FAIRPLEX : A 19-Day Feast for Die-Hards

Many of the top thoroughbred jockeys find time to take vacations between the end of the Del Mar racing season and the opening of Oak Tree at Santa Anita.

But for the die-hard fan, there is always the brief, but packed, Fairplex Park meeting at the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona, which begins a 19-day run today.

For the 56th season, the first post time has been moved back an hour to 2 p.m.

“We hope to attract more people who are working during the day and may otherwise only be able to see a couple of races,” said George Bradvica, Fairplex operations manager. “They will be able to see more of the thoroughbreds, and by moving the bulk of our races, the temperatures should be cooler, which is better for the horses and the fans.”

Fairplex officials are hoping the move helps the track continue where it left off last year, which was the best year in its history.

Fans wagered an average of $3,756,784 per day at Fairplex, which placed the track behind only Del Mar, Santa Anita and Hollywood Park among tracks in North America.

The track established a single-day record with a parimutuel handle of $6,182,263, which broke the previous mark by more than $1.2 million, and an all-time single-season record of $71,378,893.

There is at least one stakes race daily during the meet and three of them are scheduled for today. Two are for thoroughbreds, the $50,000 Foothill Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-olds that will be the 10th race, and the $50,000 Bustles and Bows, for 2-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs, which will be the 12th race.

The other stake will be for quarter horses, the $10,000 Express Stakes at 350 yards for 3-year-olds and up, which will be run third on the card.

In the fourth race, the first one for thoroughbreds, jockey David Flores has the mount on Shesouravenue in a six-furlong race for maidens. Flores, who shared the riding title in 1989 with Corey Black and Martin Pedroza and has won the last four here, will be trying to move past the late Freddie Miller to become the second all-time leading rider at Fairplex. He is tied with Miller at 185 victories. Francisco Mena tops the list with 248 winners.

Notes

Corey Nakatani, who recently won his first-riding title at Del Mar, and Kent Desormeaux, are riding in the Foothill Stakes. Nakatani will be aboard Freezit for owner Lester Holt and trainer Warren Stute. Desormeaux, will ride Ocean Indien, owned by R.D. Hubbard and trained by Jean-Pierre Dupuis. The complete field in post position order: Rotsaluck, Fernando Valenzuela, 114; Freezit, Nakatani, 114; Walk Point, David Flores, 122; Windwood Lad, Walter Guerra, 122; Frosty Bid, Victor Mercado, 114; Tajo, John Atherton, 117; Bird County, Goncalino Almeida, 114; Subtle Trouble, Paul Atkinson, 117; Ocean Indien, Desormeaux, 122; Troyalty, Pat Valenzuela, 122. Card Connection and Windover are on the also-eligible list.

There are only five horses racing in the Bustles and Bows, but one of them, Valid Attraction, is owned by Jan, Mace and Samantha Siegel and trained by Brian Mayberry, a group that won the race last year with Frigid Coed and also in 1989 with Tasteful T.V. Valenzuela will ride Valid Attraction. The field in post position order: Charlies Paradise, Flores, 122; Valid Attraction, P. Valenzuela, 114; Brite’s High, Pedroza, 114; Gamblin A J, F. Valenzuela, 114, Shu Biz Annie, Danny Sorenson, 114. . . . There will be two stakes races for Appaloosas during the meeting. The first will be the $15,000 Classy Lassie, a four-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up Sept. 24. The only stake for Arabian horses is the $7,500 Pomona Arabian Invitational Handicap, a seven-furlong race Sept. 25.