Stakes Set for Racing’s Sideshow

The Los Angeles County Fair, that annual marathon mix of thoroughbreds, quarter horses and Appaloosas, opens today at Fairplex Park in Pomona.

This is not major-league racing as Southern Californians are accustomed to seeing at Del Mar, Santa Anita and Hollywood Park, but the purses are attractive and there’s a thoroughbred stakes every day. With no dark days, the meet ends Sept. 26, three days before the start of the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita.

The richest races of the meet, $100,000 apiece, will be saved for the end--the Las Madrinas Handicap on Sept. 24, the Pomona Derby on Sept. 25 and the Ralph M. Hinds Pomona Invitational Handicap on Sept. 26.

Two $50,000 stakes--the Bustles and Bows for 2-year-old fillies and the Foothill for 3-year-olds--are on today’s card. She’s Classy, third behind Chilukki and Spain in the Del Mar Debutante, is the class of the Bustles and Bows. The Foothill marks the return of Guillermo, winner of the Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar in his last start and victorious in four of seven races overall.

David Flores, six-time riding champion at Pomona and winner of 286 races, more than any jockey in L.A. County Fair history, will ride She’s Classy in the Bustles and Bows, and Box Buster in the Foothill. Flores, the leading rider at the Del Mar meet that ended Wednesday, was going to cut back his Fairplex riding schedule, anyway, and Wednesday the Del Mar stewards made sure of that by handing him a five-day suspension that begins Monday. Flores was penalized for his role in Monday’s spill that resulted in a broken wrist for Kent Desormeaux.

Fairplex Park at a Glance

* What--18-day meeting.

* Where--Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, Pomona.

* When--Today through Sept. 26. Post time is 12:30 p.m. daily. Fairgrounds admission gates open at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

* Highlights--Las Madrinas Handicap on Sept. 24, Pomona Derby on Sept. 25 and Ralph M. Hinds Pomona Invitational Handicap on Sept. 26.

* TV--Replays air at 8 nightly on KDOC, Channel 56.