LOS ALAMITOS : Orange County Fair Wants Its Share of Profits From Satellite Wagering

Satellite betting has become a financial bonanza for just about every horse racing association in California and Norbert Bartosik wants in on the action.

Bartosik is the general manager of the Orange County Racing Fair, a group which leases Los Alamitos Race Course three weeks out of the year to conduct an 18-night race meeting.

For the remaining 49 weeks of the year, Bartosik overseas the Orange County Fair at its home base in Costa Mesa. Among the activities during this time of year are such normal fairgrounds happenings as Sunday swap meets, car shows, equestrian shows and the yearly Orange County Fair with the usual livestock exhibitions, carnival rides and concerts.

With annual revenues approaching $17 million, the Orange County Fair is a financial success under present conditions. However, Bartosik would like to see the Costa Mesa home of the fair become the newest location in California’s statewide satellite betting network.

Under current law, the Orange County Fair is the only fair association prohibited from conducting satellite betting on California horse racing. That is a situation Bartosik has tried to change in the last year.

“We tried to introduce a bill this year to allow us to conduct satellite betting at the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa,” Bartosik said. “We had to withdraw that bill for a number of reasons. Timing is everything in getting any new legislation and the timing just wasn’t right.”

A major factor in the Orange County Fair’s decision not to pursue this new legislation was opposition from a home owner group in Costa Mesa which expressed concerns over such issues as increased traffic at the fairgrounds should the facility be open year-round for satellite betting.

Also in opposition to the bill were several racing associations that fear the addition of the Orange County Fair to the satellite network would adversely affect their business.

“I think their was a genuine misunderstanding on the part of our neighbors as to what satellite betting would mean to the area,” said Bartosik. “As far as the racing industry, we had mixed support. It’s always been a struggle for the Orange County Fair as far as racing goes and we know we need the support of the entire industry on this matter.”

Bartosik believes that satellite betting at the Costa Mesa fairgrounds could post numbers equal to the numbers recorded by Del Mar during its satellite betting programs. He also says that the addition of the Orange County Fair to the satellite network would not have a negative impact on such tracks as Del Mar and Los Alamitos.

“If Del Mar averages between $700,000 and $800,000 on their satellite betting, I think we could do as well, if not better,” says Bartosik. “The Costa Mesa market would be a separate market from Del Mar or Los Alamitos. We would attract a separate group of customers.”

Bartosik realizes that until the existing racing associations come to share his view that betting in Costa Mesa would not damage their own business, he will face a tough task gaining acceptance for satellite betting at the Orange County Fair.

“I think increased satellite betting is the way of the future,” says Bartosik. “When the rest of the racing industry is ready for us, we’ll be ready for them.”

One jockey who figures to be the middle of the battle for this year’s riding championship at the Orange County Fair is 19-year-old Corey Nakatani.

A regular on the Southern California circuit at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park and Del Mar, Nakatani opened his second meeting at the Orange County Fair with two winners in the July 30 opening night.

One of Nakatani’s victories on opening night came with the 2-year-old filly Theresa’s Pleasure, a member of the Bob Baffert barn who equaled the Los Alamitos 4 1/2-furlong track record with a very impressive 50 3/5 victory.

For Nakatani, the Orange County Fair meeting is just another stop on his quest to break into the group of leading riders on the tough Southern California circuit.

“I want to be in the top 10 at every meet I ride and then I want to be number one someday,” Nakatani said between his opening night victories at Los Alamitos. “Last year I had the bug (the five-pound weight allowance given apprentice jockeys) and now I want to prove I can win just as many races without it. I didn’t win 200 races with the bug for nothing.”

Riding at Los Alamitos during the fair is a different situation for Nakatani. The track is a five-eighths mile oval with much sharper turns and a shorter stretch than Santa Anita, Hollywood Park or Del Mar.

Becoming adjusted to this smaller oval is a major hurdle for many riders who venture to Los Alamitos for the fair meeting.

“I rode here last year and it took me four or five rides to get used to the smaller track,” said Nakatani. “You just have to ride with a lot of confidence on this track. You have to ride the horses the way they like to run. You can’t force them to lead.”

Nakatani and his wife, Michele, are the parents of a one-month old daughter, Brittany Marie. Nakatani doesn’t figure he loses much sleep racing during the Los Alamitos night meeting.

“With a one-month old baby at home, I wouldn’t be getting any sleep anyway,” Nakatani says. “I might as well be here at night racing.”

Topping this weekend’s racing schedule at the Orange County Fair will be the $35,000 Las Palmas Stakes for fillies and mares on Friday night and the $35,000 added Costa Mesa Stakes on Saturday night.

Among those considering the Las Palmas Stakes on Friday are connections of the defending champion, Keep On Top, a 5-year-old mare with just over $121,000 in lifetime earnings.

Keep On Top won last year’s running of the Las Palmas by more than six lengths, but has been winless in six starts since that victory.

Among those nominated to the Costa Mesa Stakes is El Camino Real Derby winner Double Quick, a member of the Mel Stute stable with over $444,000 in career earnings.