CHRB denies bid for Northern California racing

The California Horse Racing Board opposes fair dates, a $2-million win for SoCal tracks.

- BY JOHN CHERWA

A HORSE runs at Santa Anita. The CHRB is betting on Southern California racing to keep the sport alive.

(JAE C. HONG Associated Press)

The hopes of Northern California racing and breeding interests were once again dashed when the California Horse Racing Board refused to license short racing dates to the Tehama District Fair and the Humboldt County Fair on Thursday.

Rather than a discussion about how to grow the sport, the 2-hour 45-minute meeting was mostly about how bad the state of racing is in the state and a determination that the future of Southern California racing is in jeopardy if it isn't given every advantage that is available.

That advantage is the amount of money that goes to the host track from advance deposit wagering (ADW) and computer assisted wagering (CAW). If Tehama and Humboldt were racing, then money bet through any means in Northern California would stay in Northern California, the way it was since the start of ADW until shortly after the closing of Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley.