Harness Racing Returns to Los Alamitos

Harness racing will return to Southern California tonight at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Earlier this week, Lloyd Arnold completed the purchase of the track for $71 million from Hollywood Park, which bought it from Millie Vessels in 1983. Arnold managed harness races at Los Alamitos from 1979 to 1983.

Racing will be held on Tuesday through Saturday through April 21, starting nightly at 7:30.

Arnold said the track has spent more than $400,000 on renovations, including 600 new chairs and 100 televisions in the Turf Club.

Part of Arnold’s marketing strategy will be to improve the sport’s public image, which has been damaged by allegations of race fixing.

“Qualified drivers with past suspicions, but no proof of wrongdoing, will start the meeting with a clean slate,” he said. “But all drivers have been put on notice that if something doesn’t look right, they’re gone immediately. We have $71 million invested and we don’t want to be put out by a few bad apples.”