LOS ALAMITOS : Quarter Horse Meeting Begins by Setting Record for Handle

The Los Alamitos race meeting began the way its quarter horses do--sprinting from the gate. Betting more than $1.8 million Friday night, on- and off-track fans broke the opening night record of $1.4 million set in 1980.

The high volume continued through the weekend, giving the track its most successful opening in its 44-year history. During the first three nights of the 142-day meeting, Los Alamitos handled a total of $3.8 million. The nightly average increased nearly 35% from last year’s opening weekend, which included Kentucky Derby night, traditionally a strong session.

Track attendance started strong as well, with an opening-night crowd of 5,024. Perhaps a factor in the weekend’s success was the guaranteed $100,000 twin trifecta, in which fans try to pick the top three finishers in two races. After the first half of the twin trifecta, a 4 1/2-furlong thoroughbred race, more than 600 fans were still in it. But only one ticket had the top three in the Town Policy Handicap’s first division, which completed the trifecta.

With only $33,422.80 in the betting pool, Los Alamitos wrote a check for the difference. The winning ticket was bought at the track.

Ed Allred, president of the Horsemen’s Quarter Horse Racing Assn., said he was pleasantly surprised by the opening-night numbers.

“It’s a great start and a big lift for the industry,” he said.

The meeting, which runs through Dec. 17, offers thoroughbred, Appaloosa and Arabian racing as well as the quarter horse events.

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I. William Stratmore, owner and breeder of Artesia’s Special Gal, flew to Los Angeles from Passaic, N.J., to catch his horse in the first division of the Town Policy Handicap.

“I came out for 18 seconds,” he said.

Actually, it was 18.05 and Artesia’s Special Gal rewarded him by winning the first stake of the meeting, increasing her earnings to $25,435.

John Creager rode Artesia’s Special Gal, who is trained by Charles Treece. Stratmore, a metallurgical engineer in the airplane engine business, started in quarter horse racing 28 years ago. He’s 81 and flew himself to every race until two years ago.

At one time he owned a ranch in Arizona and bred dozens of horses every year. He has cut back to only a few horses, all relatives of Artesia’s Special Gal and all named Artesia-something. It’s easier to remember that way, he says.

In the second division of the 350-yard Town Policy, the Connie Hall-trained Fast Wheelin Royalty nosed out the undefeated Moo Vin First in 17.99 seconds. Eddie Garcia, the leading rider of 1993, was aboard Fast Wheelin Royalty.

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Danny Cardoza, Los Alamitos’ all-time leading rider, began his new career as a trainer Saturday night.

His first quarter horse starter, Pretty Sensation, overcame a troubled start in the 10th race and finished second to longshot Irish Effort.

Cardoza, who won 2,528 races as a jockey, said he always wanted to train, but was deterred by the high cost of doing business in California. He tried to quit riding last year and took a job breaking colts at Allred’s ranch near San Luis Obispo. But the demand for him as a jockey was still there, and he continued to take mounts at Los Alamitos on weekends.

“After 26 years, it was time to try something new,” Cardoza said. “I got busted up pretty good (riding), but that wasn’t it. It was just time to try something else.”

Cardoza might well have continued to work for Allred, but Frank Vessels, owner of another large quarter horse operation, hired Cardoza as the private trainer for Vessels’ Stallion Farm.

Although Cardoza can take outside horses, he will train all that Vessels breeds and oversee the operation in Bonsall. Vessels’ farm is next to San Luis Rey Downs, a thoroughbred training center Vessels owns. Cardoza was able to begin training his runners over that track, which normally is reserved for thoroughbreds.

“He’s a great owner because he’s a horseman,” Cardoza said of his new boss. “And I’ve known these horses from the beginning. I broke most of them. All their bad habits are things I taught them.”

The hardest part of his new career, Cardoza said, is the moving.

“A rider just picks up his tack and moves. As a trainer, it’s a lot harder,” he said, pointing to the line of clean, fresh bridles hanging on his wall.

But he acknowledged that the best part of riding still was winning, and it’s unlikely Cardoza will miss that for long.

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The Arabian stakes race schedule begins Friday night with the Sierra Knights Sprint, a $7,500-added race for 3-year-olds and older going six furlongs.

The one-eyed Magna Terra Smoky will be the crowd favorite in this short field. Owned and trained by Barbara Jagoda, Magna Terra Smoky has won 32 races, the most in Arabian racing. The Sierra Queens Sprint, a $7,500-added six-furlong race for fillies and mares, is set for Saturday night.