Flagstaff cancels meet

The fallout from the cancellation last week of the Yavapai Downs summer meet has extended north, as the Coconino County Board of Supervisors cancelled the four-day Coconino County Fair meet at Flagstaff. The short meet has annually been over the July 4 holiday in partnership with Yavapai Downs, and this year was to run from July 1 through July 4.

The Flagstaff meet has been run by Yavapai Downs in terms of services and staff, as well as equipment. However, Yavapai cannot provide such a function this year. Flagstaff would need a subsidy to operate without Yavapai’s services and the board said it could not subsidize the meet.

Turf Paradise offered to run the meet, but the Coconino County Board of Supervisors cited timing and financial constraints for not pursuing a contract with Turf Paradise for this year. Like Yavapai Downs, they hope to resume racing action in 2012.