LOS ALAMITOS : Quarter Horse Meet Begins Friday

For much of the past year, Ed Allred and Lloyd Arnold have gotten along about as well as Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in the movie, “The War of the Roses.” Now, however, Allred and Arnold are partners as Los Alamitos Race Course prepares to start its 39th summer quarter horse racing season.

The track will open Friday night, with the $25,000 Town Policy Handicap and the $25,000 Miss Princess Handicap headlining the program.

Allred and Arnold waged a sometimes bitter contest for ownership of Los Alamitos before a harness racing group headed by Arnold finally gained control by buying the track from Hollywood Park Operating Co. last fall.

Even after the sale, the battles with Allred’s quarter horse group continued to be fought before the California Horse Racing Board and in the courts.

This conflict between the harness and quarter horse interests was seemingly put to rest just last month when a group headed by Allred purchased one-half interest in Los Alamitos from Arnold’s group for a reported $17 million.

So, now the old adversaries are partners, and their most pressing concern is trying to resurrect a sport that has taken a beating the last five years.

From a high average of 8,701 in 1980, the summer quarter horse meeting’s attendance has dropped to slightly more than 4,000 a night. With that decline, the average on-track handle has fallen from a high of $1,147,000 in 1982 to just over $770,000 last year.

Among those faced with the task of turning around Los Alamitos’ fortunes is Don Galloway, 57, of Cypress.

Galloway will serve along with Arnold as executive managers for the summer quarter horse season, with Herman Smith, former president of the Oak Tree Racing Assn., as the track’s general manager.

“It seems that all the bitterness that existed between the harness and quarter horse groups has died down now that both groups own a share of the track,” Galloway said. “We’ve had some tough times where we weren’t exactly friends, but we have put aside those old, hard feelings and both groups are working together to make this summer meet a success.”

The meeting will run Tuesday through Saturday nights with a 7:25 p.m. post time for the first race. In addition to betting at the track, satellite wagering will be offered at 21 locations throughout Southern and Northern California.

The 350-yard Town Policy Handicap for 3-year-olds is the major prep for the $125,000 Los Alamitos Derby on May 12.

Heading the list of nominees is the filly, Dashin Dee Dee, winner of three stakes and more than $208,000 during her 1989 freshman season.

Dashin Dee Dee has been assigned high weight of 123 pounds, probably an unwanted tribute to a filly who would normally get an advantage in the weights while racing against colts.

The Miss Princess Handicap for fillies and mares, will be headed by Barbs Bounce. A solid stakes campaigner in the Southwest last year, Barbs Bounce blossomed into the best mare on the grounds at the recent Bay Meadows quarter horse meeting as she scored impressive victories in the Miss Peninsula Handicap and the $32,000 Peninsula Championship.