Owners Team Up With Los Alamitos in Mind

Bob Lewis and Mike Pegram, who have won the Kentucky Derby three times between them, have formed a partnership that might attempt to race thoroughbreds at Los Alamitos, the quarter horse track in Orange County.

Lewis, a retired Orange County beer distributor, said Sunday night from his Newport Beach home that any move he and Pegram might make would be contingent on Churchill Downs Inc.’s selling Hollywood Park. Although Churchill officials have declined to comment, there has been speculation that the Louisville, Ky., company is shopping the property. Churchill reportedly turned down a $200-million bid from the Bay Meadows Land Co., which operates a track in San Mateo, Calif.

Lewis and Pegram have been friends as well as rival owners for years. Lewis won the Derby with Silver Charm in 1997 and Charismatic in 1999; Pegram’s Derby winner was Real Quiet in 1998. All three horses also won the Preakness but missed out on the Triple Crown when they were beaten in the Belmont Stakes.

Lewis will try to win another Derby on Saturday with Consolidator and Going Wild.

Lewis said that he and Pegram might make a deal with Ed Allred, the owner of Los Alamitos, to lease the Cypress track for seven years, with an option to buy.

Lewis said the plan would be to continue running quarter horses at Los Alamitos.

It might cost in excess of $40 million to convert Los Alamitos into a thoroughbred track and add seating, Lewis said.

“We respect Churchill’s position regarding Hollywood Park,” Lewis said, “but if there’s no more racing in Inglewood, Mike and I are prepared to try Orange County and Los Alamitos, where the potential is limitless.

“We would need the cooperation and leadership of the industry to succeed, but I think everybody realizes that Southern California needs a shot in the arm and this could be the opportunity to give it that.”