FAIRPLEX : Loss Is Put at $500,000 for Meeting

A sharp decline in on-track business at this year’s Los Angeles County Fair meant that Fairplex Park overpaid horsemen by about $500,000 in purses, and despite the help the Pomona track got from inter-track betting midway through the season, Fairplex still wound up losing about that amount.

“This meeting could set us back 10 years,” said Ralph Hinds, chief executive officer of the fair. “The biggest fear I have is how drastically we’re going to have to cut purses next year. It’s difficult as it is, trying to compete with the other tracks for horses by offering generous purse money, and now it’s going to be more difficult.”

Fairplex offered five six-figure stakes and more than $4 million in purses, a figure that is generally based on the business the track did the year before. This season, on-track attendance declined by nearly 20%, betting by nearly 30%. The respective daily averages were 8,478 and $1.57 million.

Overall, counting off-track business, the attendance and handle figures were close to those Fairplex had a year ago. Starting on Sept. 21, the 10th day of the meet, new state legislation enabled Hollywood Park and Los Alamitos to take betting on Fairplex races.

But money bet at the satellite tracks doesn’t mean as much to Fairplex, which gets about 6% of every bet on-track but only 2% of a bet at Hollywood or Los Alamitos. In addition, off-track horseplayers don’t bring Fairplex any income in parking, admissions and concessions.

“I think there’s just too much racing in Southern California,” Hinds said.

The Oak Tree meeting will begin Wednesday at Santa Anita.