw for State Fair mixed breed racing. Wagering on 12 days of Cal Expo racing during the 2004 State Fair totaled $19.6 million or $1.6 million a day. Last year's 24 nights of harness racing brought in $16.9 million of wagering for a $704,000 average. Attendance in 2004 averaged 9,008. Last year's fair racing drew less than 1,000 a night.
Early numbers appear to be up for this year's fair. Bolstered by $1 beer and soft drink sales, last Saturday's crowd grew to about 3,000 with a steady flow of newcomers, said Sacramento Harness Association general manager Chris Schick. "After each race, we had about 500 people leave and another 500 come in."
Unlike the thoroughbreds, harness racing runs at night and competes directly with other evening entertainment at Cal Expo. The first post time for the trotters and pacers is 5:30 p.m. today and Thursday, and 6:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The reason: Simulcast betting. More than 90 percent of the wagering on Cal Expo's harness racing comes from off track.
"We can't race during the day, up against Del Mar and the Bay Area tracks," explained Schick. "Our audience is at night."
