Framework in place for one-year offtrack stabling agreement

Offtrack stabling in Southern California will remain at Galway Downs, Los Alamitos, and San Luis Rey Downs in 2016 after officials with area racetracks and horsemen’s organizations reached “a framework” for a one-year agreement to maintain stabling at those venues, according to Chuck Winner, chairman of the California Horse Racing Board.

On Saturday, Winner said he had been party to discussions in recent days and that Los Alamitos would remain part of offtrack stabling on the circuit.

“I think we’ve reached a resolution,” said Winner.

Some elements of the agreement have yet to be finalized, according to a track official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The agreement means Los Alamitos will host year-round stabling for a third year in 2016. Los Alamitos has hosted year-round stabling for up to 700 Thoroughbreds since January 2014 following the closure of the stable area at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif., which ceased live racing in December 2013.

In previous discussions, officials with horsemen’s organizations and Santa Anita had sought a 10-year commitment from Los Alamitos for continued offtrack stabling, but a deal was not reached. Los Alamitos officials said they could not commit to that long of a timeframe.

At the racing board’s monthly meeting Nov. 19 at Del Mar, it was unclear which tracks and training centers would host offtrack stabling in 2016. Under one proposal, Del Mar would have been used for offtrack stabling to house 500 horses from January through May.

Del Mar is located on the San Diego County fairgrounds. Had Del Mar been used for early-year stabling in 2016, the horses would have been forced off the property in June to accommodate the San Diego County Fair, which takes place in the weeks prior to the track’s summer meeting.

Winner said the current agreement will pay Los Alamitos approximately $9,500 per day to host stabling, double what the track was paid over the last two years. Los Alamitos officials had sought a figure as high as $14,000 in recent discussions.

“It’s a one-year deal,” Winner said. “This will give us some time to work on a long-term deal.”

In addition, legislation is needed to assist in financing offtrack stabling and vanning. Horses based at official offtrack venues are shipped to area racetracks without cost to horsemen. In recent years, the fund that provides for stabling and vanning has run a deficit of approximately $4 million, a sum taken from racetrack commissions and purses.

Money for the fund is generated from a portion of simulcast handle from satellite wagering, a figure that has been in decline in the last decade as bettors migrate to account wagering services.

The racing board is scheduled to address the issue of offtrack stabling throughout the state at its next monthly meeting Dec. 17 at Los Alamitos. At that meeting, the racing board is expected to grant full approval for Santa Anita to begin its winter-spring meeting Dec. 26. The racing board gave Santa Anita conditional approval for its winter-spring meeting Nov. 19, contingent on the track reaching agreements regarding offtrack stabling and general horsemen’s contracts with the Thoroughbred Owners of California and California Thoroughbred Trainers.