Los Alamitos taking three-day racing hiatus for track maintenance

Los Alamitos is taking the weekend off.

The track announced on Wednesday morning that there will be no racing from Friday through Sunday at the nighttime meeting for Quarter Horses and lower-level Thoroughbreds to conduct afternoon maintenance on the racetrack.

The maintenance will be conducted after the conclusion of morning training, according to a statement.

This weekend, the track will remain open for simulcasting during the day and evenings.

Racing will resume on March 29. The March 30 program is highlighted by the $210,000 La Primera Del Ano Derby for 3-year-old Quarter Horse fillies. The following evening, the main race will be the $211,000 El Primero Del Ano Derby.

This is the second time this year the track has interrupted its year-round meeting. There was no racing on Saturday, Feb. 2. The track did not schedule a program for the evening of Feb. 3 to avoid a conflict with the Super Bowl.

Some trainers said on Wednesday that a weekend off will help the track’s ongoing issue with field sizes. Through March 17, the most recent day of racing, the track averaged 6.08 runners per race compared with 6.36 runners per race during a similar period of time last year.

Los Alamitos did not draw its Friday program when entries were scheduled to be taken on Tuesday.