The organization that conducts harness racing at Cal-Expo in Sacramento, Calif., has a long-term lease to conduct racing at the facility that could disrupt tentative plans to make the venue the future home of Thoroughbred racing in Northern California as early as 2024 following the closure of Golden Gate Fields in Albany later this year. Golden Gate’s parent company, The Stronach Group, announced earlier this month that the 82-year-old track will close in December in an effort to consolidate Thoroughbred racing to the company’s track in Southern California, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia. Golden Gate conducts approximately eight months of racing each year in Northern California, and its looming demise has created turmoil on the state’s Thoroughbred circuit. The California Authority of Racing Fairs, which conducts racing at a majority of the fairs on the Northern California circuit, has proposed a calendar that would have 43 weeks of Thoroughbred racing in 2024, compared to 50 this year. Under the plan, Cal-Expo would host a brief meeting from late December to mid-January before resuming from early March to mid-June. The fair circuit would have its traditional stops at Pleasanton, Cal-Expo, Santa Rosa, and Ferndale from mid-June through late August before concluding with an early autumn meeting at Fresno. Cal-Expo would resume Thoroughbred racing in October through the end of the year. The proposal directly conflicts with the harness racing schedule, which is conducted by Watch and Wager Inc. The company recently extended its lease with the Cal-Expo State Fair organization through May 2030, according to general manager Chris Schick. Watch and Wager holds two race meetings per year, from early November to mid-December, and from late December to early May, racing two days per week. Cal-Expo is currently hosting its annual fair race meeting, which has Thoroughbred racing through Sunday. In coming weeks, the racing surface will be converted for use by harness horses in advance of the stable area opening on Sept. 15 in preparation for the fall meeting, Schick said. :: Bet with the Best! Get Free DRF PPs and Cashback when you wager. Join DRF Bets. Developments surrounding the closure of Golden Gate Fields and the potential use of Cal-Expo for extensive Thoroughbred racing on an annual basis have caused uncertainty in the harness community, Schick said in a recent interview. “Our horsemen are not just scared, but they’re asking if they need to make alternative plans,” Schick said. “Our business has already been damaged in terms of recruiting. It’s not good.” Schick, who has a 30-year involvement in management of harness meetings in California, described the CARF proposal to conduct extensive Thoroughbred racing at Cal-Expo as a “broad vision” by that organization, but one “that involves the extinction of harness racing.” “We don’t believe the Cal-Expo board of directors will support the CARF proposal,” he said. Cal-Expo is the only venue that hosts harness racing on the West Coast of the United States. Harness racing has been held at Cal-Expo since 1972, Schick said. For years, harness racing was held at both Cal-Expo and Los Alamitos, but the breed has not raced at Los Alamitos since 2000. The following year, Los Alamitos went to a year-round Quarter Horse and lower-level Thoroughbred meeting. In the 1990s and early 2000s, harness racing in the state was in a period of upheaval, seeking a consistent racing schedule. Schick was involved in harness racing at the time. “Those things that are hitting the California Thoroughbred industry, I’ve been through it,” he said. “I have an opinion on what they need to do. There are other combinations that could keep the [Thoroughbred] industry whole and not involved the destruction of Cal-Expo harness.” Specifically, Schick said the Northern California Thoroughbred circuit could race at other venues while harness racing is held at Cal-Expo. Schick said he met with Cal-Expo’s board of directors earlier this week and that the board has not taken action regarding future use of the facility. Further meetings involving many organizations in racing are scheduled in coming weeks, notably the dates committee of the California Horse Racing Board on Aug. 16 at Del Mar. The dates committee will meet for the first time this year on that day to discuss 2024 racing dates in the state. The Northern California schedule is certain to dominate the meeting. Schick said Watch and Wager officials approached Cal-Expo about extending its lease to justify expenditures on capital improvements. “We have made a substantial investment in track equipment that was wearing out,” he said. Schick said there are no suitable alternative venues for evening harness racing in California. None of the other fair circuit locations have lights to allow evening races, for example. In fiscal year 2021-22, the most recent year figures are available, there were 44 harness racing programs in California that generated more than $68.6 million in all-sources handle, according to racing board records. Los Alamitos had 100 programs of Quarter Horse and lower-level Thoroughbred racing that drew more than $246.7 million in all-sources handle. The daytime Thoroughbred circuits in Northern and Southern California conducted 344 programs that had an all-sources handle of more than $2.7 billion. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.