Oak Tree, Fairplex negotiate

ARCADIA, Calif. - Discussions continue between the Oak Tree Racing Association and Fairplex Park regarding a potential overlap of the two meetings on the final weekend of September, representatives of the two organizations told the California Horse Racing Board on Thursday.

Oak Tree, which leases Santa Anita in the fall, has proposed to run Sept. 27-28, the weekend before its regular meet is scheduled to open, to conduct two days of racing that will feature four prep races for the Breeders' Cup, to be run at Santa Anita on Oct. 25.

Fairplex Park is scheduled to run its fair meeting at the Los Angeles County Fair from Sept. 12-28.

The overlap could be reduced to just the Sunday of that weekend, Sept. 28, the board was told.

The two sides have yet to agree on financial compensation for Fairplex and remain far apart on the issue. Fairplex is seeking compensation of $750,000 to $1 million for commissions that could be lost because of the overlap, the board was told.

Sherwood Chillingworth, an Oak Tree official, told the board "that's more than we make in operating revenue. We can't give it all to them for two days of racing."