Northern California fair season begins Friday at Pleasanton

It’s summertime, which means Northern California racing returns to its roots at the fairs.

The fair season opens at Pleasanton with a 15-day meeting beginning Friday and concluding July 7. Pleasanton will not run under the Oak Tree banner this year, as it has since 2014.

The highlight of the meet is the $100,000 Everett Nevin, a 5 1/2-furlong race for 2-year-olds on July 7. The meet also will conduct the $50,000 Oak Tree Sprint at six furlongs July 4.

Racing in California has come under the microscope, but Larry Swartzlander, executive director of the California Authority of Racing Fairs, said the fairs are doing everything possible to protect horses racing on the circuit.

“There are no shortcuts for horse safety,” he said.

The fairs are following new, more stringent medication guidelines as well as rules regarding the use of whips by jockeys.

“It’s good for the industry to do it,” he said.

In addition, CARF is continuing its practice to have horse examinations by vets and has been working closely with Pleasanton, Sacramento, Ferndale, and Fresno to improve and refine track safety under the supervision of Steve Wood, who has made the surfaces softer and friendlier to horses.

“It’s a credit to CARF and particularly the fairs that they’ve put a lot of money into racetrack maintenance,” CARF racing secretary Tom Doutrich said. “It’s money well spent.”

Pleasanton will unveil a new Jumbotron this meet so fans can have a better view of the races.

Although the Arizona Downs meeting in Prescott has kept several smaller stables from coming to the fair circuit this summer, Doutrich believes there is a sufficient horse population for the summer season. He’s raised the claiming level for nonwinners-of-two races to help owners maintain the value of their horses.

The reduction in stakes races continues. Only two stakes are scheduled at Pleasanton, and the Juan Gonzalez for 2-year-old fillies has been eliminated.

“There just haven’t been enough 2-year-old races run,” said Doutrich, who noted fillies can compete well with males this early in the season.

He will try to offer a 2-year-old filly allowance race instead of the Gonzalez.

Two-year-old stakes also have been eliminated at Santa Rosa, which is not affiliated with CARF. Like Pleasanton, Santa Rosa will hold only two stakes.

Opening day at Pleasanton includes a T-shirt giveaway for anyone playing the daily Win-Place-Show contest. There is $10,000 on the line at the annual putting contest, which will be held every day except June 28 when the infield is closed to set up an evening fireworks show. Daily winners will vie for the $10,000 prize on closing day July 7.

The popular Derby Dog Dash will be June 29, and youngsters will compete down the stretch in Hippity Hop Races every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, except June 29.