Race Track Owner May Sell Half to Former Foe

Los Alamitos Race Course, which was recently purchased by a harness racing group headed by Lloyd Arnold, may soon undergo another ownership change.

Arnold is close to completing a deal to sell a half-interest in 125 acres of race track property to Ed Allred and R.D. Hubbard, the quarter horse interest that opposed Arnold’s purchase of the track.

The move is a surprise considering the bad relations the two groups have had in recent times. Allred and Hubbard would buy half of the track property for about $16.5 million. The Allred group would then run the two quarter horse race meetings at the track, and Arnold would run the two harness meetings.

The property’s 93.5 acres of golf course and 75 acres that Arnold hopes to have rezoned commercial are not part of the deal.

In addition, if the deal is completed, Arnold will not oppose a new race track that Allred and Hubbard hope to build in the Riverside area. They will seek the approval of the track proposal, perhaps as soon as next month, from the California Horse Racing Board.

The opening of a facility near Riverside would create some overlap in night racing in Southern California. Allred would like to race quarter horses at Los Alamitos for 23 or 24 weeks a year and at Riverside for another 14 to 16 weeks. Harness racing would be at Los Alamitos for about 25 weeks a year.

Harness racing could also be held at the Riverside facility.

Allred’s group is also exploring a larger concept of a regional equine park that would include a rodeo ring and an arena for horse shows. However, no plans have been made final on this.

Arnold said he had no comment on the impending deal but did acknowledge the negotiations.

“There’s a lot of things on the table. It’s something that could happen or something that could not happen.”

Allred said the sale would not affect Los Alamitos improvement plans that Arnold revealed last week. “All that will be done by mutual consent,” he said. “We see pretty much eye to eye, and there are going to be improvements to the existing facility.”

Allred said that at the very least, a new clubhouse costing $5 million to $7 million will be built. Allred also said he would like to build sky boxes at the facility, similar to those at Anaheim Stadium.

Allred is the owner of several family planning clinics in Southern California. He is also president of the Horseman’s Quarter Horse Racing Assn., which runs a meet at Los Alamitos.

Hubbard is the owner of Ruidoso Downs, a quarter horse track in New Mexico, and the Woodlands, a horse and dog racing facility in Kansas City, Kan. Both men are horse owners.

“This is a life-and-death struggle for two breeds,” Allred said. “And this will work out great for both breeds. Each race meet will have its own management. I’ll be president of the company that runs the quarter horses, and Lloyd will run the harness group.”