California Horse Racing Board approves Los Alamitos December racing dates

The California Horse Racing Board on Wednesday approved six live Thoroughbred race dates at Los Alamitos Race Course over a two-week period running from Dec. 3 to Dec. 12.

The application, which was approved along with a longer Quarter Horse meet at the track, passed unanimously. The commission also approved an agreement between the operators of the track and the Thoroughbred Owners of California that will require Los Alamitos to enforce medication rules that are somewhat stricter than CHRB rules currently in place for licensed racetracks.

Also at the meeting, Scott Chaney, the board’s executive director, said that the board continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the initial scratch of Modern Games, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, on Nov. 5 at Del Mar. After the scratch, Modern Games was then allowed to compete for purse money only, leading to criticism from bettors who had the horse in their multi-race wagers but had their selection shifted to the post-time favorite, who finished fifth.

:: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures.

Chaney said the investigation “will offer suggestions on how such mistakes can be avoided in the future” and “whether our rules relating to wagering can be improved or updated.”