Big Fresno Fair concludes fair season
The Big Fresno Fair brings the 2015 fair racing season to a conclusion with a nine-day meet that begins Thursday and includes holiday racing on Columbus Day next Monday.
The racing highlight of the fair is Sunday’s $100,000 Harris Farm Stakes, a six-furlong race for Golden State Series-eligible California-bred or -sired runners. It is Northern California’s penultimate six-figure race of the year, with the Grade 3 Berkeley on Nov. 29 at Golden Gate Fields to follow.
The $50,000-added Bulldog at 1 1/8 miles will be run on closing day, Oct. 18.
With the Golden Gate Fields fall meet coming up Oct. 22, the California Authority of Racing Fairs is offering bonuses to trainers who run at least five horses at Fresno in the hopes of getting some runners to ship in from Golden Gate. This follows a similar trainer bonus offered at Stockton, which conducted its meet last month.
“A number of trainers may park themselves and stay at Golden Gate for the next two weeks,” racing secretary Tom Doutrich said. “But hopefully we’ll be able to get some good-sized fields.”
Doutrich said some Southern California and Arizona trainers intend to run horses at the meet.
Thursday’s opening-day card averages seven runners per race for the two Quarter Horse races, five Thoroughbred races, and one Arabian race.
Racing isn’t the only attraction at the Big Fresno Fair. The strong entertainment lineup includes The Band Perry, Nelly, Paul Anka, Diana Ross, and comedian Jeff Foxworthy.
In fact, said Doutrich, several trainers have told him they plan to enter runners for days when a particular act is playing there.
“This isn’t the same place it used to be,” said Doutrich.